Mankind and Deserts 1: Deserts, Aridity, Exploration and Conquests

The wild beauty of deserts has always been a source of fascination the world over. Mankind and Deserts 1 – the first of three volumes – describes their location and geographic variety. There are both hot and cold deserts, those at high altitude or those at sea level, differing in climate but sharing the scarcity of water, extreme temperatures and often violent winds.

According to paleoclimate evidence, however, deserts have not always been as arid as they are today. Deserts were a source of...