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Looking Up: The True Adventures of a Storm-Chasing Weather Nerd
An energetic and electrifying narrative about all things weather—by one of today's rising meteorological stars.
Get in—we’re going storm-chasing!
Imagine a very cool weather nerd has just pulled up to you and yelled this out the window of his custom-built armored storm-chasing truck. The wind is whipping around, he’s munching on Wawa, it’s all very chaotic—yet as you look into his grinning face, you feel the greatest surge of adrenaline you have ever felt in your life. your cavalry is here!
Welcome to the brilliance of Looking Up , the lively new book from rising meterology star Matthew Cappucci. He’s a meteorologist for The Washington Post , and you might think of him as Doogie Howser meets Bill Paxton from Twister , with a dash of Leonardo DiCaprio from Catch Me If You Can . A self-proclaimed weather nerd, at the age of fourteen he talked his way into delivering a presentation on waterspouts at the American Meteorological Society's annual broadcast conference by fudging his age on the application and created his own major on weather science while an undergrad at Harvard.
Combining reportage and accessible science with personal storytelling and infectious enthusiasm, Looking Up is a riveting ride through the state of our weather and a touching story about parents and mentors helping a budding scientist achieve his improbable dreams. Throughout, readers get a tutorial on the basics of weather science and the impact of the climate.
As our country’s leaders sound the alarm on climate change, few people have as close a view to how serious the situation actually is than those whose job is to follow the weather, which is the daily dose of climate we interact with and experience every day.
The weather affects every aspect of our lives (
Get in—we’re going storm-chasing!
Imagine a very cool weather nerd has just pulled up to you and yelled this out the window of his custom-built armored storm-chasing truck. The wind is whipping around, he’s munching on Wawa, it’s all very chaotic—yet as you look into his grinning face, you feel the greatest surge of adrenaline you have ever felt in your life. your cavalry is here!
Welcome to the brilliance of Looking Up , the lively new book from rising meterology star Matthew Cappucci. He’s a meteorologist for The Washington Post , and you might think of him as Doogie Howser meets Bill Paxton from Twister , with a dash of Leonardo DiCaprio from Catch Me If You Can . A self-proclaimed weather nerd, at the age of fourteen he talked his way into delivering a presentation on waterspouts at the American Meteorological Society's annual broadcast conference by fudging his age on the application and created his own major on weather science while an undergrad at Harvard.
Combining reportage and accessible science with personal storytelling and infectious enthusiasm, Looking Up is a riveting ride through the state of our weather and a touching story about parents and mentors helping a budding scientist achieve his improbable dreams. Throughout, readers get a tutorial on the basics of weather science and the impact of the climate.
As our country’s leaders sound the alarm on climate change, few people have as close a view to how serious the situation actually is than those whose job is to follow the weather, which is the daily dose of climate we interact with and experience every day.
The weather affects every aspect of our lives (
304 pages, Hardcover
Published August 2, 2022
23 people are currently reading
310 people want to read
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September 4, 2022I already really liked Matthew Cappucci from his upbeat weather reports on our local NPR outlet, but he patronized my kids’ lemonade stand today and not only gave them a 1000% tip (it’s only 50¢ per cup) but then he also Tweeted about their stand to drive business! 😄 https://mobile.twitter.com/MatthewCap... He’s the best!
January 19, 2023
This book is immediately a mildly bonkers reading experience because the author mentions Silly Bands in elementary school on literally the first page. That’s a phrase I haven’t heard in a long time, and it told me even more instantly than “freshman in 2012” that this guy is pretty much my age. That makes envisioning the context of his life pretty easy, because he has a lot of the same time markers as me. (That’s lucky for me, because he used a heavy scattershot of pop culture references that I got without needing to google anything. They will probably be incomprehensible to readers outside the right age bracket.) The difference between us is that this guy has both a passion and an insane grindset that he totally glosses over.
I guess it takes a certain amount of crazy to be a storm chaser. Matthew Cappucci clearly loves weather, but you need to have more than just that to say something like “and then we lost our windshield to softball-sized hail. And it was the best day of my life.”
Somehow, I expected more weather and less memoir from this book. How much could this guy have to memoir about? He’s only like 25 years old. The life chunks of the book are disjointed and clumsily handled, but the weather is integrated quite neatly once you get past the first few chapters. After Cappucci demonstrates his early interest in meteorology and his path through school, he turns his focus to episodes featuring specific weather phenomena, which allows him to smoothly segue into approachable explanations of whatever he was chasing at the time. These explanations don’t shy away from technical terms but are admirably easy to follow, and they led me to whisper “cooool” to myself throughout the book.
The writing is decent, though it’s abundantly clear that Cappucci wasn’t an English major. SAT words are scattered across the book in weird spots that interrupt the flow of the narration, including some places where it looks like he meant a word just a letter or two off from what he actually wrote. Grammar is equally “fine but not great.” It’s fun to read, though, and the weather descriptions are delightfully vivid. Those provide a nice through-line that the book needs, because the storm-chasing is the star of the show, with the memoir pieces lacking much in the way of thematic or narrative threads.
