Product Description
Robert Iacopi, the popular interpreter of the state's geology and seismology, explains why California has earthquakes and how to live with them.

Updated to reflect the significant changes in geological and seismological thought over the last 30 years, this new edition includes:

-The fault systems of California and how they work -The history of major quakes in California -How earthquakes are measured and what earthquake forecasts mean -How earthquakes cause damage, and what you can do to strengthen and protect your home -The best places to see the San Andreas fault -More than 130 photographs and illustrations

Learn about the 1989 "World Series" Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. ... Read more

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Contents:
Maps, photos, how and why earthquakes cause damage. Explores the Southern, Central & Northern Andreas Fault, Elsinore Fault, Newport-Inglewood Fault, Santa Ynez and Related Faults, Garlock-Big Pine Fault, White Wolf Fault, Owens Valley Fault, Haywood Fault, and others.

Some old black and white photos of damage done. Like: Long Beach in 1933 (Jefferson High School), San Francisco's Hall of Justice and other buildings in 1906, Santa Barbara Pictures from 1925, Cummings Valley School in 1952, some from Holtville, Hotel Woodrow in Brawley, Naderman Bakery & Hollister Rochdale Company in Hollister in 1906, Santa Rosa's City Hall, a 3 story building in Fort Bragg, Memorial Church and domed library at Stanford, some of San Jose, one where a plate glass window pulled apart at seams and caught a tablecloth in crack when it drew back together, Daly City,one of a tall apartment building in Lake Merced where it blew out all the windows but did no other damage, an entire street in Compton demolished, Mission Santa Barbara, the old Hotel California and more. 160 pages.

Living and traveling on the great San Andreas fault
The San Andreas Fault, one of the largest transform faults in the world, runs from the Mexican border north to northwest California, where it finally enters the Pacific.Millions of people live by ths fault and its branches, and are subject to its powerful earthquakes at any moment.Yet few are familiar with its exact route, what it looks like on the surface, and how to take simple steps to protect against its spasms of movement.

"Earthquake Country" addresses these things in a simple, direct, and easily understandable fashion.The photographs are well-chosen and striking, and the directions to various places discussed are highly accurate.

A few years ago, I took a trip along the fault, from Pearblossom, northeast of Los Angeles, to Point Reyes, northwest of San Francisco.I saw hills ripped in half, streets that had moved, fault lines in roads, streams that followed the fault, lines of sag ponds crossing hills, and many other amazing features and things.Without this remarkable, carefully crafted book, I would have passed many of these features without knowing of their significance, or even their existence.The chapters on the central sections of the fault around Cholame and Parkfield were especially informative.

As he takes you along the fault, the author also discusses earthquake protection, and seismic geology in a crisp, professional fashion.This book is must reading for any Californian, or any tourist who visits that wonderful state.I really enjoy the book, and recommend it very, very highly.

Required reading for earthquake country residents
Excellent book, very informative and should be read by anyone living in earthquake country- understanding how and why quakes occur removes some of the fear. I've read all the past editions of this book; the most recent onehas been updated to include the 6.7, 1994 Northridge quake, which Iexperienced. Maybe not a pleasant subject to read about but veryinteresting. Well-written. ... Read more

Product Description
Contains practical, easy-to-read explanations regarding the issues and problems encountered in designing for these natural disasters. This edition includes important code updates from the 1994 Uniform Building Code as well as more detailed information on engineering computations and lateral force construction. Increased attention is paid to the relationship between building design and seismic response. Features a discussion of the latest CAD products for lateral design work. Serves as a major reference for anyone preparing for seismic and wind design test sections of State Board Examinations (for licensing purposes). ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first book to really make sense of the dizzying array of information that has emerged in recent decades about earthquakes. Susan Hough, a research seismologist in one of North America's most active earthquake zones and an expert at communicating this complex science to the public, separates fact from fiction. She fills in many of the blanks that remained after plate tectonics theory, in the 1960s, first gave us a rough idea of just what earthquakes are about. How do earthquakes start? How do they stop? Do earthquakes occur at regular intervals on faults? If not, why not? Are earthquakes predictable? How hard will the ground shake following an earthquake of a given magnitude? How does one quantify future seismic hazard?

As Hough recounts in brisk, jargon-free prose, improvements in earthquake recording capability in the 1960s and 1970s set the stage for a period of rapid development in earthquake science. Although some formidable enigmas have remained, much has been learned on critical issues such as earthquake prediction, seismic hazard assessment, and ground motion prediction. This book addresses those issues.

Because earthquake science is so new, it has rarely been presented outside of technical journals that are all but opaque to nonspecialists. Earthshaking Science changes all this. It tackles the issues at the forefront of modern seismology in a way most readers can understand. In it, an expert conveys not only the facts, but the passion and excitement associated with research at the frontiers of this fascinating field. Hough proves, beyond a doubt, that this passion and excitement is more accessible than one might think. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Vocabulary
This book basicly teaches you a new vocabulary.It explains a large number of theories on earthquake predition and why none work.It goes into tuned circuits which is electrical engineering 101 but it uses a lot of new and different terms from what electrical engineers use. If you want to enlarge your vocabulary then it is a good book, other wise not so much.

