Book Description
How exactly has San Francisco's urban landscape changed in the hundred years since the earthquake and cataclysmic firestorms that destroyed three-quarters of the city in 1906? For this provocative rephotography project, bringing past and present into dynamic juxtaposition, renowned photographer Mark Klett has gone to the same locations pictured in forty-five compelling historic photographs taken in the days following the 1906 earthquake and fires and precisely duplicated each photograph's vantage point. The result is an elegant and powerful comparison that challenges our preconceptions about time, history, and culture. "I think the pictures ask us to become aware of the extraordinary qualities of our own distinct moment in time. But it is a realization that a particular future is not guaranteed by the flow of time in any given direction." So says Mark Klett discussing this multilayered project in an illuminating interview included in this lavishly produced volume, which accompanies an exhibition at The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.
After the Ruins, 1906 and 2006 features a vivid essay by noted environmental historian Philip Fradkin on the events surrounding and following the 1906 earthquake, which he describes as "the equivalent of an intensive, three-day bombing raid, complete with many tons of dynamite that acted as incendiary devices." A lyrical essay by acclaimed writer Rebecca Solnit considers the meaning of ruins, resurrection, and the evolving geography and history of San Francisco.
Copub: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Customer Reviews:
Photos from the 1906 Fire (Earthquake) of San Francisco.......2007-06-26
I received this book along with another one called: "Denial of Disaster: The Untold Story and Photographs of the San Francisco",by Gladys Hansen.
Both books are wonderful to read together because the book by Hansen describes what happened during and after the 1906 Fire (and/or 1906 Earthquake), and this book by Fradkin shows more photos from the tragic event. Thus, I recommend both books highly.
An important documentation of how urban disasters change urban landscapes.......2006-08-19
AFTER THE RUINS: 1906 AND 2006 - REPHOTOGRAPHING THE SAN FRANCISCO EARTHQUAKE AND FIRE has been a century in the making, and deserves a spot on any collection purported to be even halfway authoritative about San Francisco or California history. Its purpose seemed simple: to capture the meaning and impact of the 1906 quake through juxtaposing 'before' and 'after' photos, right down to the very angle of original landscapes. The idea was to also document how the city's landscape changed because of and since the quake: black and white and duotone photos by photographer Karin Breuer compliment essays by Philip L. Fradkin and Rebecca Solnit, longtime writers on California history, compliment an outstanding survey. College-level holdings on urban planning and design also should make this a special pick: it's an important documentation of how urban disasters change urban landscapes.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Amazon.com
Geologically speaking, 1906 was a violent year: powerful, destructive earthquakes shook the ground from Taiwan to South America, while in Italy, Mount Vesuvius erupted. And in San Francisco, a large earthquake occurred just after five in the morning on April 18--and that was just the beginning. The quake caused a conflagration that raged for the next three days, destroying much of the American West's greatest city. The fire, along with water damage and other indirect acts, proved more destructive than the earthquake itself, but insurance companies tried hard to dispute this fact since few people carried earthquake insurance. It was also the world's first major natural disaster to have been extensively photographed and covered by the media, and as a result, it left "an indelible imprint on the mind of the entire nation."
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
Customer Reviews:
Get to the point!.......2007-10-11
This book, "A Crack in the Edge of the World," by Simon Winchester, professes to be about the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. But is it?
The whole thing reads like a series of hesitations, digressions, and backstories, as if it's almost afraid to get to the event itself and talk about it. As more than one other reviewer has pointed out here, it's not until halfway through the book that the earthquake itself is first described, and by that point we've been treated to so many (often interesting, I'll admit) digressions, that we're not even sure anymore if the story of the 1906 quake is even the one most worth telling. I mean, why that one? Why not the 1960s Alaska one? Why not the big Asian tsunami of recent headlines? Why not a more general story of San Francisco? Why not a history of the earth itself?
This book defines anti-linear--is an antonym incarnate for chronological. Another author could probably have pulled it off better, and maybe Winchester could have himself with some more time to work on this, but this just made me jittery that any second the story was going to be yanked out from under me so that I could hear about how the sun affected the creation of the earth's geologic plates several billion years ago.
It reminded me of this guy I knew who used to tell this story about making a machine for automatically roasting and peeling green chile. It was an okay story to hear once, maybe, but the way he told it was worse. Not only did he repeat the story almost every time I saw him, but as soon as he got to "...and they never even paid me," I would think, "Oh thank you Lord, it's over," and then he would start telling me the story's prequel! Or a digression about one of the people who worked on the machine. Or something about the atomic makeup of chile. It was vicious, and it would go on for literally hours sometimes.
