Charlene D’Avanzo: I live on an island (Little John) in Yarmouth connected to the mainland by several bridges. Despite the ocean all around us, being island bound hasn’t been an issue because the bridges hadn’t flooded since we’ve lived here. That changed during the storm last week when we lost power.

We and our neighbors weren’t worried – in fact half the island wandered down to the water to watch waves splash up and over the bridge. Without electricity I guess the bridge spectacle was the only diversion available.

The next day Maine Department of Transportation came to our rescue and cleared the bridge. Our incident was minor but it got me thinking about the power of ocean storms – and some terrific books that tell the story. Here are a few:

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea: Readers may recall this creative nonfiction bestseller  about the so-called perfect storm – a rare combination of storm systems. The fishing vessel Andrea Gail, from Gloucester Massachusetts, was lost and all six crew members presumed dead. In 2000, the book was adapted into a movie starring George Clooney.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare: The storm that shipwrecks Prospero and Miranda sets the scene for the action of the play on the island. This ambitious and imaginative story is about magic, family, power, and race.

Northeaster: A Story of Courage and Survival in the Blizzard of 1952:  A vivid and gripping story of an epic Maine snowstorm that tested the very limits of human endurance.

Storm Watchers is a terrific journey about the evolution of weather forecasting. From the age when meteorology was considered akin to sorcery to modern-day wizardry of supercomputers, John Cox introduces pioneering scientists whose work made it possible to foretell the future. He tells little-known stories of weathermen such as Ptolemy’s weather predictions based on astrology, John Finley’s breakthrough research identifying tornadoes, and Tor Bergeron’s new weather forecasting techniques which contributed to its final worldwide acceptance.

Filled with extraordinary tales of bravery and sacrifice, Storm Watchers will make you think twice the next time you turn on the local news to catch the weather report.