Earthshaking science by Susan Hough
The book is very well organized, clear, easy to read.
It gives the lastest development in the earthquake seismology without getting involved in imperical equations. I recomend this book for everybody intersted in earth science.
Mamdouh R. Gadallah
Houston Texas

Susan Rocks!
Absolutely a marvelous book. Ms. Hough has written a book that deals well with a very complex subject in a way a non-expert can readily fathom.A wonderful package - types of faults, their locations, their history, the key people in the development of the scientific advances, the hazard for particular faults and fault types, the kinds of risks those hazards raise (given the population and building densities near the faults).This is one of those A+ science books for the general pubic with an interest in science.I only come across about one or two every five years.toxon 8/18/2006

A survey of the geology and geologic exploration
The sum of knowledge and mysteries surrounding earthquakes are provided in Susan Hough's Earthshaking Science, a scholarly but highly accessible survey of the geology and geologic exploration in the science of seismology. Susan Hough is a research seismologist in one of North America's most active earthquake zones: her title succeeds in aptly communicating the science of earthquake research to a lay audience, injecting a healthy dose of lively history for those with no prior background in the subject.

I agree, except.....
I agree with all of the above reviews of this book, Earthshaking Science: What We Know, and Don't Know, About Earthquakes by Susan Elizabeth Hough. It is an excellent summary of the many recent advances in seismology and is pertinent to all parts of the U.S. (even the world). However, I must strongly disagree that this book is "jargon-free." The book is loaded with the jargon of seismology (not as much as a seismology textbook). This is okay because in order to be scientifically literate, the public (especially the media!) must learn to understand some of the vocabulary of science. There are very few mathematical formulas in this book, but when they are used they are used effectively.
This book will be a fun read for people that have some scientific (especially earth sciences) background. Those with little or no science background will find this a challenging, but rewarding, read. Anyone living in earthquake-prone regions of the world must read this book. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (5)

An insightful new theory
The author make some very interesting connections between the biblical text and geological, climatological, archeological, literary and extra-biblical source materials. The result is an intriguing theory which posits that the story that has come down to us in the bible is really an amalgamation of 2 separate "exodus" events involving Semitic groups which were somehow under the control of Egyptian authorities. In the first exodus event those Egyptian authorities were actually Hyksos rulers, a Semitic group that had somehow established control of Egypt from their base in the north Delta region. The 2 events occurred almost 2 centuries apart. The author explains how recent studies of how various non-literate cultures process events of their shared history into a verbal legacy that is told and retold for generations before it is ever put to paper. This usually happens when the societal group later develops a system and culture of writing, as happened with the early Israelites. During the retelling phases of the storytelling the incidents being transmitted can undergo various different types of distortions, one of which is the melding of 2 separate events into one. The author does an excellent job of explaining her theory. Where I think it falls short a bit is in trying too hard to connect all the dots and to try to explain all the anomalies and stories in the books of the Torah with geological/climatological etc. rationales. In particular it feels like overreaching when trying to use the bubonic and other plagues for various parts of the story which is drawn from rather scant evidence. Certainly her main thesis is well underpinned with excellent data and she makes a solid and scholarly case for it. This is no Velikovsky type treatment.However some of the minor points seem a bit too much of a reach. Despite this minor flaw, I believe most students of ancient near eastern history and biblical archaeology will find this book a fascinating read. I devoured this book in a few days, and anticipate I will come be coming back to it again and again for reference purposes. This is a major new contribution to the field and I can envision it being the springboard for much future debate and research.

Excellent new theory about Exodus
In the past six years I have researched questions related to the Exodus in a lot of depth.I have read and personally rejected a long list of theories.I have a shelf and a half of books related to this topic.

In March 2009, a new book came out with another new proposal for resolving this very question.

The book is:
Sivertsen, Barbara J. The Parting of the Sea: How Volcanoes, Earthquakes, and Plagues Shaped the Exodus Story. Princeton: Princeton University Press. (2009)

One of the editorial reviews says that Barbara Sivertsen's book The Parting of the Sea, "provid[es] what may be the most coherent correlation yet of ancient Egyptian history, the archeology of both Egypt and Palestine, and the biblical traditions of pre-literate Israel. ... This outstanding accomplishment should be a source of research direction for years to come."

I agree strongly with this assessment.

In an interview Barbara Sivertsen stated, "I'm convinced my hypothesis explains the events much better than others."

I agree with this assessment too.

The book gives a lot of supporting argumentation for the thesis that, "the Exodus was in fact two separate exoduses".I think that the arguments are coherent.I think that it would be possible to add a few additional arguments that do not even appear in the book.

This book is not a warmed over, repackaged version of Hans Goedicke, Ian Wilson, or Simcha Jacobovici.It is a new theory with many new and highly original ideas.This book does an exceptional job of weaving the textual and archaeological evidence together in a way that works without resorting to revisionist chronologies and far-fetched scenarios that have been discredited by other scholars.It is well researched and it is very "coherent".It does an exceptional job of fitting the seemingly discrepant pieces of the puzzle together in a way that ends up making a lot of sense.I recommend it to everyone for thoughtful consideration.

Parting of the sea, Exodus
This was a very interesting discussion of the effects of volcanic eruptions on stories passed down from long ago. I was intrigued by the evidence the author presents.