Anyway, this book reminded me of that. It was all over the place.
Even just putting these events in chronological order would have helped the story's lucidity immensely, but even then there's way to much peripheral stuff here and way too little focus on describing the event itself and its effects. It's really frustrating at times, and not at all as streamlined as say, the same author's "The Map that Changed the World."
All that said, it's obvious that this is written by a man brimming with excitment for his subject, and I admit there are a handful of topics that obsess me so much in their every detail that if I were to ever attempt to write about them, they might turn out seeming pretty sprawling as well. Also, the book is generally interesting, and I do feel that I have a better understanding now of the event and its contributing geology, as well as a nice supply of related anecdotes.
Three stars for this rambling wunderkammer of a book.
Three stars and a coin.
There's got to be a better book about this subject, though.
Unfocused.......2007-10-10
Simon Winchester's book on the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 is a disappointing study. There is a good deal of discussion of plate tectonics in the first half of the book. His presentation makes this highly technical information understandable to the general lay reader, and will probably seem superficial to specialists in the Earth sciences, but there is a good of repetition and more data than a general history designed for mass consumption requires.
The biggest problem, though, is that he rambles and goes off on all sorts of tangents. Somehow he manages to discuss Neal Armstrong and Albert Einstein, then when he mentions Amarillo, Texas, we get more information than we need or want about this West Texas city. The earthquake and narrative does not really get going until halfway to two-thirds of the way through the book. My gut instinct is that Winchester simply lacked enough material to sustain a book length account of the incident, which is the reason for the unfocused nature of the text. As a published author, I am very surprised that his editors accepted this manuscript and agreed to its publication.
Things I should have read in geology class.......2007-09-24
A considerable amount of time was exhausted by Mr. Winchester in the research, writing and editing of this bestseller. If my geology course in college, which was a very long time ago, had a book of this substance, I may have spent more time reading and preparing for class.
The book does not lead right in to the California earthquake of 1906. You must read a few hundred pages from the creation of the world, the movement of the continents, the history behind the chosen name for San Francisco and other cities, the gold rush days, the segregation of the Chinese, then the climactic earthquake.
The book is more of a history and geology lesson than a book with a plot and characters that are followed from beginning to end. This is the book you want to read for that one up on everyone else when earthquakes are the topic at the dinner party (humor emphasized).
Plate tectonics for idio-dummees(R).......2007-09-02
(Trying not to infringe on any copyrights with the title up there)
Simon Winchester's book is an excellent, concise easy-to-read, summary of many disparate but inter-related topics: the development of San Francisco in the late 19th/early 20th Century; the history of white settlement in California; the birthing of the new science of geology; and, most importantly, the science of plate tectonics and the reasons why, when and where earthquakes occur.
Yes, the geology and earth sciences is not covered at a PhD level. It wouldn't be readable if it were. And the history of California is not examined in sufficient depth (no pun intended), but then the book would have to be 10,000 pages. The book strikes the right balance between breadth and depth, the personal and the historic, the academic and the understandable. If you've read Winchester's excellent "Krakatoa" book -- and if you haven't, what are you waiting for? -- you'll enjoy this similiarly-styled treatment of another geologic event.
Tremors and digressions.......2007-08-29
Many of the reviews here seem upset that the author "rambles", which frequently is code for not compressing a story into easily digestible quanta. If you have any patience at all, you'll enjoy this book. I honestly find Mr. Winchester's "digressions" enjoyable, and find they add color to what could be a dull narrative. The geology of earthquakes, the reaction of a city to a disaster, the technology that had recently been developed to detect earthquakes being put to the test (and found wanting) - these stories, while fascinating, are natural stories. This book manages to make even that insurance claims made after the quake and fire interesting and even a vital part of the story.
Book Description
Killing hundreds and leaving a city in ruins, the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 stands as one of the greatest natural disasters in American history. But the aftermath of the quake—the fires that raged across the city for days and claimed the lives of thousands more—was an all too human disaster whose story has remained largely untold. Until now.