Cappucci does want to offer wisdom about embracing spontaneity and appreciating the little things. He talks sporadically about how life’s best moments are unpredictable and come when you’re open to possibilities, which is the closest the book comes to having an overall theme or message. To be honest, it would probably carry more weight with a few more years of experience under his belt. When I realized how old he was, I wondered why he chose to write and publish this book now rather than later in his career, but then I realized he’s probably trying to grow his following and diversify his available media. In that context, this book is an excellent addition to his public portfolio and will likely win him some new fans. I won’t be surprised if I see his next book on the New Releases shelf at my local library in a few years, just like I discovered this one.
Overall, Looking Up is a solid three-star nonfiction read. I enjoyed its coverage of weather events I’m old enough to remember, because my taste in nonfiction tends to run to political science and history that happened before my time. As a pop science offering, it’s very readable but not too simplified. For a book that caught my eye at random at the library, I’d call it a success.
I guess it takes a certain amount of crazy to be a storm chaser. Matthew Cappucci clearly loves weather, but you need to have more than just that to say something like “and then we lost our windshield to softball-sized hail. And it was the best day of my life.”
Somehow, I expected more weather and less memoir from this book. How much could this guy have to memoir about? He’s only like 25 years old. The life chunks of the book are disjointed and clumsily handled, but the weather is integrated quite neatly once you get past the first few chapters. After Cappucci demonstrates his early interest in meteorology and his path through school, he turns his focus to episodes featuring specific weather phenomena, which allows him to smoothly segue into approachable explanations of whatever he was chasing at the time. These explanations don’t shy away from technical terms but are admirably easy to follow, and they led me to whisper “cooool” to myself throughout the book.
The writing is decent, though it’s abundantly clear that Cappucci wasn’t an English major. SAT words are scattered across the book in weird spots that interrupt the flow of the narration, including some places where it looks like he meant a word just a letter or two off from what he actually wrote. Grammar is equally “fine but not great.” It’s fun to read, though, and the weather descriptions are delightfully vivid. Those provide a nice through-line that the book needs, because the storm-chasing is the star of the show, with the memoir pieces lacking much in the way of thematic or narrative threads.
Cappucci does want to offer wisdom about embracing spontaneity and appreciating the little things. He talks sporadically about how life’s best moments are unpredictable and come when you’re open to possibilities, which is the closest the book comes to having an overall theme or message. To be honest, it would probably carry more weight with a few more years of experience under his belt. When I realized how old he was, I wondered why he chose to write and publish this book now rather than later in his career, but then I realized he’s probably trying to grow his following and diversify his available media. In that context, this book is an excellent addition to his public portfolio and will likely win him some new fans. I won’t be surprised if I see his next book on the New Releases shelf at my local library in a few years, just like I discovered this one.
Overall, Looking Up is a solid three-star nonfiction read. I enjoyed its coverage of weather events I’m old enough to remember, because my taste in nonfiction tends to run to political science and history that happened before my time. As a pop science offering, it’s very readable but not too simplified. For a book that caught my eye at random at the library, I’d call it a success.
December 22, 2023
read this before giving it to my dad for Christmas.
January 31, 2023
While I doubt I'll ever come close to fully understanding about half of what Cappucci discusses in his autobiographical book, that did not diminish my enjoyment of reading about how his life took him to meteorology and storm chasing. It is a great read if for nothing else than to experience the passion he feels for all things weather related - it is nearly contagious and he definitely imparts a greater appreciation for mother nature (tornados, northern lights, lightening, meteor showers etc). I loved that he knew what he gave him passion from an early age and kept plugging away at whatever would allow him to further pursue and understand his interest. A literary celebration for the nerd in all of us, I hope other readers find this as captivating as I did.
June 4, 2023
A fantastic travelogue about an up and coming weather influencer, this provides a great narrative with scenes from “Twister” every so often.
May 27, 2023
Matt Cappucci is an authentic person and I feel that across all media (print, television, apps) we get the “real” Matt. This book continues to show us who he is and it’s a thrilling ride (though maybe clarify about that one guy who needed help? he was ok, right?)
Also, I’ve had my fair share of “Heather”s. Bless you.
Also, I’ve had my fair share of “Heather”s. Bless you.
January 12, 2023
ASLI Choice Award - Popular , 1st place
August 23, 2022
This book is entertaining as well as educational. It's a meteorology textbook as well as a memoir. It is inspirational and invigorating. Written by a weather obsessed scientist of few years but much experience.
June 30, 2023
Definitely needs a stronger editing job, but it is still a great read.
November 21, 2022
Weather prodigy Matthew Cappucci - the Neil deGrasse Tyson of the skies.
