Krakatoa : the day the world exploded, August 27, 1883 / Simon Winchester.

"Originally published in Great Britain in 2003 by Viking, a division of Penguin Books, Ltd."--T.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [385]-396) and index.

"An island with a pointed mountain" -- The crocodile in the canal -- Close encounters on the Wallace Line -- The moments when the mountain moved -- The unchaining of the gates of Hell -- A league from the last of the sun -- The curious case of the terrified elephant -- The paroxysm, the flood, and the crack of doom -- Rebellion of a ruined people -- The rising of the son -- Epilogue : the place the world exploded -- Recommendations for (and, in one case, against) further reading and viewing.

In August 1883, a catastrophic volcanic eruption off the coast of Java was followed by a tsunami that killed nearly 40,000 people. The author brings new perspective to this iconic event, showing how it marked a change in East-West relations.