Employing the same vivid prose and storytelling skill that made his Report from Ground Zero a national bestseller, Dennis Smith reconstructs those harrowing days from the perspective of the people who lived through them. Smith draws on hundreds of individual accounts and official documents to unearth the true story of the fires—from the corrupt officials who left the city woefully unprepared for disaster, to the militia officers who enforced martial law with deadly force, to the individual heroes who battled the blaze and saved untold lives. San Francisco Is Burning is a thrilling disaster tale that brings a lost chapter of history back to riveting life. BACKCOVER: “Riveting.”
—The Washington Post
“So riveting it is enragingÂ…[SmithÂ's] message is the one that matters most.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“A finely woven human story of tragedy, death, heroism and blunder…This book is an eye-opener in many ways, and a good read, to boot.”
—The Associated Press
Customer Reviews:
Terrific.......2007-05-25
Firefighter Smith (FDNY, Ret) is one of my personal heroes and he has not let me down with this book. I now feel I have an intimate and personal connection with the tragedy of 1906. I was unable to put this book down. FF Smith's unique ability to weave the facts among the personal accounts of real people draw you in and grip you with their honesty, bravery and desperation.
Well written - easy read.......2007-05-01
This book brings the events surrounding the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the resulting fires really come to life. It was a great read - a thriller in its own right. This author makes it easy to see the events in your mind's eye and brings an updated view of historic events based on new information. Very good!
The Katrina and 9-11 of 1906.......2007-02-19
For this native San Franciscan, the April 1906 earthquake and fire has lurked mysteriously in the background of family history. SAN FRANCISCO IS BURNING has cleared away the cobwebs and although I did not find my own ancestors among those people Dennis Smith animates from letters, journals and newspaper accounts, I now know in incredible detail what they must have experienced.
Smith is a firefighter and a historian of firefighting. He is also a talented writer who decided to write a historical narrative, not an academic tract, and as such the reader is moved breathlessly through the events of April 1906 without tripping over tangled language and footnotes. Smith creates a chronological account, moving back and forth between the close-up stories of a fireman and his family, an unsung Naval hero, noble civic leaders, corrupt politicians, an Army general, a nun shepherding orphans through the streets and a Chinese immigrant searching for his fiance. He only stops long enough to tell back stories of San Francisco's history and provide a gloss on the science of earthquakes and fires.
By far the most important aspect of this book is Smith's fearless analysis of the human error, as well as the human triumphs, that contributed to the magnitude of the tragedy as well as to its eventual solution and the revival of the city. He corrects the long held belief that General Funston was the hero who saved the day. In fact, that's what Funston told everyone as he made decisions that fueled the fires and brought on loss of life, not only in fire but through a chaotically imposed state of martial law that had soldiers and citizens killing people left and right. Funston also suppressed evidence of the heroism of naval Lieutenant Freeman, who fought the fires tirelessly instead of responding to Funston's order for a gofer.
"Nature is never overdue.If we think it is overdue it has been modeled wrong.".......2006-11-30
This is an excellent book dealing with the 1906 Earthquake and the massive Fire that ensued and took over 3000 lives,burned over 28,000 buildings,flattened 522 blocks,and left over 200,000 people burned out of their homes. "In fact,outside of war,the San Francisco fire is bigger than any metropolitian fire in history."This earthquake registered 7.8 on the Richter scale and there has not been that big in the lower 48 states since that time.There was one,however,in Alaska in 1964,that was 9.2 and wrecked huge damage;but fortunately not in a heavily populated area.If one of that scale were to occur in a large metropolitian area;the destruction and loss of life would be unimaginable.
Dennis Smith has done a marvelous job of covering all aspects of the San Francisco Earthquake & Fire.He covers the history leading up to the event as well as the politics that was controlling the city,and more importantly the interplay of the politicians,police,firefighters,military,state officials federal officials up to and including the President. When you see what really went on in 1906,it's hard to imagine that the same sort of thing would not happen all over again with the reoccurrence of a similar situation.
I think that the timing of the publication of this book is nothing short of uncanny. Were it not for Katrina hitting New Orleand on August 28,2005;most people would like to convince themselves that "1906" could not happen again. Much has been learned and put into place and such a disaster would be handled much better today.;at least that is what most people would like to believe.
Katrina showed that a large metropolitian area was no more able to cope today and generally for the same reasons. This book was published in 2006.I see where the first Customer Review is dated October 6,2006;so the book must have been published at virtually the same time as Katrina.