For the Serious Biblical History Enthusiast
In this often-challenging book, the author attempts to reconcile events that are recounted in the Bible (mainly Exodus) with various natural disasters, i.e., volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and plagues, that are known to have occurred in ancient times. Using geological records, archaeological finds, ancient texts and known historical facts, the author attempts to shed some light on many biblical passages by explaining various inconsistencies and reconstructing the course of events. She explains how events that have occurred in the distant past and that are recounted orally from generation to generation tend to become seriously distorted with regards to the way things really happened. She points out that events that have occurred at significantly different times and that involved different people can often get merged into one single (and often confusing) story. This, she claims, is a significant contributor to the many inconsistencies in the biblical stories. The writing style is clear, authoritative and scholarly; some parts are also engaging and quite fascinating. However, I found many passages to be rather long-winded and tedious to go through. This is mainly because of the fine details (biblical and historical) that the author discusses in order to make her case. As a result, I believe that serious biblical history buffs would likely appreciate this book the most. Nevertheless, a general reader/ancient history enthusiast can learn quite a bit from this book, as I did.

food for thought
Firstly know that I have not read this book.However, after reading the summary description of its contents I realized that Barbara should have taken the time to see the film "The Exodus Decoded," because The Exodus Decoded details volcanic related arguments that -- like The Parting of the Red Sea does -- explain the potential science behind the exodus and also seems to have more developed solutions for the other involved aspects of the exodus that this author explains ad hock.I have found all books I have read that deal with a scientific exploration of the history of the exodus and other biblical events to be fascinating and enlightening and would expect from this authors reputation and the subject matter explored that this would be a book worth reading.

The Exodus Decoded (History Channel) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The coming Economic Earthquake
This book provides the history and the facts that show where we are headed as a nation.Some of the things written are amazing for a book published in 1991.Larry did not live to see some of what he wrote about actually happen.We are seeing some of the signs now.It is a sobering wake up call to get prepared, to get my house in order and help others to do the same.

The Coming Earthquake
It is amazing this book was written 15 years ago, and was premature in the authors projection for the future.Now 15 years latere we are recogonizing the exact conditions that he wrote about and have to accept the downfall of our financial and political system.This is a spiritual and prophetic book that will give an insight into what our world has become, and what is yet to come.Scary reading, but sometimes reality will do that to you.

Wow, history often repeats itself.
This is an excellent book. I heard about it on a podcast or radio show and didn't realize it is from the 90's. When you read through it it is startling to say the least. It is based upon sound financial and Biblical principles, and common sense too. No matter who you are, you have a finite means and when you borrow to your eyeballs (or you have magic printing presses that can make FRN's any time you like...) you will owe more and more until there is no way to pay it back.

There are great examples from history too, Germany's Weimar Republic, Argentina, Zimbabwe, etc. where spending got out of control, money inflation, hyperinflation, economic disaster. Then people would burn money for heat and use a whole box for a loaf of bread. There was even the example of buying a bottle of wine for dinner and the next day the bottle was worth more empty.

It was an interesting book and practical too. Some are simply just optomist or pessimist. When you see danger lurking ahead, and things getting thin, sticking your head in the sand does NOTHING to fix the problem. In fact, it makes you a sitting duck. Sometimes hard and wise decisions must be made, both individually and as a culture, to bring wisdom, truth, responsibility, and restraint back to a city, state, and country. Otherwise we have dug our own grave and are preparing to fall into it. It doesn't matter whether we are the United States of America or whoever - the verse that states, "Pride goes before destruction" (Prov. 16:18) still applies. I pray we come to our senses and realize our stupidity, greed, and waste. Personal responsibility is always a great habit. :)

and we thought it wasn't coming??
Read a book that will amaze you about the truth that has been known all along!!What were we expecting the way we were going with our money?? Read and find out how it all came to fruition!!Amazing facts!!

Excellent * Awesome * get this book * apply the principles of this book
I have both editions of this book, the older edition and the newer revised edition. And each time I read this book it was with trepidation.
Each time I was aware that the grains of the hour glass were slipping by.
This earthquake, which Larry Burkett was speaking & warning about was coming closer and closer and yet no one seemed to be listening.
Larry Burkett just used common sense in writing this book: You cannot go on spending more than you earn. He warned this collapse was coming.
He wasn't a prophet, he didn't know exactly when it would come, but he said it was coming. And now, his very words have come to pass just as he said would happen. And our government representatives are still not listening to him, or other reputable financial advisors. They are still spending more than anyone can afford. They are still behaving foolishly at our expense. Maybe we have the government we deserve.
Get this book, read this book, apply the principles set forth in this book, take care of your finances and forget the government. They are only out for themselves. They are after all residing in Washington D.oesn't C.are ... Read more

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The book provides information on the major EEW systems in operation and on the state-of-the-art of the different blocks forming an EW system: the rapid detection and estimation of the earthquake’s focal parameters, the signal transmission, the engineering interface and the information reliability/false alarm problem. It is the first time that so many aspects of EEW systems have been specifically focused upon within a single book.

