A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California… (2005 original; edició 2006)

Bookbox - ABC VBB; while partially about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, the book also delved into the understanding of Teutonic plates and the backstory of the birth of San Francisco

Found this book fascinating. At least half the book is about geology. Can't say I understood everything but I learned so much about how the earth evolved geologically and why California is the way it is regarding earthquakes. Regarding the San Francisco earthquake itself, it was full of eye witness accounts and you really got a feel for what people experienced. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about earthquakes and especially for people who live in California or other earthquake prone areas. ( )

The story of the earthquake that devastated the then-young city of San Francisco is particularly well-suited to the Simon Winchester "grand event" treatment. The earthquake -- and the vast fire that followed -- is an event of such scale, that a writer known to convey bewildering arrays of facts well is needed to merely outline it.

The haphazard rebuilding of the city is a story that directly follows not only the quake and fire, but the needs of businesses in the city and, in particular, the fear that the young city might not bounce back. In typical style, Mr. Winchester dissects not only the disaster, but the social atmosphere it took place in.

The author has demonstrated a passion for language, and this book is no exception. The passages on writing of the time are well-written, and particularly entertaining when discussing sub-par poetry of the time.

Aside from the geology that surrounds the story, one of the most captivating accounts is that of how insurance companies reacted. Some defaulted amid squabbling over whether damage was fire or quake related, and these companies reputations suffered (if they even survived). (Lloyd's of London enhanced its reputation considerably by instructing its agents to pay all claims.)

I need not detail the glittering explanations of plate tectonics and earthquake science, of seismic instrument technology. bringing out details inevitably lessens the sense of grandeur and sheer interconnectedness that Mr. Winchester's best sagas convey. A Crack in the Edge of the World is a typical Simon Winchester book - which is to say, fascinating, lots of digressions that turn out to be relevant, and very well written indeed. While not his absolute best work, this book sits closely behind Krakatoa and The Meaning of Everything. ( )

A Crack in the Edge of the World by Simon Winchester Review of the Audio Book. Simon Winchester has one of those voices that can really get up your nose. I find him tedious and slightly patronising and smug (but I have forgiven him). I've tried several of his other works and given up on them. I don't know why but this one worked for me.I found it engaging and put across in a way that held my interest. I liked they way that he sprinkles factoids here and there and his little digressions I found filled in details in this huge canvas. I liked his systematic approach to the science as well as his ramblings.Interestingly a few months after listening to this the city where I live was devastated by a huge earthquake, not once, but several times with many lives lost. It was his descriptions of the aftermath of San Francisco that really came home to me then. How fragile our lives and cities are.My understanding of what had happened was definitely better thanks to this book and the reality of what happened here made terrifyingly clear how this "solid ground" can not only move but the sheer scale of the forces involved cannot truly be grasped in a real sense. Prior to this I had only read numbers.Even if you are not that interested in Geology give this a go. ( )

Quite an exploration of various aspects of history related to 1906 earthquake in San Francisco.