Matthew Cappucci has had a passion for the weather for as long as he can recall. This biographical account of his career is equal parts charming and insightful. I especially appreciated his no-holds-barred approach to breaking down and explaining the concepts behind extreme weather events. Much of it may have gone over my head initially but was repeated with enough frequency that I now feel I could hold my own in conversation. I personally cannot WAIT to start throwing out terms like 'rear flank downdraft' and 'productive storm cell'.
Approachable, witty, and wicked smart, I was pleased to take this thrill ride with Matthew through the highlights of his career to date. As a narrator, however, I felt something of a disconnect between myself and Cappucci.
In the beginning Matthew presents himself as a charming teen itching for respect in the field of meteorology, taking every opportunity to pursue his life's dream. On the other hand, most of the adversity he's experienced has felt incredibly subjective. Despite some financial hurdles, I found myself first taken aback when Matthew was faced with the 'impossible task' of choosing between ivy league colleges. And eventually struggling to land 'the right job' immediately out of school.
Several anecdotes sprinkled throughout only serve to further highlight his 'disconnect of intellect'. While I appreciate that Cappucci didn't shy away from moments or stories that make him appear less than favorable, it became strikingly obvious that his ability to form empathetic human connection is limited (in the way you might expect a scientific genius to struggle between right and left-brain function).
As a result, there were times Matthew seemed almost cruel
in his no-nonsense prioritization of storm chasing and the higher education required to make it a career. (For one, lying to your anxious mother about your college acceptance status without remorse in order to catch the evening news uninterrupted- pretty cold, man.)
Given the fact that he's something of a prodigy and still in his mid-twenties at the release of this book also contributes to some of the narrative's shortcomings. Primarily lack of experience that can only come with time. There were many times that Cappucci complained about the professional restrictions of his age while simultaneously layering in irrelevant stories to pad the length of his debut novel - often making it feel rambling and impatient.
In the end, I found myself impressed by Matthew's dedication and engrossed by bis experiences in the field. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who wants to know more about meteorology and storm chasing. I only wish there had been fewer stories about academia and more extreme weather events. Tighter editing could have made this a shorter and more fluid read overall.
[Thank you to Edelweiss and Pegasus Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
Matthew Cappucci has had a passion for the weather for as long as he can recall. This biographical account of his career is equal parts charming and insightful. I especially appreciated his no-holds-barred approach to breaking down and explaining the concepts behind extreme weather events. Much of it may have gone over my head initially but was repeated with enough frequency that I now feel I could hold my own in conversation. I personally cannot WAIT to start throwing out terms like 'rear flank downdraft' and 'productive storm cell'.
Approachable, witty, and wicked smart, I was pleased to take this thrill ride with Matthew through the highlights of his career to date. As a narrator, however, I felt something of a disconnect between myself and Cappucci.
In the beginning Matthew presents himself as a charming teen itching for respect in the field of meteorology, taking every opportunity to pursue his life's dream. On the other hand, most of the adversity he's experienced has felt incredibly subjective. Despite some financial hurdles, I found myself first taken aback when Matthew was faced with the 'impossible task' of choosing between ivy league colleges. And eventually struggling to land 'the right job' immediately out of school.
Several anecdotes sprinkled throughout only serve to further highlight his 'disconnect of intellect'. While I appreciate that Cappucci didn't shy away from moments or stories that make him appear less than favorable, it became strikingly obvious that his ability to form empathetic human connection is limited (in the way you might expect a scientific genius to struggle between right and left-brain function).
As a result, there were times Matthew seemed almost cruel
in his no-nonsense prioritization of storm chasing and the higher education required to make it a career. (For one, lying to your anxious mother about your college acceptance status without remorse in order to catch the evening news uninterrupted- pretty cold, man.)
Given the fact that he's something of a prodigy and still in his mid-twenties at the release of this book also contributes to some of the narrative's shortcomings. Primarily lack of experience that can only come with time. There were many times that Cappucci complained about the professional restrictions of his age while simultaneously layering in irrelevant stories to pad the length of his debut novel - often making it feel rambling and impatient.
In the end, I found myself impressed by Matthew's dedication and engrossed by bis experiences in the field. I would definitely recommend this read to anyone who wants to know more about meteorology and storm chasing. I only wish there had been fewer stories about academia and more extreme weather events. Tighter editing could have made this a shorter and more fluid read overall.
[Thank you to Edelweiss and Pegasus Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.]
June 26, 2022
I'm a few days out from a stint in the hospital. Forced bed rest freed up my schedule to read any of the books I've neglected for some time. They'd have to wait. Matthew Cappucci's Looking Up entered my life under almost the same conditions that my introduction to Storm Chasing did. With that chain of fate, decided to leave Pirates and New York behind for a while to learn about Matthew's life.
This book feels much longer than it is, but that's good. Much is crammed into the book's 304 pages. I'll take this moment to point out that Matthew is younger than me and has accomplished hundreds of more things than I ever have. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have intense feelings of failure, fighting with my illness, and avoiding the noise of my children in the next room. Matthew's achievements at such a young age are like gunshots to my kneecaps. Maybe not really but it's hard not to be impressed.