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In this lay reader's introduction to the most spectacular and devastating of all geological events, Rolf Schick describes how earthquakes and volcanoes are related, and how they are an integral part of Earth's structure. Tracing the latest findings and theories in plate tectonics, he helps readers ask and answer the basic questions: What was it during the formation of Earth that led to these phenomena? Why do they occur in certain areas and not in others? How can we, within reason, protect ourselves from their devastation? And how far have we come, and how far can we go, in predicting when they will strike? For the reader who wants a concise and accessible guide to what makes the ground shake and explode, this is the perfect introduction. ... Read more

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A JESUIT PRIEST IN EL SALVADOR WHO SUFFERS THE LOSS AND MARTYRDOM OF HIS ENTIRE COMMMUNITY POINTS THE WAY TO HOPE UNDER TERROR
The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino suffered the agonizing yet somewhat anticipated martydom of his dear friend, His Eminence, the BlessedMonsenor Oscar Arnulfo Romero, who was massacred in 1980 at the Offertory of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in his small hospital chapel in San Salvador when a US trained and supported sniper entered the chapel and shot him through the heart while the Archbishop elevated the host and wine in the Offertory, offering up as well his own life. The Reverend Father Sobrino reflects as theologian, companion and friend upon the significance of this martyrdom for Our Faith in Archbishop Romero: Memories and Reflections.

At the end of that bloody decade in El Salvador, the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino's entire Jesuit community in San Salvador's University of Central America, was martyred and massacred, including the great and very Reverend theologian and Catholic Priest, Father Ellacuria, professor of theology and author of several influential works such as Freedom Made Flesh: The Mission of Christ and His Church and Mysterium Liberations: Fundamental Concepts of Liberation Theology. Several introductory texts are available to make accessible the often highly academic and specialized writings of the Reverend Father Ellacuria, including the noted The Ground Beneath The Cross: The Theology Of Ignacio Ellacuria (Moral Traditions) and Love That Produces Hope: The Thought Of Ignacio Ellacuria as well the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino's own studies of his close companion and guide in Catholic and Jesuit community, such as Systematic Theology: Perspectives from Liberation Theology (Readings from Mysterium Liberationis) and the post-martydom, poignant and perceptive Cartas a Ellacuría (1989-2004).

The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino missed his own martyrdom that evening in his Community in San Salvador when US supplied and directed military forces enterd that holy ground to murder everyone present, including the cook and her daughter, as the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino was felicitously absent from town despite his expected arrival. The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino records this history in his work Companions of Jesus: The Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador.

Thus the Reverend Father Sobrino, having passed through the agonizing fires of survivor's syndrome, finds hope in such devastating and total loss of community and of the Blessed Archbishop Romero, a hope which lies alone in Our Faith and Love of Jesus Christ. As a trained and academic theologian and prolific writer of Catholic theology, the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino discovered most unwillingly that he must apply the theory of our Faith to his own life, and thus discover the strength to carry on alone in the pilgrim mission of our evangelizing Church which liberates us from the horrors of relentless death and martyrdom and gives us live. "Oh, Death, where is thy victory? Oh, Death, where is thy sting?" NON MORIAR SED VIVAM reads joyously Psalm 117: I shall not die but live and praise the name of the Lord.

The Reverend Father Jon Sobrino thus "tried like gold in the furnace" and purified and strengthened in this very dark night of death, finds the hope of the Resurrection, and shares that hope with all of us in this landmark work of our true Faith in Jesus Christ and the hope He gave us after Calvary.

For truly the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino has passed through a passion and suffering few of us can even imagine: the total and absolute destruction of the finest priests of his local Catholic Church, and countless holy poor in the surrounding mountains, all by a genocidal and oppressive US policy which funded and supplied and directed the far right wing military groups which martyred his prayer community, without cause and against justice. This same military and terrorist regime through its blood stained political ARENA party remains in power in El SAlvador, with unquestioning support from the USA, with the CAFTA agreement which is privatizing the natural resources of El Salvador and selling them to private US interests, which recently brutally suppressed the San Salvadoran street vendors so common throughout Latin America, as they do not give kick backs to ARENA. Meanwhile through CAFTA the ARENA party imports US grain, putting the local farmers out of work, furthering the remorseless and killing injustice against which the Blessed Archbishop preached, which even the recent papal exhortation Sacramentum caritatis decries as an unjust economic structure leaving the vast majority destitute, structures which the Eucharist itself compels us to alter.

We cannot imagine the agony through which the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino passes each day inexorably, yet rather than writing of this great pain and endless personal suffering this great Catholic theologian here writes of his hope and Faith in Jesus Christ, a universal and transcendental Hope, a hope which all believers may come to find even or especially when confronted with devastating situations of natural and man-made disasters such as earthquake, terrorism, and barbarism.

Examining each of these disasters, including earthquakes we are not permitted to be aware of here in the USA, from a theological viewpoint, applying theory to very harsh realities, the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino, suffering his own profound and desperate tragedies, brings us with him to the point of Hope. Let us gratefully and respectfully and joyfully join the Reverend Father Sobrino in our Pilgrimage to Hope and to Peace in Jesus Christ as he guides us upon this spiritual path which he himself is required to walk. We have heard the question: Why do bad things happen to good people? Here may we find solace and hope even in that incompehensible phenomenon, through the skilled, scholarly and experienced preaching of the Reverend Father Jon Sobrino, well grounded in the reality of Our Faith and our cardinal virtues, as we anticipate reading His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI's own reflection on Hope in Saved in Hope: Spe Salvi. ... Read more