In Chapter 94 the author addresses the question of what would be the result if a similar eaethquake were to hit San Francisco today.The senario is not pretty.There is little doubt that more earthquakes will hit California in the future.The only uncertainty is when,where and how powerful. Another thing that should be kept in mind is that not only California needs to worry. Most people are unaware that the largest estimated earthquake in the United States in recent history occurred in the Mississippi Valley in 1811.On top of that Seismologists,who refer to this event as the New Madrid earthquake,do not yet know why this should be considered a seismic zone.
Let's face it;"Earthquakes are as certain as the tides".
I have read several books about earthquakes but none have covered the subject as well as this.
If you have ever wondered how a major catastrophe would be handled in any large metropolitian area ;you should read this book and you'll not be surprised if it's "deja vu-all over again'>
Excellent Historical Fiction.......2006-07-25
This book is well-written and well-researched, and a cut above normal historical fiction. I'm proud to add it to my collection of SF '06. There's also a great documentary here on amazon called "Disaster by the Bay" that is the best of the best in non-fiction documentaries on the great quake and fire of '06. I'd highly recommend this book and that DVD for your collection.
Book Description
The first indication of the prolonged terror that followed the 1906 earthquake occurred when a ship steaming off San Francisco's Golden Gate "seemed to jump clear out of the water." This gripping account of the earthquake, the devastating firestorms that followed, and the city's subsequent reconstruction vividly shows how, after the shaking stopped, humans, not the forces of nature, nearly destroyed San Francisco in a remarkable display of simple ineptitude and power politics. Bolstered by previously unpublished eyewitness accounts and photographs, this definitive history of a fascinating city caught in the grip of the country's greatest urban disaster will forever change conventional understanding of an event one historian called "the very epitome of bigness."
Philip Fradkin takes us onto the city's ruptured streets and into its exclusive clubs, teeming hospitals and refugee camps, and its Chinatown. He introduces the people--both famous and infamous--who experienced these events, such as Jack and Charmian London, Enrico Caruso, James Phelan, and Abraham Ruef. He traces the horrifying results of the mayor's illegal order to shoot-to-kill anyone suspected of a crime, and he uncovers the ugliness of racism that almost led to war with Japan. He reveals how an elite oligarchy failed to serve the needs of ordinary people, the heroic efforts of obscure citizens, the long-lasting psychological effects, and how all these events ushered in a period of unparalleled civic upheaval.
This compelling look at how people and institutions function in great catastrophes demonstrates just how deeply earthquake, fires, hurricanes, floods, wars, droughts, or acts of terrorism can shape us.
Customer Reviews:
Disjointed, Poorly Written, Useless Info.......2007-01-28
I have no idea what the folks who highly rated this book were reading/thinking. This is not a good book about the 1906 SF earthquake. All over the map with useless info, particularly the post-earthquake SF government graft trials. This last info was pointless, long, boring and was never tied in by the author to either the 1906 earthquake or the direction of SF government since then. Stilted writing. Not an enjoyable read.
fact-filled, but overwritten........2006-06-27
I'm halfway through, and it's getting harder to choke down sentences such as:
"Like tufts of hair atop a bald head, two groups of structures would survive within the fire zone because of the actions of residents and employees."
I get it, but seriously, we're not far from "It was a dark and stormy night" territory here.
Time and time again, the author reaches for the cookie jar of bad metaphor without benefit of an editor to slap his hand away. The book, as a result, is bloated. (pardon me for adding my own, but I couldn't resist.)
Such writing, and the inclusion of apparently every anecdote the author could locate make the book a third longer than it needs to be.
Worth reading, but I wish a tough editor had read it before me.
Disjointed, not very compelling book........2006-05-15
After reading the above reviews, I choose this 1906 book over several others I had been looking at. This book is rather disjointed, nor does it capture the horror of that day in San Francisco. It does deal with the politics of the time, but this too skips about. I got to the end of the book without realizing the book was coming to a close, it just stopped. Overall, a boring overview of a national disaster.
Among the best and most thorough on the subject.......2006-02-07
I have nearly a complete degree in geology and one of my favorite topics was earthquakes and volcanoes. Like most individuals who enjoy studying this subject, the earthquake of 1906 is a must since it is one of the most heavily documented, particularly in photographic history, of any such event. I've read a number of books on the San Francisco quake, but this has got to be the best of its kind.
