The startling volcanic history of Montserrat is well known.  Back in 1995, the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted, forcing the evacuation of two-thirds of the people living on the island.   The eruption buried the capital city of Plymouth in ash, and made headlines around the world.

Today, the lovely Caribbean island of Montserrat is recovering beautifully.  It is rebuilding a new capital, a new airport and new facility.  Life has returned to normal, but the spectacular Soufriere Hills continues to be monitored closely.

Now, the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre and the Montserrat Volcano Observatory have released a new book about the historic eruption, called Island of Fire: The Natural Spectacle of the Soufrière Hills Volcano Montserrat.

The book is a collection of photographs, showing the power and the beauty of one of the most dramatic natural disasters in history.  The photos are breath-taking, and each one has a lengthy caption, describing the science behind the scenery.

The authors who worked on the book say they hope to reveal all the moods and phases of the volcano, and of its impact on the island and its people.

One of the highlights of planning a visit to Montserrat villa rentals is the ability to see the raw power of nature first hand, and from a safe distance.   There are helicopters tours of remains of Plymouth, still covered in ash and abandoned.  There are also several places on the island where visitors can get a clear view of the much weaker eruptions still going on today at the Soufriere Hills volcano.