Based on how much content was here I thought for sure we would only have a minimal amount of Storm Chasing. I know it's in the title, but when you experience Matthew's life you'd understand. That being said, when you experience Matthew's life you'll understand why there *is* so much Storm Chasing. It's all here! Having ridden out a few Hurricanes, I sympathized with every emotion. We're also treated to some excellent science lessons for those that have been too long out of school to remember weather changes and how storms come to be.
All the 'little' journeys Matthew goes on reminded me of how small the world is but also how much is crammed inside it that is remarkable. His stunning imagery makes me want to pack a bag and see these sights for myself. I've never been one to stargaze but now I'm like.."I could go to a desert."
My takeaway from this book, personal inadequacies notwithstanding, is to be honest with yourself about what you love. Find something that excites you and chase that. Don't try to force the hand of the universe either. Truthfully, in my experience, things have a way of sorting themselves out. I'm glad that despite any setbacks Matthew faced early in his attempts to land the career he wanted that he found himself in the right place in the end, with the right people.
Also, shout-out to Heather for being massively entertaining.
This book feels much longer than it is, but that's good. Much is crammed into the book's 304 pages. I'll take this moment to point out that Matthew is younger than me and has accomplished hundreds of more things than I ever have. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have intense feelings of failure, fighting with my illness, and avoiding the noise of my children in the next room. Matthew's achievements at such a young age are like gunshots to my kneecaps. Maybe not really but it's hard not to be impressed.
Based on how much content was here I thought for sure we would only have a minimal amount of Storm Chasing. I know it's in the title, but when you experience Matthew's life you'd understand. That being said, when you experience Matthew's life you'll understand why there *is* so much Storm Chasing. It's all here! Having ridden out a few Hurricanes, I sympathized with every emotion. We're also treated to some excellent science lessons for those that have been too long out of school to remember weather changes and how storms come to be.
All the 'little' journeys Matthew goes on reminded me of how small the world is but also how much is crammed inside it that is remarkable. His stunning imagery makes me want to pack a bag and see these sights for myself. I've never been one to stargaze but now I'm like.."I could go to a desert."
My takeaway from this book, personal inadequacies notwithstanding, is to be honest with yourself about what you love. Find something that excites you and chase that. Don't try to force the hand of the universe either. Truthfully, in my experience, things have a way of sorting themselves out. I'm glad that despite any setbacks Matthew faced early in his attempts to land the career he wanted that he found himself in the right place in the end, with the right people.
Also, shout-out to Heather for being massively entertaining.
May 6, 2023
Nope, this is not about just weather... This is about responcibility and ingeniousness and how chance encounters and seemingly minuscule decisions and turning points rule over our lives.
Q:
It just so happened that I briefly entered the equation at what, for him, proved a crucial inflection point in his life. A small nudge in the right direction would inevitably have an enormous bearing on his future. (c)
I'll just quote this:
Q:
Sometimes people walked their dogs through the main hallway. The architecture was labyrinthine.
The teachers were equally eccentric. My history teacher had a “pilgrim voice” and character he occasionally slipped into; another routinely donned a colander to impersonate the former Soviet satellite “Sputnik.” My Spanish teacher had just turned twenty-two, and my mustache-sporting art teacher sprinted into class the first day wielding a hammer and an unhinged stapler.
Our chemistry teacher sometimes taught while doing snow angels on the floor “for [his] bad back.” Mr. Carah, the physics teacher, could get away with saying just about anything—no joke was too off the wall. And my math teacher once sprinted home from class mid-lecture to make sure he had shut off his stove.Since the school didn’t have a designated vehicle to transport goods, they relied on a donated vehicle that the administration fondly referred to as “the creeper van” to shuttle around band and student council equipment. Every March, we had a fundraiser called Tape a Teacher, where a $5 bill would earn students a piece of duct tape to affix a teacher to the wall. One year we inadvertently taped Mr. Dunigan-AtLee, a math teacher, to a utility pole in front of the school with his arms outstretched in a Christ-like state… on what turned out to be Good Friday (that led to an unfortunate article in the Cape Cod Times). We also made the news when four hundred copies of a yearbook reading STURGIS CHARTER pubic SCHOOL were delivered. That may or may not have been my fault.
It was an erratic, unconventional school where everyone was as quirky as I. Within a week, I knew I was home. (c) I'm vacillating between whether I would've been tempted to shoot myself at such a place or feel at home.
Q:
It just so happened that I briefly entered the equation at what, for him, proved a crucial inflection point in his life. A small nudge in the right direction would inevitably have an enormous bearing on his future. (c)
I'll just quote this:
Q:
Sometimes people walked their dogs through the main hallway. The architecture was labyrinthine.
The teachers were equally eccentric. My history teacher had a “pilgrim voice” and character he occasionally slipped into; another routinely donned a colander to impersonate the former Soviet satellite “Sputnik.” My Spanish teacher had just turned twenty-two, and my mustache-sporting art teacher sprinted into class the first day wielding a hammer and an unhinged stapler.