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Lots and lots, some speculative, about volcanoes
"Volcanoes in History" offers what its authors call a "vibrating string" metaphor for the interaction of volcanoes and people.
When there's a big, explosive eruption -- say, at Mount St. Helens -- the immediate effects are dramatic but then everything slows down.
The blast lasts just hours; the cooling of the climate, famines and epidemics last years; the recovery of the landscape takes at least decades; and the cultural effects can continue working their process for centuries.
It is not unlike the damping of the amplitude and lengthening of the frequency that happens after a taut string is twanged.
Not all the effects have to be bad. Scientists now think that most, perhaps all the water on the planet was produced through volcanoes.
Besides killing people, volcanism has destroyed empires (maybe), and, more trivially, kept Mary Shelley indoors, where in her idle moments she wrote "Frankenstein."
Zeilinga de Boer teaches a course about the interaction of volcanoes and humans at Princeton that he says "demonstrates to liberal arts students that the sciences are not 'bloodless'."
In this effort, he quotes a lot of poetry about volcanoes by Tennyson and otherwise attempts to show that volcanoes can be interesting, if not for themselves, then for the exaltedthoughts they inspire.
This approach suggests that the Princeton undergrad is a dull fellow. Volanoes are complicated enough to be interesting for their own sakes.
There is a lot we still don't know about them. What we have learned -- most of it only recently -- is more interesting than the musings of an elderly Englishman who never saw a live volcano in his life.
For example, it was only in 1985 that the geologist Harold Stearns persuaded his colleagues that Haleakala crater on Maui -- the world's biggest volcanic crater(about the size of Manhattan Island) -- is an artifact of erosion, not eruption.
That seems firmly nailed down now. Some of the authors' other ruminations are more doubtful, as they stride through history in seven-league boots.
No one doubts any more that Thera (Santorini) blew up explosively about 3,500 years ago, causing much trouble in the eastern Mediterranean. But whether we can link Thera's blast to the origin of Greek literacy is a stretch.
And Zeilinga de Boer and Sanders' attempt to cross-date Thera and the Israelite exile in Egypt will not persuade Biblical scholars, many of whom no longer believe there ever were any Israelites in pharaonic Egypt , because not a single artifact there can be associated with them until many centuries later.
Nevertheless, the concept of looking at the big social picture is novel and entertaining. For people who worry about global warming, the ability of volcanoes to cool the Earth ought to be a comfort.
For people who live on a volcano -- even such placid ones as in Hawaii -- "Volcanoes in Human History" combines well with Alwyn Scarth's 1999 book "Vulcan's Fury," which takes what might be called a civil defense approach to volcanism.
Both use the casebook approach, with similar but not identical lists of famous eruptions. Both are full of information that might be useful to know at some unpredictable point in the future.
For example, if you decide not to evacuate from a volcano that is erupting and throwing big rocks into the air, it is helpful not to have to relearn the lesson that Icelanders picked up while trying to save their houses during the extended eruption at Vestmannaeyjar in 1973: "Red-hot lava bombs continually rained down upon Vestmannaeyjar, plunging through the roofs of buildings and keeping firefighters busy. As in wartime, people out of doors kept an eye peeled for incoming missiles. They learned not to run from them, but to simply watch until they were sure of their trajectory, then step aside if necessary."
Although most of "Volcanoes in History" is devoted to violent eruptions, which almost never occur in Hawaii, there is a long chapter on Hawaiian volcanoes, used to illustrate the forces that cause volcanoes to wax and wane.
And, you never know, every once in a while even Hawaiian volcanoes act up.
The last serious killer eruption was from Kilauea in 1868, but at intervals of some hundreds of thousands of years, Hawaiian volcanoes tend to fall apart, generating tsunami of unbelievable proportions -- one swept the soil off of Lanai up to a height of 900 feet above present sea level.

Not just the best, but the only book that does what it does
Earthquakes are not just natural events; they are messages to our civilizations. "Earthquakes in Human History" is a look at how these 'acts of God' have changed the affairs of mankind from biblical times to the twentieth century. Not just calamities, great earthquakes have also been agents of regime change, sometimes in surprising ways. We are lucky to have their stories told so well here; maybe our own civilization can do better the next time the ground shakes. On About.com I rate this book with five stars, and maybe I'll look for the same authors' similar book on volcanoes.

History Lesson Extraordinaire
This work was more than I expected. I learned as much about anscient history as I did about earthquakes! It is well written and focuses on specific earthquake events rather than over-generalizing on the broad topic. I only wish all the metric distances and measures would have had U.S. conversions in parentheses.

All in all, a worthwhile read.

History of Quakes
I have a baccalaureate degree in geology with an emphasis in paleontology, and although I have never actually used the degree, I enjoy reading about various aspects of geology.Earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, all of which are interrelated phenomena, are particularly intriguing as they so often impact human society where ever they occur.Probably one of the most poetic and stirring artifacts of this very fact are the ancient footprints of two of what are believed by some to be our prehistoric ancestors, preserved in the ash of a volcanic eruption at Leotoli inTanzania, Africa.

De Boer and Sanders' book, Earthquakes in Human History goes a long way to pulling together the geology and sociology of various seismic events through recorded time. Without a doubt the frailty and vulnerability of the human being is graphically demonstrated in the face of these catastrophic events.

