Disasters Books

Showing 1-50 of 4,279
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History (Paperback)
by (shelved 74 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.05 — 73,930 ratings — published 1999
Rate this book
Clear rating
Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster Midnight in Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster (Hardcover)
by (shelved 66 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.36 — 67,781 ratings — published 2019
Rate this book
Clear rating
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster (Paperback)
by (shelved 59 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.26 — 579,004 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Johnstown Flood The Johnstown Flood (Hardcover)
by (shelved 56 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.13 — 25,974 ratings — published 1968
Rate this book
Clear rating
Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania (Hardcover)
by (shelved 55 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.13 — 164,804 ratings — published 2015
Rate this book
Clear rating
Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital (Hardcover)
by (shelved 49 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.93 — 41,841 ratings — published 2013
Rate this book
Clear rating
Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883 (Paperback)
by (shelved 44 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.88 — 22,122 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex (Paperback)
by (shelved 44 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.17 — 120,987 ratings — published 2000
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 43 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.07 — 63,061 ratings — published 2005
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Night to Remember A Night to Remember (Paperback)
by (shelved 42 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.10 — 30,139 ratings — published 1955
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea (Paperback)
by (shelved 42 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.12 — 119,897 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
Triangle: The Fire That Changed America Triangle: The Fire That Changed America (Paperback)
by (shelved 40 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.01 — 7,838 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Children's Blizzard The Children's Blizzard (Paperback)
by (shelved 38 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.89 — 13,403 ratings — published 2004
Rate this book
Clear rating
Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894 Under a Flaming Sky: The Great Hinckley Firestorm of 1894 (Paperback)
by (shelved 36 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.13 — 4,827 ratings — published 2006
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes—and Why (Hardcover)
by (shelved 36 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.19 — 9,890 ratings — published 2008
Rate this book
Clear rating
Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster (Paperback)
by (shelved 34 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.40 — 66,117 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy (Paperback)
by (shelved 34 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.96 — 2,853 ratings — published 2000
Rate this book
Clear rating
102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers 102 Minutes: The Untold Story of the Fight to Survive Inside the Twin Towers (Paperback)
by (shelved 33 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.30 — 12,869 ratings — published 2005
Rate this book
Clear rating
Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919 (Paperback)
by (shelved 33 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.03 — 5,245 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
Zeitoun Zeitoun (Hardcover)
by (shelved 32 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.05 — 80,468 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
Curse of the Narrows: The Halifax Explosion 1917 Curse of the Narrows: The Halifax Explosion 1917 (Hardcover)
by (shelved 29 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.99 — 1,213 ratings — published 2005
Rate this book
Clear rating
The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche The White Cascade: The Great Northern Railway Disaster and America's Deadliest Avalanche (Hardcover)
by (shelved 29 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.01 — 2,400 ratings — published 2007
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 28 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.14 — 18,633 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
Anathem Anathem (Hardcover)
by (shelved 27 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.17 — 76,285 ratings — published 2008
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of a Donner Party Bride (Hardcover)
by (shelved 25 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.25 — 41,271 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
To Sleep with the Angels: The Story of a Fire To Sleep with the Angels: The Story of a Fire (Paperback)
by (shelved 25 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.40 — 2,074 ratings — published 1996
Rate this book
Clear rating
Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors (Paperback)
by (shelved 25 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.14 — 82,766 ratings — published 1974
Rate this book
Clear rating
Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 Sudden Sea: The Great Hurricane of 1938 (Paperback)
by (shelved 25 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.06 — 2,843 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
Rising Tide: the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America Rising Tide: the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How it Changed America (Paperback)
by (shelved 24 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.22 — 5,927 ratings — published 1997
Rate this book
Clear rating
Ghosts of the Tsunami: Death and Life in Japan's Disaster Zone Ghosts of the Tsunami: Death and Life in Japan's Disaster Zone (Hardcover)
by (shelved 23 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.20 — 8,376 ratings — published 2017
Rate this book
Clear rating
Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident (Hardcover)
by (shelved 23 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.98 — 26,941 ratings — published 2013
Rate this book
Clear rating
Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum (Paperback)
by (shelved 23 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.24 — 854 ratings — published 2003
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Crack in the Edge of the World A Crack in the Edge of the World (Paperback)
by (shelved 23 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.79 — 7,302 ratings — published 2005
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11 (Audible Audio)
by (shelved 22 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.72 — 46,033 ratings — published 2019
Rate this book
Clear rating
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space (Hardcover)
by (shelved 21 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.50 — 21,895 ratings — published 2024
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder (Hardcover)
by (shelved 21 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.17 — 223,926 ratings — published 2023
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism The Great Halifax Explosion: A World War I Story of Treachery, Tragedy, and Extraordinary Heroism (Hardcover)
by (shelved 21 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.20 — 4,609 ratings — published 2017
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us and What We Can Do about Them The Big Ones: How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us and What We Can Do about Them (Hardcover)
by (shelved 20 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.13 — 1,793 ratings — published 2018
Rate this book
Clear rating
Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens Eruption: The Untold Story of Mount St. Helens (Paperback)
by (shelved 20 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.01 — 3,994 ratings — published 2016
Rate this book
Clear rating
Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival (Paperback)
by (shelved 20 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.18 — 2,052 ratings — published 2014
Rate this book
Clear rating
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage (Hardcover)
by (shelved 20 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.46 — 172,906 ratings — published 1959
Rate this book
Clear rating
Hiroshima Hiroshima (Mass Market Paperback)
by (shelved 20 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.06 — 91,407 ratings — published 1946
Rate this book
Clear rating
Titanic: Voices From the Disaster (Scholastic Focus) Titanic: Voices From the Disaster (Scholastic Focus)
by (shelved 19 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.05 — 4,980 ratings — published 2012
Rate this book
Clear rating
Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 Blizzard of Glass: The Halifax Explosion of 1917 (Hardcover)
by (shelved 19 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.84 — 2,085 ratings — published 2011
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster (Hardcover)
by (shelved 19 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.95 — 4,028 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2) The Year of the Flood (MaddAddam, #2)
by (shelved 19 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.07 — 134,461 ratings — published 2009
Rate this book
Clear rating
The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History (Paperback)
by (shelved 19 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.98 — 43,001 ratings — published 2004
Rate this book
Clear rating
A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes (Hardcover)
by (shelved 18 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.06 — 1,752 ratings — published 2020
Rate this book
Clear rating
Wave Wave (ebook)
by (shelved 18 times as disasters)
avg rating 3.80 — 23,344 ratings — published 2013
Rate this book
Clear rating
Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert Killer Show: The Station Nightclub Fire, America's Deadliest Rock Concert (Hardcover)
by (shelved 18 times as disasters)
avg rating 4.37 — 1,295 ratings — published 2012
Rate this book
Clear rating


E.A. Bucchianeri
“It's a shame there has to be a tragedy before the best in people will finally shine.”
E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Barbara Kingsolver
“The loss of empathy is also the loss of humanity, and that's no small tradeoff.”
Barbara Kingsolver, High Tide in Tucson : Essays from Now or Never

More quotes...