Our chemistry teacher sometimes taught while doing snow angels on the floor “for [his] bad back.” Mr. Carah, the physics teacher, could get away with saying just about anything—no joke was too off the wall. And my math teacher once sprinted home from class mid-lecture to make sure he had shut off his stove.Since the school didn’t have a designated vehicle to transport goods, they relied on a donated vehicle that the administration fondly referred to as “the creeper van” to shuttle around band and student council equipment. Every March, we had a fundraiser called Tape a Teacher, where a $5 bill would earn students a piece of duct tape to affix a teacher to the wall. One year we inadvertently taped Mr. Dunigan-AtLee, a math teacher, to a utility pole in front of the school with his arms outstretched in a Christ-like state… on what turned out to be Good Friday (that led to an unfortunate article in the Cape Cod Times). We also made the news when four hundred copies of a yearbook reading STURGIS CHARTER pubic SCHOOL were delivered. That may or may not have been my fault.
It was an erratic, unconventional school where everyone was as quirky as I. Within a week, I knew I was home. (c) I'm vacillating between whether I would've been tempted to shoot myself at such a place or feel at home.
October 28, 2022
At first, I was mildly put off by Matthew Cappucci's constant enthusiasm. I'm an old grouchy fart who is at that Get Off My Yard age. I wasn't sure I wanted to hear a "And then Biff and I saw a really, really big twisty tornado" report.
However, after getting into the book, I realized the love he has for all storms and the genius knowledge he has for them. Reading parts of the book is like reading a textbook for the science of how storms form. I was the weather reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for nearly 20 years (it wasn't because of any weather training but for the fact that I lived in the northeast corner of the state and when storms blasted through Arkansas, they ran through my area last. I would write the wrap up late to include any damages in my area and evolved into writing all weather stories). Maybe my enthusiasm for Cappucci's book is based upon my own interest in all things weather. I'm not sure how someone without a deeper interest in the science mechanics behind weather formations would receive all the technical stuff.
That said, his book is a wild ride. His storm chasing stories are great fun and despite being one of the most intelligent weather persons out there, he has a self-deprecating humor and he's humble. He seems to really enjoy his life and can keep up with the hectic pace of doing weather for the Washington Post, his Fox tv station, a weather app and all.
For most casual weather chaser fans, Reed Timmer is the person they gravitate to. However, Cappucci makes Timmer look like a third grade idiot who screams. Cappucci genuinely wants to teach people so they can be safe. I regret not living in the DC area so I could watch his weather segments on television.
I read a lot of weather stuff, including Timmer's book. I really enjoyed the book "The Man Who Caught the Storm," the tragic story of storm chaser Tim Samaras was killed in 2013 by that effing multivortex EF5 El Reno, Okla., tornado that suddenly shifted its path. Cappucci's book is as good as that one and will make a good seasonal read when twister season cranks up each spring.
However, after getting into the book, I realized the love he has for all storms and the genius knowledge he has for them. Reading parts of the book is like reading a textbook for the science of how storms form. I was the weather reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for nearly 20 years (it wasn't because of any weather training but for the fact that I lived in the northeast corner of the state and when storms blasted through Arkansas, they ran through my area last. I would write the wrap up late to include any damages in my area and evolved into writing all weather stories). Maybe my enthusiasm for Cappucci's book is based upon my own interest in all things weather. I'm not sure how someone without a deeper interest in the science mechanics behind weather formations would receive all the technical stuff.
That said, his book is a wild ride. His storm chasing stories are great fun and despite being one of the most intelligent weather persons out there, he has a self-deprecating humor and he's humble. He seems to really enjoy his life and can keep up with the hectic pace of doing weather for the Washington Post, his Fox tv station, a weather app and all.
For most casual weather chaser fans, Reed Timmer is the person they gravitate to. However, Cappucci makes Timmer look like a third grade idiot who screams. Cappucci genuinely wants to teach people so they can be safe. I regret not living in the DC area so I could watch his weather segments on television.
I read a lot of weather stuff, including Timmer's book. I really enjoyed the book "The Man Who Caught the Storm," the tragic story of storm chaser Tim Samaras was killed in 2013 by that effing multivortex EF5 El Reno, Okla., tornado that suddenly shifted its path. Cappucci's book is as good as that one and will make a good seasonal read when twister season cranks up each spring.
August 3, 2024
This book is much more than advertised.
I picked up this book thinking it'll be about a storm chaser chasing storms (shocker!) and maybe learn a bit of weather science along the way. While it does contain that, it's also much more.
It's really more of a biography of Cappucci, and you can see that his love for storm chasing started off at an early age. He was the quintessential nerd -- smart and enthusiastic about something kids normally aren't. But he also had a sense of adventure, and that's what I connected with most. Whether it's sitting in the middle of the desert with his friends watching the milky way in its un light polluted grandeur, or playing bingo with his buddy in Alaska to kill time (he thought he won $1000 and called out bingo onto to find they were playing a different version of bingo), Cappucci really does live the "carpe diem" mantra. And that's what stuck with me more than anything. He lives his life actually *doing* things and, moreso, sharing the experience with good friends.
