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.