false 25013 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 25013 17 4621201 book 2003 A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906 (P.S.) total:574|5:88|4:243|3:174|2:57|1:12| 574 2060 983 153 14053 3.71 11804 2077 51124108 175635 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.65 455 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 5 6 false Wed Apr 01 04:17:40 -0700 2009 Wed Apr 01 13:44:22 -0700 2009
Let me tell you what there is ...more...]]> 4191482 146952 435698 0060571993 9780060571993 17 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196m/435698.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196s/435698.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/435698.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.35 43 Unleashed by ancient geologic forces, a magnitude 8.25 earthquake rocked San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906. Less than a minute later, the city lay in ruins. Bestselling author Simon Winchester brings his inimitable storytelling abilities to this extraordinary event, exploring the legendary earthquake and fires that spread horror across San Francisco and northern California in 1906 as well as its startling impact on American history and, just as important, what science has recently revealed about the fascinating subterranean processes that produced it—and almost certainly will cause it to strike again.

]]> 2003 2 3 false Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 07 02:32:02 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 04:05:36 -0800 2009 Simon Winchester’s books Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 (P.S.) and The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (P.S.) for their story-telling style. This one however, is writ...more...]]> 4424297 16012 435698 0060571993 9780060571993 17 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196m/435698.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196s/435698.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/435698.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Unleashed by ancient geologic forces, a magnitude 8.25 earthquake rocked San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906. Less than a minute later, the city lay in ruins. Bestselling author Simon Winchester brings his inimitable storytelling abilities to this extraordinary event, exploring the legendary earthquake and fires that spread horror across San Francisco and northern California in 1906 as well as its startling impact on American history and, just as important, what science has recently revealed about the fascinating subterranean processes that produced it—and almost certainly will cause it to strike again.

]]> 2003 2 2 false Sun Aug 12 06:21:32 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 04:49:05 -0800 2009 more...]]> 5244060 261544 435698 0060571993 9780060571993 17 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196m/435698.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196s/435698.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/435698.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Unleashed by ancient geologic forces, a magnitude 8.25 earthquake rocked San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906. Less than a minute later, the city lay in ruins. Bestselling author Simon Winchester brings his inimitable storytelling abilities to this extraordinary event, exploring the legendary earthquake and fires that spread horror across San Francisco and northern California in 1906 as well as its startling impact on American history and, just as important, what science has recently revealed about the fascinating subterranean processes that produced it—and almost certainly will cause it to strike again.

]]> 2003 5 2 false Tue Aug 28 14:24:20 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 28 14:28:50 -0700 2007 America and the Great California Earthquake...", and like his previous book on ...more...]]> 12233231 615172 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 2 2 false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 11 06:35:25 -0800 2008 Wed Jan 23 23:41:32 -0800 2008 The 1906 earthquake that most notably affected San Francisco is a fascinating topic, and I like books with a bit of Science in them, but oh my god! could this author be any more of a pain in the ass? I just have to prove it with a couple of examples, but ...more...]]> 9610701 644163 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 5 1 false Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Tue Nov 27 12:15:11 -0800 2007 Tue Nov 27 12:44:34 -0800 2007
A fair amount of this book covers not the actual aftermath of th...more...]]> 39308219 1344256 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 3 2 false Tue Jan 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Dec 04 13:06:05 -0800 2008 Tue Jan 06 07:49:05 -0800 2009 more...]]> 8904097 35136 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 4 1 false Fri Nov 09 17:07:22 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 01 10:15:31 -0800 2007
This book is almost as good as Krakatoa. I learned a lot and couldn't believe how my publi...more...]]> 42948047 611408 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 4 0 false Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Tue Jan 13 15:14:56 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 13 15:15:15 -0800 2009 more...]]> 45460798 1008236 435698 0060571993 9780060571993 17 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196m/435698.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196s/435698.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/435698.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Unleashed by ancient geologic forces, a magnitude 8.25 earthquake rocked San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906. Less than a minute later, the city lay in ruins. Bestselling author Simon Winchester brings his inimitable storytelling abilities to this extraordinary event, exploring the legendary earthquake and fires that spread horror across San Francisco and northern California in 1906 as well as its startling impact on American history and, just as important, what science has recently revealed about the fascinating subterranean processes that produced it—and almost certainly will cause it to strike again.