The author spent some time working though the material evidence that has been kept in libraries since the event in order to recreate a thorough account of the earthquake, as much a human event as a geological one. While many works on the 1906 earthquake cover the impressions of famous people present during the disaster-Barrymore, Caruso and others-and describe the deaths and the firestorms, few cover the details of the political situation before and after the earthquake and the denial mentality that worked to create this disaster and in fact that of the 1980s quake--and will probably pave the way to the disaster of the next one as well. The earthquake was downplayed to the point where the question was "what earthquake? We don't have earthquakes here," while the firestorm which occurred after it as a result of broken gas mains and power lines in the presence of a failed water distribution system was emphasized. After all, everyone has fires, and measures can be taken to prevent them. Nothing can be done about earthquakes, even their prediction remains elusive. Unfortunately the efforts of commercial and financial interests in restoring the areas' reputation as a good investment site competitive with neighboring cities in the area, contributed extensively to the boom that put San Francisco on the map again so soon. Destroying whole forests as far north as Washington state and the lives of thousands of horses, literally worked to death in order to rebuild the city in record time, these politically powerful individuals managed to create another risky city.
Amazing too was the political waltz that occurred both during and after the earthquake and fire storm. Pro- and anti-labor parties had been at one another's throats for some time, and the 1906 quake provided the impetus for a change in government that swept some people from power and others into office. As so often happens after a natural disaster-hurricaine Katrina being a case in point-much finger pointing occurred, an investigation was conducted, and at least one person was sent to jail.
Interesting especially is the author's citation of a number of personal accounts collected years later by a professor interested in the psychological impact of the earthquake on young people's lives. These reveal that what we call post-traumatic stress syndrome was a common event following the earthquake.
The book is a sweeping story of the end of an era for a California boom town. Now as ever, the weather is fantastic, the living leisurely--and the clock is ticking.
Santayana Was Wrong.......2005-12-04
It seems we are all doomed to repeat history whether we learn from the past or not.
I started reading The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906 a few days before Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. As a native Northern Californian who has experienced many earthquakes including the Loma Prieta Quake of 1989 (in which a portion of the Bay Bridge and a freeway overpass in Oakland collapsed), I found that the first part of the book made me recall my own experiences and wonder uneasily what I would do when the next catastrophic quake strikes. By the time I finished the book, all I could think about were the similarities to the 2005 hurricane and its aftermath.
Author Philip Fradkin states right away that "San Franciscans, not the inanimate forces of nature, were primarily responsible for the extensive chaos, damage, injuries, and deaths in the great earthquake and firestorms of 1906. Despite ... warnings, they were dismissive of the past and failed to prepare for the future. During the earthquake and fire, military and civilian officials reacted foolishly under great duress."
One aspect of both tragedies that seemed to strike a chord with many people was the reporting of widespread looting. While people were still stranded on their roofs or trapped in flooded hospitals and nursing homes in New Orleans in 2005, and while the fires raged in San Francisco and people were without shelter and water in 1906, many officials could only focus on the theft of personal property. Mayor Schmitz of San Francisco illegally issued military, police, and civilian deputies to shoot looters on sight. In San Jose, the mayor announced looters would be hanged.
Not surprisingly there were tragic consequences, including an account of a grocer who, seeing that his store was in the path of a fire, opened the doors and announced that anyone could take whatever they wanted before the fire destroyed everything. Some grateful people did and were bayoneted by a national guardsman who didn't know what was going on. The only widespread looting that could ever be verified turned out to be that of Chinatown by "respectable" (white) citizens. Law enforcement officials including national guardsmen didn't discourage the Chinatown looters and were even seen to be appropriating items for themselves. Although the Chinese consul-general complained to the governor, nothing was done to stop that looting. On the other hand, price gouging all over the Bay Area was rampant, but it was not considered looting, and no one was punished for it.
Chinatown was destroyed. It was a neighborhood many white San Franciscans resented and they saw an opportunity to move the Chinese population to the outskirts of the city. In scenes reminiscent of thousands of New Orleaneans being moved from the Superdome to the Astrodome to even more distant shelters, the Chinatown refugees were relocated several times immediately after the earthquake because white San Franciscans did not want Chinese neighbors, even temporarily. The Chinatown residents resisted moves to relocate them permanently to a less desirable part of town. They threatened to move away from San Francisco entirely and take their lucrative businesses and tax revenues with them. In the end, Chinatown was rebuilt exactly where it had been before the earthquake.
The story of the heroic efforts of the firefighters to put out the horrific fires has been told before but Fradkin tells it well, with some unexpected details. Water was at a premium with the intense heat of the fires turning streams from hoses into steam. Firefighters used any liquid they could find including vinegar, wine (it was Northern California, after all), and even soda water siphons.
