The Sea Goes Rogue

Ever wonder about the mechanics behind rogue waves and how they become potential ship-sinkers? Rogue Waves: Anatomy of a Monster, by Michel Olagnon dissects rogue waves using anecdotes, historical reports, photos and paintings, and scientific ocean data. A naval engineer, Olagnon has studied years’ worth of wave data collected from North Sea oil rigs and learned that rogue waves are not as uncommon as once thought. He objectively uses the data to explain how mariners can understand and prepare for this natural phenomenon. Other types of waves, such as those caused by earthquakes, are also explained. (Bloomsbury, $30)