The authors begin by examining ancient literature for evidence of earthquakes and earthquake damage in human terms.They look to the authors of the Biblical narrative for evidence of seismic activity in the Levant, and it's effects on the course of history there.Although many of the stories they analyze are very likely to have seismic components irrespective of their ultimate cause, I think that some might well be attributable to volcanic explosions as well.Although not familiar with the geologic activity in the area beyond its part in the rifting activity in the Afar triangle in Africa, I believe that volcanoes are customarily associated with such rifts.Certainly they are in the mid-Atlantic system of which Iceland is a part and in the Rift Valley in Africa itself.Although the Levant/Dead Sea portion is considered a "failed" arm of the rifting system, it might still partake of volcanism.Whatever the cause, the geologic activity in the Levant had a major journalistic impact on the narrators that witnessed them, and on the redactors that structured the Bible as we know it today.

DeBoer and Sanders also discuss the various earthquakes and geological phenomena in the Greek world of the pre-classical and classical authors.Both the Trojan epics and the historic narratives of Herodotus and others are examined for the effects of geology on mankind and the course of history.Although they discuss several episodes, they missed my favorite, the massive tsunami that swept away a sizeable portion of the Persian land army when it was about to attack a coastal city-Potidea, as I recall.Seeing that the city was fortified everywhere but on the seaward side from which the sea was rapidly receding, the general determined to attack the city for that side.No sooner did he embark on the attack than a massive wave swept them all away.

The authors discuss modern era quakes in England, the southeastern colonial US-an area most of us would consider tectonically quiescent-San Francisico-everyone's favorite earthquake story--Peru, Chili, Nicaragua, and Japan.All these stories are placed into retrospective history with a discussion of the social and political events of the times, and how the earthquake derailed things one way or another.My guess is that most of the changes would have occurred anyway, they were just hurried along by the unexpected intercession of mother nature.

I was disappointed in that nothing was mentioned of China, whose quakes can be formidable and have caused some greater devestation by virtue of the fact that China achieved a denser population at an earlier stage of its historical career.It is also interesting, because a quake prediction that turned out correct, saved thousands, if not millions from death.Oh well, another book, perhaps.

The volume discusses the geologic aspects of each of these quakes as they are presented.I found it particularly interesting that some of the epicenters for very serious quakes, like that which occasionedthe destruction ofLisbon and of San Francisco were actually located out at sea and far under ground.These of course also included tsunamis which sort of "topped" everything off and produced more widespread devastation.It was also interesting to note that the substrate of buildings, not justhow they were constructed had a direct impact upon their capacity to survive the encounter.


That building codes are the key in earthquake prone areas seems abundantly apparent. Lloyd Wright's hotel in Tokyo was a brilliant case in point.The fact that most of the civil supports such as water, electricity, power, communication, emergency care and effective fire control can all be hampered or even prevented is of great concern, as most of the cities that have been hit in the past with such catastrophic effect, are still where they were and are now much more densely settled.The authors point out that many schools, hospitals and even nuclear plants have been built on the San Andreas Fault, despite the fact of the quake of 1906, and the very strong likelihood that it will rift again with a magnitude like that of 1906 or higher.It will certainly cause more damage.

This is a very interesting book.It is accessible to anyone who can read at grade 5 or above.Since the world seems to be sustaining a fair number of earthquakes recently in heavily populated areas with little or no quakeproofed buildings, it seems appropriate that the population of the world recognize the danger of unpreparedness and of disinterest.Furthermore, just because it doesn't occur in your own back yard, doesn't mean it doesn't have some kind of impact on you, as the authors occasionally point out.

A really great reference
This book covers some of the most infamous quakes in the world's history, along with the sociological and economical impact that isn't always considered in historical review.Each chapter details the society that is about to be hit with disaster, describes the quake and damage, and how (or if) the society recovers.From the demise of Sparta, to the fall from grace of the Roman Catholic church in Portugal, to the rise of San Francisco from the ashes, this book is an entertaining and informative read.The unpredictable effects of these disasters is interesting and valuable knowledge, as future disasters can and will present some of the same issues.I couldn't put it down! ... Read more

Product Description
Deep earthquakes (earthquakes with origins deeper than 60 km) are of scientific importance and account for approximately one-quarter of all earthquakes. They are occasionally very large and damaging yet provide much of the data that constrain our knowledge of Earth structure and dynamics. This book opens with an explanation of what deep earthquakes are, their significance to science and how they were first discovered. Later chapters provide a description of deep earthquake distribution and clustering in both time and space; a review of observations about source properties; and a discussion of theories for the origin of deep earthquakes. The book concludes with a comprehensive literature review of terrestrial and lunar deep seismicity. Deep Earthquakes presents a comprehensive, topical, historical, and geographical summary of deep earthquakes and related phenomena. It will be of considerable interest to researchers and graduate students in the fields of earthquake seismology and deep Earth structure. ... Read more

Product Description
Accelerating seismic activity in late Meiji Japan climaxed in the legendary Great Nobi Earthquake of 1891, which rocked the main island from Tokyo to Osaka, killing thousands. Ironically, the earthquake brought down many "modern" structures built on the advice of foreign architects and engineers, while leaving certain traditional, wooden ones standing. This book, the first English-language history of modern Japanese earthquakes and earthquake science, considers the cultural and political ramifications of this and other catastrophic events on Japan's relationship with the West, with modern science, and with itself.Gregory Clancey argues that seismicity was both the Achilles' heel of Japan's nation-building project--revealing the state's western-style infrastructure to be surprisingly fragile--and a new focus for nativizing discourses which credited traditional Japanese architecture with unique abilities to ride out seismic waves. Tracing his subject from the Meiji Restoration to the Great Kant Earthquake of 1923 (which destroyed Tokyo), Clancey shows earthquakes to have been a continual though mercurial agent in Japan's self-fashioning; a catastrophic undercurrent to Japanese modernity. This innovative and absorbing study not only moves earthquakes nearer the center of modern Japan change--both materially and symbolically--but shows how fundamentally Japan shaped the global art, science, and culture of natural disaster. ... Read more