About half of The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906 concerns the aftermath of the disasters: the relief effort, the rebuilding, the insurance claims, the political fallout, the blame, the effect on the people of the Bay Area.
Another truism is that history is written by the victors. Of course, there is no victor in a natural disaster, but the corollary is perhaps that history is written by the wealthy and the powerful. There are few first-hand accounts of the events of 1906 written by the poor or by the minorities. But Fradkin has pieced together a history that includes the stories of many who had been forgotten until now.
Book Description
In this thrilling novel set in two periods of San Francisco history, Cree Black confronts the mystery of one of the strangest victims of the Great Quake.
Bert Marchetti, an old family friend of Cree’s and an SFPD homicide inspector, has asked Cree to help investigate a human skeleton recently unearthed in the foundation of a fine Victorian home—apparently the bones of a victim of the 1906 earthquake. The bones have been sent to UC Berkeley for analysis, where their peculiar characteristics have intrigued the forensic anthropology team. They call the skeleton Wolfman.
Who was the wolfman? What caused his anatomical deformities, and how did he end up in that grand hilltop home? Cree’s historical research takes her back to the unholy glory days of the Barbary Coast, old San Francisco’s infamous red-light district. As she assists at the forensics lab, she also begins to realize that Bert Marchetti’s involvement with the case is more complex than he has let on. Her narrative is illuminated by entries from the 1889 diary of Lydia Schweitzer, a Victorian woman with her own secrets—and her own compelling interest in the person who would come to be known as the wolfman. A vivid and elegantly plotted thriller that reveals San Francisco’s hidden face across two centuries, Bones of the Barbary Coast tells the story of two women determined to face human nature’s darkest aspects with courage and compassion.
Customer Reviews:
So much potential but..........2007-09-05
I've never picked up a Cree Black book before, so I admit that my review may be a little off since I can't take the whole series into account.
I read the first couple pages of this book and was really intrigued; lots of forensic info, a smattering of history, and a hint at some supernatural. I figured it would be right up my alley! It started out fairly well; half forensics show/CSI, half hard-boiled detective. But I knew I was in trouble when I got to the first chapter with Ray alone. It seemed like a flimsy characterization for me and what OTHERS said about Ray was more interesting than what Ray said himself. It's always great for an author to show rather than tell and it didn't seem to be happening here. I get that Hecht wanted to hold onto a couple things until later in the end, but being too mysterious can be a turnoff for readers.
The diary parts could have been so much stronger. Without a diary, we would never have gotten very far into the character of Lydia--- or would we? I get the impression that Cree is psychic and can look into things when she's in the right setting. Wouldn't it have been so much more interesting if she could have found one object that pulled her into Lydia's mind, rather than a diary that wasn't quite as interesting as I'd hoped? Again, Hecht falls a bit flat with characterization. I felt like he was trying so hard to get into the mind of a woman but he just missed the boat by a bit. The problem is writing for the period, which is again why it would have made much more sense thematically to let Cree channel Lydia somehow, rather than have tell-all chapters where Lydia's "diary" clues us in.
I also never, ever bought Cree's relationship with Ray. Maybe this is a problem that came up since I'm not as familiar with the character, but she was presented as an intuitive, no-nonsense woman who didn't put up with a lot of crap. So why on EARTH would she tolerate Ray's weirdness? Just pity doesn't cut it!
But with all of that aside, I still enjoyed it much more than I normally enjoy books in that genre. It was a fun read and all the little details about San Francisco were great as well. Hecht has a lot of talent and obviously put a lot of work into this book, but I just felt like he squandered a lot of the opportunities he set up for himself by talking so much about Cree's interest in the paranormal.
Almost as good.......2007-04-09
I really enjoyed the first two Cree Black novels. I think the paranormal aspect lends a great twist to the mystery theme, but this book had no paranormal aspects.
The story and subplots kept my interest anyways and I found myself reading the book into the wee hours, but the end seemed rushed and left too much hanging.
My library does not have this or the 2nd Cree Black novel on audio books, so I read the hardcovers back to back. I think that also kept the momentum going for the Bones of the Barbary Coast.
"Everybody was a werewolf".......2007-01-18
Dan Hecht has written two previous books about Cree Black, a psychologist and 'psychic' investigator with a knack for paranormal contact. In these books she and her partners become enmeshed in what are, for the most part mystery stories where past events are a determinant in a present situation. You could describe them as forensic parapsychology and not be wrong.
