Weather or not, talk up a storm

Looking to avoid all those highly charged topics at year-end

parties? Put punch in your small talk with fascinating facts about

the weather, gleaned from works on Newport Beach Public Library

shelves.

If you’re wondering about complexities of a warming world, search

for clues in J. Madeleine Nash’s “El Nino.” Describing the

Pacific-born weather system as a phenomenon that “turns dry places

wet, wet places dry, cold places warm and warm places cold,” the

former Time magazine science correspondent outlines El Nino’s

influence around the globe. In a lively, sometimes disturbing work,

she blends facts with anecdotes about failed monsoons, fever

outbreaks in Africa, drenching rains in the Americas and other

ravages wrought by a vast climactic system.

Reaching farther back in time, Cesar Caviedes reveals how

disruptive weather has swayed the course of human affairs in “El Nino

in History.” Learn how storms, floods and droughts have impacted

everything from the discovery of Easter Island to the failure of

Napoleon’s campaign in Russia and the defeat of the Germans at

Stalingrad during World War II in this historical overview.

Based on a similar premise, Erik Durschmied looks at 14 cases of

how nature has impacted history in “The Weather Factor.” With a

survey extending from the biblical flood to contemporary efforts at

controlling weather, he shows how brutal winters, monster typhoons

and killer hurricanes have been as influential in deciding human

events as the spear, bullet or atomic bomb.

Are there human fingerprints on the recent increase in extreme

weather instances? Insurance giants are jittery about the

possibility, maintains Dinyar Godrej in “The No-Nonsense Guide to

Climate Change.” In this new volume, read why man may be to blame for

billion-dollar catastrophes involving floods, fires, hurricanes and

heat waves.

Don’t want to talk about the weather? You can still be a star at

holiday parties with help from “The Fine Art of Small Talk.” In this

guide to interpersonal success, Debra Fine offers tips that will keep

you from hiding out in the bathroom or hanging out at the buffet

table at that New Year’s soiree. Long after midnight, take her

insight along to meetings, job interviews and business events.

If you really want to start 2003 on the right foot, keep that

appendage out of your mouth with tips from “Fierce Conversations.”

Maintaining that interpersonal difficulties are a direct result of

our inability to communicate well, Susan Scott offers common sense

advise for strengthening personal and business connections, one

conversation at a time. And when all is said and done, that’s

probably more important than whether it’s rainy or sunny outside.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach

Public Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams in

collaboration with Tamara Henn. All titles may be reserved by

accessing the catalog at www.newportbeach library.org.