What a fascinating book! I admit that I wasn’t prepared for what the book is about - expecting a treatise on climate change, I got instead an entertaining story of an unusual man and the good he has done in shaping the world’s knowledge of and attitudes toward climatology. Born in a small Indian village, he made his way to some of the most prestigious institutions in the world, eventually becoming a part of the group that, with Al Gore, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

Although the science occasionally took a trip through the weeds for me, Dr. Shukla’s humble and engaging style was endearing. He doesn’t diminish the hard work, but is often prone to saying things like “I found myself at the University” or “by that time I was head of the committee,” downplaying his own role. But he also says he became know as a “pest,” and kept after his goals for funding and staffing until he was successful.

There is a lot to learn here, and I’m glad I set on the path to discovery with this book. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC.

This isn’t my typical read but something that I found interesting enough to try out! Thank you so much NetGalley, Dr Jagadish Shukla and St Martins Press for letting me read this before its April release!

incredible scientific memoir by one of the most incredible people in the field of climate science and the person behind many of our modern weather prediction capabilities, Dr. Jagadish Shukla. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

This is a very interesting and very informative book. I thought there would be more about butterflies, but it is a metaphor. This memoir reads like fiction and is easy to follow. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

I found this book had a perfect mix of personal memoir, the science of climate and weather, and the history of climate change. Each time that I was about to reach an overload of science lessons, Jagadish went back to his personal life, where I learned much about Indian culture. The fascinating memoir and science tied together very well. I enjoyed the writing style and learned a lot about weather and climate, and how we as a world society have ended up where and how we are, in regards to climate. As disheartening as it is that corporate greed has led us to this stage of climate change and all that comes with that, Jagadish leaves us with hope; that we have students and young scientists who will work hard to continue the work that scientists like Jagadish Shukla and others have done. I am very glad that I read this book and highly recommend it to those interested in memoirs, climate change, politics or recent history.

A Billion Butterflies: A Life in Climate and Chaos Theory by Dr. Jagadish Shukla is a brilliant scientific memoir by one of the greatest pioneers of weather prediction and climate science. Born in rural India, Dr. Shukla grew up at mercy to the weather. An overly dry season or overly wet season had profound impacts on his family and his village. He made it his life's mission to learn how to predict weather by the season, not just from day to day. Working in prestigious institutions in the US and India, Dr. Shukla developed models that helped better understand phenomenon like El Nino. He demonstrated how small actions could have large impacts globally. In addition to working in the field of weather prediction, he also contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a global organization of scientists who and policy makers who have demonstrated the catastrophic impact of burning fossil fuels and associated greenhouse gases on climate change.

I absolutely loved this book. For me, the book had the perfect balance of scientific detail and personal touches. I learned so much reading this book and highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

If you didn’t already know, I love science! It’s always been my favorite subject in school, and my favorite thing to teach my own kids!

As a lover of all things science, I am constantly reading books on the subject, and trying to learn more.

In “A Billion Butterflies” we get to see history of weather prediction unfold. How it came to be, how it was liked and opposed, and how politics always play a hand in what type of decisions are made.

The book tells the story of renowned climate scientist, Dr. Jagadish Shukla, and begins with his life as a child growing up in India. This is probably the part I found most interesting, because throughout the book, the author returns to his hometown again and again, to try to better the lives of the people still living there. Reading about life in rural India is definitely a culture shock if you’re not expecting it. Life is so different from what we see here in America. It was an eye-opening look into the lives of the less fortunate.

While I may not share all of the same beliefs as Dr. Jagadish Shukla, I still felt like I learned a lot reading his book. If you are a fellow weather nerd, it contains a lot of interesting facts on how weather prediction got its start. It’s very well written and holds your interest.

Somehow I ended up with both an audio book and an ebook of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed them both. The audiobook was very easy to listen to. It definitely kept my interest.

I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion. I rate this book as 4 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Some books come to us at the right time. I wanted to research weather vs climate but didn't want to read something detailed and textbook-like. This book is a mix of biography and we get so many instances of the author's life mixed with his journey to becoming an expert. The important and well-delivered scientific information punctuates the life of a child born in an Indian village and worked hard to achieve his status in the science community. But we also get the stories behind his losses, grief, and family, and even cultural shock. I love that the author is not afraid to confess how fearful he was during the most important events in life that turned out to become turning points for his career. At the same time, we have a general idea of the changes in time and politics that affected India. His work comes from the will to do better for his people who mostly depend on agriculture. Or even the change in America. The author is so focused on his work, that constant witch hunt politics phases become no more than disruption of good work. His commitment to living in America led him to the project intended to predict El Niño. In a simulation, they erased the Amazon from the Earth and saw the consequences, the extinction of many species, and repercussions around the world. Desertification is the end of many ancient societies already as History has shown. Climate prediction is extremely relevant. Imperative. Great awareness of a concept that is so simple but we keep forgetting. That the planet works as an organism that is in constant interaction. Even our acts of civilization building cities change the temperature and other factors of the land and not only these create the butterfly effect, rippling into drastic consequences.

Thank you author for dedicating a chapter to point out the valuable work women scientists have contributed, and for creating the college in your mother's village, Dr. Jagadish Shukla giving an opportunity to so many young women. Also, the book is a great way for the author to correct the misinformation that tried to denigrate his name and explain facts.

(all links soon)

This memoir chronicles Dr. Shukla’s journey from the monsoon-soaked fields of rural India to the forefront of climate science. Born into a world devoid of electricity and formal education, he attended classes held in a cow shed, a humble beginning that belies his future contributions to meteorology.

Dr. Shukla is credited with extending the range of weather forecasting beyond the ten-day limit, a feat that has undoubtedly saved countless lives and livelihoods. His work on dynamical seasonal prediction has transformed our understanding of climate variability, allowing for more accurate predictions of weather-induced natural disasters.

In recognition of his contributions, Dr. Shukla was a lead author on a panel that shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore for governmental research on climate change.

The memoir is a blend of personal narrative and scientific discourse, offering insights into the life of a man whose work allows us to feed more people, save lives, and hold on to hope in a warming world.

In sum, “A Billion Butterflies” is a a testament to the power of intellect and perseverance in the face of adversity, and a reminder of the profound impact that one individual can have on our understanding of the natural world. An enlightening read!

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I didn't know much about weather forecasting so it was nice to learn the basics in an easy-to-read way interspersed with the author's memoir of growing up in a small village in India and eventually being a superstar weather scientist for MIT, NASA, etc... I really enjoyed the memoir parts of the part and learning about how the science of weather has developed.
He describes how the fossil fuel industry is much like the tobacco industry in being a giant force denying climate change because it cuts into their profits. I am very disheartened even today as giant storms and fires rage around the globe that greed beats many people's desire to have a habitable planet.

A Billion Butterflies is a fascinating read that tells the inspiring story of Dr. Jagadish Shukla, a pioneering climate scientist who revolutionized weather forecasting. Growing up in rural India, Shukla faced immense challenges, but his passion for weather led him to reshape how we predict climate patterns today. The book is both a memoir and an easy-to-understand guide to weather science. As someone with little knowledge of the topic, I found it surprisingly accessible and engaging. Shukla’s personal journey and scientific achievements are truly inspiring—this book is a great mix of science and story, and I highly recommend it!

I went into this completely blind with zero knowledge of the author or weather. The extent of my weather knowledge was barely textbook level and more so just what my phone notifies me of. I learned a lot from this book. Everything was explained well enough that virtually anyone could follow along. At first I was worried this would read more like a textbook and less like a memoir. It never did and the teaching moments flowed well with the story.