Bones of the Barbary Coast is a different animal. The story revolves around the discovery of a skeleton of a human being with a weird deformity that makes the victim appear to be part wolf. There is no apparent murder here, the death was caused by the collapse of a house during the San Francisco earthquake. Cree is asked to come to San Francisco to investigate by an old friend of the family. So you are led to expect some psychic event, but one never really materializes. Instead Cree finds herself in a difficult investigation and discovers some remarkable, but not murderous facts.
The other part of the story revolves around Bert Marchetti, who asked her to come to town, and Cameron Raymond, an X-ray specialist who helps with the study of the bones. Marchetti is a cop on the verge of retirement, profoundly unhappy about his accomplishments and desperate for one last, redeeming arrest. Raymond is a man who has remade his life, but who bears a terrible scarred face as the result of a brutal arrest. The brutality in question was from Marchetti, and you can cut the enmity between the two with a knife.
These two men and Cree, who plays this novel solo are all lonely poles in a drama that parallels the slowly emerging story of the wolfman. These are set aside by disease, by loss, and by fear of the isolation each has to deal with in a story where redemption is a rare commodity. Each must face their flaws and either come to terms with them or fail tragically.
As you can see this is far more a novel than a genre mystery or suspense story. If you've followed the series you may experience some initial discomfort as Hecht sets out into uncharted waters. But, as truth would have it, this is a very readable story, with much that is worthwhile if disquieting. For those that have noticed the author's strong writing skills, this will be a worthwhile exercise.
Could have been better.......2007-01-17
I love the Cree Black series, and I loved this book until the end. It just left so many open ends. Throughout the book, you're waiting for things to move, you hit the climax and then everything grinds to a screeching halt, and you say to yourself, "That's it?". Still a big fan and looking forward to the next book, though!
I COULD NOT FINISH IT.......2006-11-26
I really looked forward to reading this book because I liked all of the books by Daniel Hecht that I have read. City Masks was very good and I thought Land of Echoes was great. I tried so hard to finish this book but I was fighting boredom and finally gave up.
Book Description
This book takes you to San Francisco, California, shortly before, during, and after April 18, 1906. What would you have done when the quake struck?
Customer Reviews:
The Earth Shook, The Sky Burned.......2007-01-04
I did not purchase this book through amazon.com, as I have a hard bound copy with an inscription from the author. This compilation, the narratives and photographs are timeless.
WONDERFUL PICTORAL & DESCRIPTIVE BOOK .......2006-12-31
I AM SO HAPPY TO HAVE GOTTEN THIS FOR A GIFT . THIS HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY CLASSIC WILL HOLD A PERMANENT PLACE IN MY LIBRARY OF GREAT NON-FICTION & CLASSICS . THERE ARE 400 PHOTOS AND VERY DESCRIPTIVE CAPTIONS ALONG WITH SHORT STORY LINES THAT ARE WRITTEN IN PROPER CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER .
I HAVE EVEN TAKEN TO USING A MAGNIFYING GLASS TO SEARCH THE FAR BACKROUNDS OF MANY OF THESE HEART STOPPING PICTURES OF PEOPLE, ANIMALS FROZEN IN TIME DURING THE MOST FRIGHTENING DAYS OF THEIR LIVES . I'T SEEMS THAT THERE ISN'T PANIC IN ANY OF THESE FACES WHILE IT LOOKED LIKE THE WORLD WAS COMING TO AN AWFUL FIERY END . WHY HAVE WE AS A PEOPLE CHANGED WHEN CALM WOULD BE THE ORDER OF THE DAY DURING SUCH AN EXPERIENCE ?
MY DAD USE TO SAY MANY YEARS AGO, " MEN WERE MADE OF STEEL AND SHIPS MADE OF WOOD ...NOW MEN SEEM TO BE MADE OF WOOD "
The definitive book on the '06 Quake and Fire.......2006-05-08
Numerous writers and historians have told me that "The Earth Shook The Sky Burned" is still the definitive book on the events of 1906. Why have they told me this? Because my father wrote the book!
In any case, there is a reason the book has stayed in print for almost fifty years - it was meticulously researched and is an amazing pictorial essay. It is a must-have for anybody interested in those tragic and heroic days.