Product Description

During the last decade, the state of the art in Earthquake Engineering Design and Analysis has made significant steps towards a more rationale analysis of structures. Scientists have long recognized that earthquake design is guided by displacements and deformations rather than forces. However due to the historical background of structural engineers in static analyses, effects of earthquake on structures have been viewed as forces acting on the structures. All presently available design building codes are developed along these lines. Our knowledge of ground motion characteristics, earthquake geotechnical engineering, structural behaviour (design and numerical analyses) and model tests have advanced to a point where it is possible to anticipate a significant move from force based design approaches to displacements based design approaches. Although displacement based analyses constitute the kernel of most research programs, they have not yet been incorporated in the state of practice.

The purpose of the book is to review the fundamentals of displacement based methods, starting from engineering seismology, earthquake geotechnical engineering, to focus on design, analysis and testing of structures with emphasis on buildings and bridges.

Product Description
INsiders brings volcanoes & earthquakes to life, with the most up-to-date information and state-of-the-art 3-D illustrations that practically leap off every page, stimulating minds and imaginations in a whole new way. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best E & V Book for Kids
Beautifully detailed and illustrated from a true expert in the field. Remarkable amount of information in a concise and easily understandable text.

comprehensive book about earthquakes and volcanoes
The book covers the subject thoroughly, but often does not explain or define the scientific terms it uses.Instead, the reader must refer to the glossary at the back of the book, which disturbs the flow of the narrative.Since it is intended for children, I would have preferred that terms were defined in the text, as well as in a separate glossary.Otherwise, the book is well written, organized well and up-to-date. ... Read more

Product Description
In this expanded new edition of Living with Earthquakes, Robert Yeats, a leading authority on earthquakes in California and the Pacific Northwest, describes the threat posed by the Cascadia Subduction Zone, a great earthquake fault which runs for hundreds of miles offshore from British Columbia to northern California. New research reveals subtle movements on the deepest part of this fault every fourteen to fifteen months-building up strain toward the next major earthquake.

Combining cutting-edge research with practical safety information, Living with Earthquakes

*introduces new information about the danger from faults beneath major Northwest cities: the Seattle Fault, Tacoma Fault, and Portland Hills Fault

*explores such topics as earthquake forecasting, catastrophe insurance, tsunamis, soil liquefaction, and seismic waves in Northwest lakes caused by Alaskan earthquakes

*reviews earthquake preparedness and disaster response in the aftermath of the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, the worst natural disaster in Washington's history

*suggests actions that citizens can take to protect their families and homes

An essential guide for anyone interested in understanding earthquake science or in preparing for the next earthquake, this book is also a call to action. Vivid descriptions of recent disasters-including the great tsunami that swept down the Northwest coast in 1964, the 1993 Oregon earthquakes, and the 2001 Nisqually earthquake-underscore the urgent need for better earthquake planning and awareness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Comprehensive and essential
I haven't seen any other book that approaches this one's broad coverage of the topic. There is an excellent presentation of basic principles of earthquakes and of the relevant geology of the Northwest. The NW's earthquake history is reviewed in detail. Our current risks are evaluated, and prevention is discussed. There is even a chapter on insurance and policy issues. Throughout, the wording is precise yet breezy, like a good college lecturer (the book grew out of a college course taught by the author).

Best book on quakes in Pacific Northwest, in fact on subduction zone hazards
I use this book in teaching a college introductory science class.It is clearly written and presents earthquakes from the unique perspective of the Pacific Northwest.

There is an alternative introductory book by the late Bruce Bolt on earthquakes in general, and another with emphasis on California by Sue Hough.Each has its strengths - the Hough book is particularly well-written, the Bolt book has good pictures and illustrations and a dry wit although it is growing out of date, and this one builds upon the findings of the leading scholars of the Oregon-Washington region to show the big picture of science and government's role in hazard management.

With a good index, list of regional earthquakes, and glossary, an attentive reader will gain an in-depth knowledge of some geophysics and its serious hazards for Cascadia.

Although I haven't compared them word by word, the 2nd editions seems a major improvement in readability.Yeats actually cites the experience of co-teaching with a colleague of mine the very class I now teach as inspiration for the improvements.

anecessary read
A book that will hopefully wake people up who live here in the NW and make them realize that we are at just as much risk for earthquakes as california. I was a 1 year old and my parents recall their terror ofensuring my safety as well as their own during the 1965 quake that hit Wastate measuring over a 7. We should all take heed to the words written andsecure ourselves by having a 3 day supply of food and water, knowing whatthe energency response of our childrens's schools are. Because the quakethat hit this summer is just a prelude to the massive one that will hit.

Fascinating! Reader-friendly and intelligent, on top of it.
The book is great for getting people aware that the PNW also has a fault line.And Mt. Rainier is more than a mountain.But he says it not to scare you.It educates you in a relaxing manner. This should be mandatoryreading for grades 9-12.Highly recommend it!!!

