Search for your favourite author or book

The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet

ISBN 
9781101904084
Format 
Trade Paperback
Recommended Price 
R365.00
Published 
October 2018
About the book: 

On March 27, 1964, at 5:36 p.m., the biggest earthquake ever recorded in North America—and the second biggest ever in the world, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale—struck Alaska, devastating coastal towns and villages and killing more than 130 people in what was then a relatively sparsely populated region. In a riveting tale about the almost unimaginable brute force of nature, New York Times science journalist Henry Fountain re-creates the lives of the villagers and townspeople living in Chenega, Anchorage, and Valdez; describes the sheer beauty of the geology of the region, with its towering peaks and 20-mile-long glaciers; and reveals the impact of the quake on the towns, the buildings, and the lives of the inhabitants. George Plafker, a geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey with years of experience scouring the Alaskan wilderness, was asked to investigate the Prince William Sound region in the aftermath of the quake, to better understand its origins. His work confirmed the then controversial theory of plate tectonics that explained how and why such deadly quakes occur, and how we can plan for the next one. 

Others also viewed

How to speak your mind, unleash talent and lead with courage   Having a seat at the...
Die spook in sy huis kry alleenloper Paul nie verdryf nie, al probeer hy hoe hard om met...
A frantic world... or a frantic mind? Time can often feel scarce, but what if we had the power to...
A Search-and-Find Book   Keep your eyes peeled for the kiddos! Spot Bluey in the...