Ironically, the thing I found the least interesting (relatively) were the storm chasing stories. The first couple accounts were fine, but after a while, it just felt like variations on a theme. Sure, I know there were different phenomena in each account, but unless you're really interested in it, it all merges into one.
Two other nitpicks I had were 1) I would have liked some diagrams when he was discussing some of the more technical aspects. I know that's not the main intent of the book, but I still got lost in the technical details. 2) He has pictures of his various storms that he describes in the book and it would have been nice to have the pictures within the corresponding chapters, or at least a reference to the corresponding picture within the chapter.
Honestly, this is probably a 4/5 book, but I guess I was in the right mood at the right time and really connected with this guy's life story and enthusiasm. I very much enjoyed my time reading it, so 5/5 for me.
I picked up this book thinking it'll be about a storm chaser chasing storms (shocker!) and maybe learn a bit of weather science along the way. While it does contain that, it's also much more.
It's really more of a biography of Cappucci, and you can see that his love for storm chasing started off at an early age. He was the quintessential nerd -- smart and enthusiastic about something kids normally aren't. But he also had a sense of adventure, and that's what I connected with most. Whether it's sitting in the middle of the desert with his friends watching the milky way in its un light polluted grandeur, or playing bingo with his buddy in Alaska to kill time (he thought he won $1000 and called out bingo onto to find they were playing a different version of bingo), Cappucci really does live the "carpe diem" mantra. And that's what stuck with me more than anything. He lives his life actually *doing* things and, moreso, sharing the experience with good friends.
Ironically, the thing I found the least interesting (relatively) were the storm chasing stories. The first couple accounts were fine, but after a while, it just felt like variations on a theme. Sure, I know there were different phenomena in each account, but unless you're really interested in it, it all merges into one.
Two other nitpicks I had were 1) I would have liked some diagrams when he was discussing some of the more technical aspects. I know that's not the main intent of the book, but I still got lost in the technical details. 2) He has pictures of his various storms that he describes in the book and it would have been nice to have the pictures within the corresponding chapters, or at least a reference to the corresponding picture within the chapter.
Honestly, this is probably a 4/5 book, but I guess I was in the right mood at the right time and really connected with this guy's life story and enthusiasm. I very much enjoyed my time reading it, so 5/5 for me.
February 26, 2023
Lots to like about this story of a self-described weather nerd. Matt does indeed present as a (mostly) lovable nerd geeking out about the weather. I heard him speak at a local school when the book first came out and his enthusiasm for all things weather related was clear to all. The book follows Matthew on his journey through life, although he’s only 23, with a goal of becoming an on-air weatherman. Spoiler alert- he succeeds. At the same time, he also describes some of the many tornadoes he’s chased down, as well as other adventures to see other weather events, like total eclipses and the Northern lights. He shares his highs and his lows. I’d say the book is worth the price, just for Matt’s description of sky-diving. The level of attention to details for a safe jump was impressive. Anyone thinking of making a jump should read this first. It’s pretty cool, but also a little daunting.
I would’ve given this 4 stars, but I thought it was poorly edited. Matt uses big words a lot, and I felt like he tried too hard to describe things poetically. He also often uses the wrong word, again trying too hard. But, you know, he’s just 23 years old, and has written a book, all while juggling a bunch of jobs and storm chasing. Not bad.
I would’ve given this 4 stars, but I thought it was poorly edited. Matt uses big words a lot, and I felt like he tried too hard to describe things poetically. He also often uses the wrong word, again trying too hard. But, you know, he’s just 23 years old, and has written a book, all while juggling a bunch of jobs and storm chasing. Not bad.
October 25, 2022
I have done nothing with my life.
The ambition, determination, intelligence, and compassion of this kid is truly astonishing. The fact that he described symptoms of imposter syndrome while graduating from a self-designed course of study at Harvard AND MIT, having traveled the world and getting paid to give motivational speeches as an undergraduate, having already presented groundbreaking findings at the American Meteorological Society as a teenager, and getting a job at the Washington Post before graduating, indicates that A) imposter syndrome is real, and B) he has it, and C) I actually am an imposter.
Clearly his main sources of success are his non-stop hard work and pursuit of his goals, but he also seems to have fallen into incredible good luck on several occasions. Truly a charmed life. At twice his age, I'll never accomplish half of what he has already done.
(That said, the book has quite a few typos and seemed a bit rushed to completion. Also, I had to laugh at his, shall we say, magniloquent use of words. Still, a fun read.)