Fascinating! Reader-friendly and intelligent, on top of it.
The book is great for getting people aware that the PNW also has a fault line.And Mt. Rainier is more than a mountain.But he says it not to scare you.It educates you in a relaxing manner. This should be mandatoryreading for grades 9-12.Highly recommend it!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Three Fearful Days is unique among books dealing with San Francisco's 1906 earthquake and fire, because survivors of the tragedy tell their own stories. This volume, now available in hardcover, contains more than 40 narratives culled from letters, diaries, and accounts written at the time. To mark the 100th anniversary of the catastrophe, the survivors voices are heard once again, in many instances for the first time since the dramatic event. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Seriously Cool
There is so much cool stuff in this book. Filled my head with so many things to incorporate into my novel set during the quake. It's a keeper.

A WONDERFUL COLLECTION
I am a former Bay Area resident, who fell in love with the city's history while attending college in the Bay Area, and try to read everything I can about the great city.I have read several of Malcolm Barker's books, including Bummer and Lazarus.What Barker does is collect letters from people who actually lived in the city, in this case, Three Fearful Days, letters from people who survived the great earthquake and disaster.I actually read this, I believe, several years ago and just last spring started posting some reviews: this was an incredible collection of stories.They are all ordinary citizens thrust into the most terrifying situation any human could face: the complete and total annihilation of their beloved city.This should be mandatory reading for anyone who loves American history, the history of the West, and California/San Francisco history in particular.It is so much better than most of the recent histories of the disaster, because these are first hand accounts, without projections and hyperboles.I think anyone would be drawn in the minute they start reading it.A truly great book, as are all of Barker's books. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume covers the chaotic events that cause the earth to'pusate lika a livingorganism'. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

If you have a passion for learning about disaster....
I purchased this book for a child, at his insistence that it was the book he "must have." I certainly had my doubts. It doesn't seem to be directed at a younger audience.

However, this advanced reader devoured Agents of Chaos: Earthquakes, Valcanoes, and Other Natural Disasters. It does not seem to be something he's been drawn to over and over again, but it certainly gave him the information that he wanted, and it did contain enough in the way of illustrations to keep him reading.

Catastrophists Rejoice !
Steven Harris taken what might be thought of as pretty boring "science" stuff and written an exciting book about how unstable our stable, or at least what we percieve as stable, world can be.Students of geology might find some of this stuff "old hat" and Harris, rightly so, has targeted his book to the layman.

Focusing on the western United States, he presents a look at natural catastrophies from a geologic standpoint that have happened (focusing on recent geological past events) and how these events could (and eventually will) create chaos to us more recent earth residents. Many readers are probably familiar with the major earthquake danger in California; however, I venture that most are unaware of the types of volcanic dangers presented in this book (and you thought the only real dangers in Yellowstone National Park were bears and RVs).

My only complaints have to do with a lack of good editing.Drawing on such a large bibliography of peer-reviewed scientific literature, one wishes that Harris would have borrowed more of the rigorious editing that is a staple of the science.The chapters of the book read somewhat like individual articles with repetition of some facts (almost verbatum) in almost every chapter (no real "flow" from chapter to chapter). Ditto some of the illustrations.Several of the maps were presented without scales and captions on some illustrations were confusing. With a good re-edit my rating would be 4-stars.

nice
I may not be majoring in geology, but I found this book to be an excellant read.I was suprised by some of the information that was presented in this book.

Informative book on geological events for the US.
Mr. Harris covers it all in this book. From earthquakes, volcanoes, and floods. One learns much about how much has happened here in the US, and what could happen next. Good coverage on the earthquake threat. The volcanoinformation is pretty much the same from his earlier book "FireMountains Of The West." But new information on why there is so muchlava in the Pacific Northwest may surprise you. Just as reading about thegreat floods that hit out west during the ice age. I like this book, andrecommend it. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

manu
i think this is a very good book prescribed.AMAZON.COM&iliked it very much. ... Read more

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Stranded!From the beginning, Jonathan is spooked by the deserted island where his family is camping-and his premonitions come true. After Jonathan's mother breaks her ankle, Jonathan and his younger sister Abby are left alone. Then a devastating earthquake hits. The bridge is destroyed, the trailer is smashed, and there's no food or water. Suddenly, Jonathan and Abby are fighting for their lives... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Kirt's review
The Palmers were going on a family vacation in Northern California to Magpie Island. When Jahnathan and Abby Palmers mother broke her ankle from a drop-off in the lake, they dicided that it would be easier for just Mr. and Mrs.Palmer to go because there daughter Abby is handicaped. A while after the Palmers left an earthqauke struck Magpie Island. They were almost squished by trees falling in every direction. They hid under a giant fallen redwood tree. After the earthquake Johnathan left his dog Moose with Abby, while he went for help. But when he got to the brigde leading off the island in\t was destroyed.He left Abby under the redwood as shelter because the camper they had got squashed. By the time he got back he noticed the water was rising. The earthqauke had shifted the flow of the lake. Mr. and Mrs.Palmer made it off the issland but couldn't gat to town because trees blocked the road. So Mr.Palmer walked to town and had a search and rescue team sent the next morning for Jahnathan and Abby.They found Johnathan on a shore line with his dog Moose lying on top of him to keep him warm. They took Johnathan back to the hospital, when he woke up he told then were Abby had stopped floating on her tree. They went to find her at Fish Head Bay wich thats were she was. Johnathan said he lookes forward to playing the six games of go-fish with his sister. ... Read more