John Tyndall (1820–93) was an Irish physicist who became fascinated by mountaineering after a scientific expedition to Switzerland in 1856. He traversed the summit of the Matterhorn in 1868 and climbed Mount Blanc three times. Alongside this love of mountains was a scientific interest in glaciers and ice formations. Tyndall was also well-regarded for his ability to communicate with the public about science. Many of his books, such as this one, published in 1872 as part of the International Scientific Series, are aimed at the general reader. Tyndall uses this work to explain many aspects of water, beginning with cloud formation and rain before moving on to ice, snow and glaciers. He also discusses the principles behind phenomena ranging from tropical rains to glacial movement. Illustrated and organised into 493 different points under themed headings, this book gives clear explanations of the complexity of the earth's water system.