The ambition, determination, intelligence, and compassion of this kid is truly astonishing. The fact that he described symptoms of imposter syndrome while graduating from a self-designed course of study at Harvard AND MIT, having traveled the world and getting paid to give motivational speeches as an undergraduate, having already presented groundbreaking findings at the American Meteorological Society as a teenager, and getting a job at the Washington Post before graduating, indicates that A) imposter syndrome is real, and B) he has it, and C) I actually am an imposter.
Clearly his main sources of success are his non-stop hard work and pursuit of his goals, but he also seems to have fallen into incredible good luck on several occasions. Truly a charmed life. At twice his age, I'll never accomplish half of what he has already done.
(That said, the book has quite a few typos and seemed a bit rushed to completion. Also, I had to laugh at his, shall we say, magniloquent use of words. Still, a fun read.)
November 17, 2022
I've been a weather nerd every since my youth, fearing tornadoes after a scary run-in on my fifth birthday. After enjoying a blog post by Cappucci enjoying his writing style and vast knowledge of tornadoes, I was excited to see he had written an entire novel.
However, the finished product left more to be desired. Expecting a passionate storm chaser relive their adventures with nature's un-tameable. I found Cappucci's stories were spoiled by his personality, preachiness, and general meanness. Specifically with his TA while traveling in uni. I kept feeling the middle of the book was in poor taste regardless of the TA's actions. It showed his character to focus on that much hatred in a book about storm chasing.
It's unfortunate to give this book a low score because when he focused on the storm chasing or racing the world to see an eclipse, this book soared. He captured a cinematic sense in his writing. But, something overall feels just "okay." Here's to hoping for a better outcome on the next one.
However, the finished product left more to be desired. Expecting a passionate storm chaser relive their adventures with nature's un-tameable. I found Cappucci's stories were spoiled by his personality, preachiness, and general meanness. Specifically with his TA while traveling in uni. I kept feeling the middle of the book was in poor taste regardless of the TA's actions. It showed his character to focus on that much hatred in a book about storm chasing.
It's unfortunate to give this book a low score because when he focused on the storm chasing or racing the world to see an eclipse, this book soared. He captured a cinematic sense in his writing. But, something overall feels just "okay." Here's to hoping for a better outcome on the next one.
August 22, 2022
I would rate this this book 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.
It is rare that a 14-year person knows already what they want to be when they grow up. But this was the case with the author. While his peers were worried trading game cards and playing video games, he was saving hos money to buy a camcorder to record weather and be a storm chaser. When most children head to summer camp he went to weather camp and definitely found his calling. At 15 he made a groundbreaking presentation that impressed many in attendance at a meteorological conference. As you would assume a lot of this book is geared towards the author chasing storms but include are his adventures to see eclipses and the northern lights. He is definitely a world traveler starting from when he was attending Harvard University. While some of the stories were adventuresome even more so when he explains he is having to carry safety glasses, and a hard hat.
But there were parts that were hard to get through especially his experience with a lady named Heather. There are times it felt to me that the author could have simplified some descriptions as it seemed a little technical. All in all, this is a little better than average.
It is rare that a 14-year person knows already what they want to be when they grow up. But this was the case with the author. While his peers were worried trading game cards and playing video games, he was saving hos money to buy a camcorder to record weather and be a storm chaser. When most children head to summer camp he went to weather camp and definitely found his calling. At 15 he made a groundbreaking presentation that impressed many in attendance at a meteorological conference. As you would assume a lot of this book is geared towards the author chasing storms but include are his adventures to see eclipses and the northern lights. He is definitely a world traveler starting from when he was attending Harvard University. While some of the stories were adventuresome even more so when he explains he is having to carry safety glasses, and a hard hat.
But there were parts that were hard to get through especially his experience with a lady named Heather. There are times it felt to me that the author could have simplified some descriptions as it seemed a little technical. All in all, this is a little better than average.
December 8, 2022
The book had multiple sentences with missing words and typos that made comprehension harder. The level of detail was uneven; the author spent a lot of pages and paragraphs about an annoying traveling fellow/counselor and food when I wanted more content about his first storm chasing trip and his time at college. He also had the annoying tendency to anthropomorphize the weather and the universe. That said, even though the author is young (at the time of this book's release date), he's achieved a lot in his life and has had many amazing adventures. He presented at a conference in his teenage years, helped a student graduate, convinced Harvard to let him do a custom major, and landed a spot on TV news among other things. He's seen the solar eclipse in South America, viewed the stars in the Sahara Desert, gone skydiving, seen the Aurora Borealis in Alaska, and, of course, gone on multiple storm chasing trips throughout America's Midwest states.
August 14, 2024
I didn’t know anything about Cappucci before picking this book up on a whim. I simply LOVED the movie Twister as a kid and just saw Twisters so I’m back on my weather obsession bs.
It was nice to read a book I had no expectations for, positive or negative. I just…stumbled upon this book and thought “sick. A kid who was also obsessed with weather (but actually did something about it). This seems interesting” and now here we are.
I didn’t love the more memoir-ish aspects of this book (and boy was it a gut punch when I realized he’s a full decade younger than me but has done so much more) but that aside, Cappuci has a way of reminding you how freaking cool it is to look up at the sky.
