Earthquakes in Human History

Name: Earthquakes in Human History
Brand: NewSouth Books
SKU: 9780691127866
Price: 69.99 NZD
Availability: InStock

The Far-Reaching Effects of Seismic Disruptions

By Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders

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Summary

Earthquakes in Human History by Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders delves into the fascinating interplay between seismic events and their impact on human societies throughout history. The book explores how earthquakes have influenced cultural, political, and economic transformations, illustrating the profound ways these natural disasters have shaped the course of human development. With vivid descriptions and historical insights, it offers an engaging perspective on the powerful forces that have molded human civilization.
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Format: Paperback / softback

$69⁹⁹

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Earthquakes in Human History

$69⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by the profound impacts of natural phenomena on human civilisation. It offers intriguing insights into how earthquakes have influenced cultures, historical events, and shaped societies, blending scientific explanation with historical narrative.

Earthquakes in Human History

Tells the story of various epic earthquakes. This book explains the geological processes responsible for earthquakes, and they describe how these events have had long-lasting aftereffects on human societies and cultures. It includes quotations from literature and from later reports.

Earthquakes in Human History moves through the centuries and across the continents to show how earthquakes have shaped different societies. With a cast of characters that includes God and his ever-feared wrath, Cleopatra, Voltaire, Mark Twain, and the Sandinistas, it is an engaging and at times thrilling tale. I am confident that it will accomplish the authors' goal of nudging scientists to recognize the social and cultural impact of the geosciences and encouraging historians and others to explore scientific explanations for natural disasters. -- Charles Walker, University of California, Davis Zeilinga de Boer and Sanders have provided us with evidence that natural phenomena, in this case earthquakes, can sometimes have long-term historical consequences in changing the fate of cultures. With examples ranging from biblical to modern times, they show how destructive earthquakes have interacted with wars, religious beliefs, and political movements in changing history. Each account is preceded by a generally accessible account of the geological processes that led to the fateful earthquake. A fascinating read and an antidote to the usual anthropocentric views of history such as that of Arnold Toynbee. -- Christopher H. Scholz, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University

Description

On November 1, 1755—All Saints' Day—a massive earthquake struck Europe's Iberian Peninsula and destroyed the city of Lisbon. Churches collapsed upon thousands of worshippers celebrating the holy day.

Earthquakes in Human History tells the story of that calamity and other epic earthquakes. The authors, Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders, recapture the power of their previous book, Volcanoes in Human History. They vividly explain the geological processes responsible for earthquakes, and they describe how these events have had long-lasting aftereffects on human societies and cultures.

Their accounts are enlivened with quotations from contemporary literature and from later reports. In the chaos following the Lisbon quake, government and church leaders vied for control. The Marques de Pombal rose to power and became a virtual dictator. As a result, the Roman Catholic Jesuit Order lost much of its influence in Portugal.

Voltaire wrote his satirical work Candide to refute the philosophy of "optimism," the belief that God had created a perfect world. And the 1755 earthquake sparked the search for a scientific understanding of natural disasters.

Ranging from an examination of temblors mentioned in the Bible, to a richly detailed account of the 1906 catastrophe in San Francisco, to Japan's Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, to the Peruvian earthquake in 1970 (the Western Hemisphere's greatest natural disaster), this book is an unequaled testament to a natural phenomenon that can be not only terrifying but also threatening to humankind's fragile existence, always at risk because of destructive powers beyond our control.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Reviews highlight Earthquakes in Human History as an insightful exploration of the cultural and historical impact of earthquakes. The book is praised for its engaging storytelling, blending science with history, and its clear presentation of complex geological concepts. Reviewers appreciate its ability to vividly recount historical events and demonstrate how seismic activity has shaped societies over time.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780691127866

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 22 January 2007

Country: United States

Imprint: Princeton University Press

Illustration: 39 halftones. 5 line illus. 2 tables.

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 425g

Pages: 304

Collections

Donald Theodore Sanders Education & Reference History & Military Jelle Zeilinga de Boer Non-Fiction Science & Nature

About the Author

Jelle Zeilinga de Boer and Donald Theodore Sanders are the authors of Volcanoes in Human History. Zeilinga de Boer is the Harold T. Stearns Professor of Earth Science at Wesleyan University. Sanders, a Wesleyan graduate and former geologist, is an independent science editor and writer.