McGuire is Professor of Geophysical and Climate Hazards at University College London and the author of numerous books, including Global Catastrophes: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford University Press, 2006), Surviving Armageddon: Solutions for a Threatened Planet (Oxford University Press, 2007), and Seven Years to Save the Planet (Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2008). Of Waking the Giant, Library Journal's reviewer wrote, "The author succeeds at interpreting complex earth science into compelling reading for a popular audience. Anyone with an interest in climate change, geology, and atmospheric science will enjoy this work."