]]> 2003 0 1 false Thu Feb 05 09:37:01 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 05 09:37:01 -0800 2009 Winchester's latest work is a lesson in unfulfilled expectations. Though he presents the book as a history of the San Francisco quake, over the first 200 pages Winchester offers an abbreviated version of John McPhee's Annals of the Former World. Where McPhee made clear his intentions to write a comp...

more...]]> 73217555 899549 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 2 0 false Mon Oct 12 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Oct 02 11:26:35 -0700 2009 Mon Oct 12 20:03:09 -0700 2009 I loved his earlier book, The Professor and the Madman
Generally speaking, I enjoy disaster history (Isaac's Storm, The Children's Blizzard, etc).
But the science bits, explaining plate tetonics and exactly what kind of earthquake hit San Fra...more...]]> 75242446 968809 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 5 0 false Thu Oct 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 21 08:34:24 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 21 08:44:15 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4522687 277960 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 3 1 false Wed Sep 19 10:20:39 -0700 2007 Tue Aug 14 06:22:36 -0700 2007 Thu Dec 17 05:07:41 -0800 2009 more...]]> 46228407 2015709 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 4 0 false Sun Nov 26 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Fri Feb 13 07:48:26 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 13 07:53:40 -0800 2009
Simon Winchester graduated from Oxford University with a degree in geology, and he ABSOLUTELY writes like a British geologist....more...]]> 58160968 2160556 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 5 0 false Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 02 05:54:22 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 02 11:48:13 -0700 2009 more...]]> 64840637 1654645 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 3 0 false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jul 24 17:18:23 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 24 17:18:33 -0700 2009 more...]]> 79224077 1041468 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 4 0 false Wed Dec 16 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sat Nov 28 14:09:33 -0800 2009 Wed Dec 16 19:21:19 -0800 2009
Thi...more...]]> 56165341 625444 25013 0060572000 9780060572006 118 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831m/25013.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167571831s/25013.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25013.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 2 1 false Sat May 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri May 15 07:23:13 -0700 2009 Sat May 30 19:40:24 -0700 2009 more...]]> 41864226 1838330 1729290 0141016345 9780141016344 1 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1187492338m/1729290.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1187492338s/1729290.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1729290.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_The_Great_American_Earthquake_of_1906 3.50 2 Though the epicenter of this marvelously constructed book is San Francisco, Winchester covers much more than just the disaster. He discusses how this particular quake led to greater scientific study of quakes in an attempt to understand the movements of the earth. Trained at Oxford University as a geologist, Winchester is well qualified to discuss the subject, and he clearly explains plate tectonics theory (first introduced in 1968) and the creation of the San Andreas Fault, along with the geologic exploration of the American West in the late 19th century and the evolution of technology used to measure and predict earthquakes. He also covers the social and political shifts caused by the disaster, such as the way that Pentecostalists viewed the quake as "a message of divine approval" and used it to recruit new members into the church, and the rise in the local Chinese population. With many records destroyed in the fire, there was no way to distinguish between legal and illegal immigrants, and thus many more Chinese were granted citizenship than would have otherwise been. Filled with eyewitness accounts, vivid descriptions, crisp prose, and many delightful meanderings, A Crack in the Edge of the World is a thoroughly absorbing tale. --Shawn Carkonen

]]> 2003 4 0 false Mon Jan 12 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Jan 04 13:25:51 -0800 2009 Mon Jan 12 16:22:06 -0800 2009 more...]]> 49335180 1343636 435698 0060571993 9780060571993 17 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196m/435698.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1174757196s/435698.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/435698.A_Crack_in_the_Edge_of_the_World_America_and_the_Great_California_Earthquake_of_1906 3.59 574 Unleashed by ancient geologic forces, a magnitude 8.25 earthquake rocked San Francisco in the early hours of April 18, 1906. Less than a minute later, the city lay in ruins. Bestselling author Simon Winchester brings his inimitable storytelling abilities to this extraordinary event, exploring the legendary earthquake and fires that spread horror across San Francisco and northern California in 1906 as well as its startling impact on American history and, just as important, what science has recently revealed about the fascinating subterranean processes that produced it—and almost certainly will cause it to strike again.

]]> 2003 3 0 false Sun Feb 15 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Mar 15 08:47:27 -0700 2009 Sun Mar 15 08:50:48 -0700 2009 ...more...]]> 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=25013