3 stars.
It was nice to read a book I had no expectations for, positive or negative. I just…stumbled upon this book and thought “sick. A kid who was also obsessed with weather (but actually did something about it). This seems interesting” and now here we are.
I didn’t love the more memoir-ish aspects of this book (and boy was it a gut punch when I realized he’s a full decade younger than me but has done so much more) but that aside, Cappuci has a way of reminding you how freaking cool it is to look up at the sky.
3 stars.
September 2, 2022
Looking Up: The True Adventures of a Storm-Chasing Weather Nerd by Matthew Cappucci is a memoir/true adventure tale/weather science lesson all rolled into one. Cappucci is a meteorologist and as he storm-chases around the country he outlines the science of weather in clear, understandable language that is necessary to express the greater impact climate change is having on our daily lives. He has also given me new respect for meteorologists and the mountain of frustration they must feel trying to predict weather events when everything these days is a weather “anomaly” and we regularly see 200 or 500 year weather events. This book is also just a really fun adventure and a really good book!
November 14, 2023
I stuck with it for 75% or so, but ultimately couldn't finish it. The writing was far too boring; the attempts at humor too groan-inducing; and the plethora of typos was too much to overlook. Even town names appearing on consecutive pages were spelled differently.
While the science bits were very interesting, as were the opening chapters -- I'm a sucker for a good origin story -- the book never delivers on its promise. I never would have guessed a book about tornados could be this dull and uneventful, but clearly the author wrote this while trapped under a high pressure system.
While the science bits were very interesting, as were the opening chapters -- I'm a sucker for a good origin story -- the book never delivers on its promise. I never would have guessed a book about tornados could be this dull and uneventful, but clearly the author wrote this while trapped under a high pressure system.
January 5, 2024
This was a cool read! As someone who was also fascinated by tornadoes as a child it was really fun to read about a similar experience, especially from someone who made a career out of it and is a similar age. Loved reading about all the nerdy weather stuff.
I will say the personal anecdotes were a little... off-putting at times. They took up a bit too much of the story for my personal taste and I don't think they came off the way the author intended them to. (I think he was going for charming/relatable and pushed it a little far).
Overall though, an easy and enjoyable read!
I will say the personal anecdotes were a little... off-putting at times. They took up a bit too much of the story for my personal taste and I don't think they came off the way the author intended them to. (I think he was going for charming/relatable and pushed it a little far).
Overall though, an easy and enjoyable read!
September 15, 2022
While the premise of the book sounds interesting, "Looking Up" is not meant for the general public to enjoy. It is definitely only for those who already have an interest in weather and/or follow author Matthew Cappucci on social media.
I tried reading it many times but kept getting bogged down in too much detailed weather science or the arrogance of the author.
Just not for me.
Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the DRC of this title.
I tried reading it many times but kept getting bogged down in too much detailed weather science or the arrogance of the author.
Just not for me.
Thanks to Edelweiss+ for the DRC of this title.
April 1, 2023
It has its moments where it is entertaining and informative, but the writing is clunky. Also, the author is a privileged Harvard grad with tons of opportunities at his fingertips but seems to think he's some kind of underdog, and preaches about a life of freedom that isn't attainable for everyone. If you're able to get past that, some of the anecdotes are fun and you learn a bit about weather along the way.
May 25, 2023
Similar to other reviewers, I enjoyed the weather chasing parts of the book, but the writing was clunky and poorly edited. Segments seemed to end abruptly sometimes leaving me wanting more or, at the very least, a better transition. Weather descriptions were overly technical at times and I found myself having to do my own additional research to understand what the author was describing.
Overall a good idea and premise, but not well executed.
Overall a good idea and premise, but not well executed.
September 26, 2023
I’ve always been fascinated with the weather. This book caught my eye in the book store recently and I’m glad my library had a copy. I admit, I was a little put off at first since it seemed to be more memoir than the title suggested, but I stuck with it and became completely invested once the weather adventures begin. The author is young (only 23 at the end of the book) but is undeniably a very intelligent and enthusiastic meteorologist. I wish him the best in his career.
October 26, 2022
The weather nerd in me loved hearing about another person’s weather passion as their career, and I enjoyed the sheer breadth of adventure, however the editing could have been tighter and although I appreciate the author’s youthfulness, he strikes me as someone who would annoy the crap out of me (without knowing him) if I came across him giggling with his friend in an art museum.
June 26, 2023
Read in one sitting. I had to read it as it’s written by my best friends other best friend and she’s mentioned by name in it. Worth the read just for the passion you can tell in his voice and by his actions. I would be terrified in any of those situations but I would also love to live a life full of dents.
February 11, 2026
I really liked this book!! Matthew mixed his adventures with educational information in a great, digestible way. My only complaint was that he touched on some personal things but then never talked about them again and I wish we could have seen more (of course, that’s up to him what he wants to share).
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