Columbia University Press, New York; ISBN 0-231-12388-4; xii + 462 pp; 2004; $89.50. This is a topical book on tropical cyclones known more popularly as hurricanes in the Americas and typhoons in eastern Asia. The subject may appeal to academics and researchers as well as to the general public. The best way to predict the future variability of tropical cyclones is by examining their past record. Prehistoric records can be obtained from geological or archeological studies while historical records are provided by documentation and instrumentation. Of particular interest now are the changes in frequency and landfall pattern of tropical cyclones during El Ni¿o years, La Ni¿a years, and neutral years, extending back in time to cover the past 8,000 years for disaster planning.