So long ago, but so relevent.......2006-04-26
I was fascinated with natural disasters when I was a child. I remember looking through this book, lying on my parent's bed, staring at the pictures of this horrible event. They haunted me then, and I can still see them in my mind's eye, these 35 years later. This is a story told with visuals, not dialogue. It is beautifully photographed, all without censure or special effects. The photos are grainy and some blurred, but capture the heart of the people of San Francisco, as it is broken and burned. Some images are difficult to see, and readers must use discretion if light of heart. Otherwise, I highly recommend it for anyone who has an interest in natural disasters.
Not deep on narrative, but excellent photograph.......2006-04-04
The basis history of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake of April 18, 1906 is well known, and will be repeated endlessly as the centennial of this geologic event occurs.
The present volume is a photographic glimpse into the awful events of fire and collapse that followed the earthquake. The book is not long on discussion, but the clarity and starkness of the photographs reveal much that discussion never could. For any student of geology, or of California history, the book is a valuable addition to one's library. These black and white vignettes of a terrible disaster tell us much about the life and times of that bygone era. I recommend it to all.
Book Description
With beautiful laser scanner duotones and 365 previously unpublished photographs, this is a fascinating study of the "great quake" in San Francisco in 1906--and of the likelihood of a similar quake today.
Customer Reviews:
1906 Fire (Earthquake) of San Francisco.......2007-06-26
I received this book as a gift and I loved it then and still love it now. After seeing the PBS (television) show on this subject I became intrigued and wanted to learn more.
This book does not disappoint. It goes into great detail as to what really happened in 1906 (whether it was reported by the Media or not).
During the 1906 S.F Earthquake (aka: "The 1906 FIRE") the media was influenced by the politicians (& other institutions) , and this book shows what might have truly happened. Well researched.
Great Photo Essay.......2006-07-25
As somewhat of a history buff, this book fascinated me. The photos are simply astounding and easy to get lost in. If you're interested in the real story of the quake, check out the DVD documentary "Disaster by the Bay", also available here. I've seen all the documentaries on this subject and "Disaster" is the best by far.
The most complete book on the "Great Fire & Earthquake".......2005-11-28
This book is the must have for anyone interested in this history of San Francisco. As a fifth generation native of the "City" who had reilitives who lived through this natural disaster, I can wholeheartedly say that this is the the quinticental book on the subject. It is filled with never before published pictures of both the distruction and the notiable public figures of the day. and dose a very good job of correcting some of the misinformation attributed to the original official record of the earthquake and fire. Simple a great book.
An exquisite photographic history of 1906 San Francisco.......2005-03-22
I got this book because it was so highly recommended, after I had finished reading the fiction, 1906. That book gave a lot of information that was new to me, even though I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and my father worked in SF. This book is simply incredible. The amount of photographs of all kinds, including panoramic scenes meant for stereotopic viewers that were popular at that time, and postcards that were 'colored' made this book an incredible find. Not only have I been through it several times, but also I brought it back to my father and mother who were in awe of the detail and the photography provided by the author of this book. Her information concerning individuals, concerning the inability of the fire companies to successfully fight any of the fires (water pipes were broken as were roads made inaccessible)...intrigued me and my father who was a civil engineer.
Then my nephew who is studying at a nearby college came and went through the book, as he is studying urban planning. He was very interested in the modern day SF and the author's explanations of why SF is in an even more precarious position should another quake as strong as the 1906 quake happen, due to continued ignoring of the need for quake proof buildings and water lines, breaks between houses, the fact that SF actually has less fire departments now then in 1906 and other major problems.
I love San Francisco as a city and where I grew up, but quite frankly, I would never dream of moving back there, partly because of this book. Yet there are other cities equally at risk over poor urban planning (new Orleans for one), and this book would be a good required reading for those going into urban planning and environmental impact on human populations.
A truly great book...
Karen Sadler
A MONUMENTAL WORK.......2004-06-02
Ten years ago, I discovered Denial of Disaster and was floored by what I read. This is the definitive historical work on the greatest natural disaster in U.S. History. The research by Gladys Hansen and her team, former Fire Chief Emmett Condon and the superb journalist David Fowler, forever destroys the official lies that have lasted nearly a century. The official death toll is 478: Gladys has proven that more than 3,500 died. The death toll is easily over 6,000. The photographs are superb, the text strong and inviting, the eyewitness accounts are breath taking. Yes, I may be biased: my novel, 1906, is a fictional account of the last, great days of the city of San Francisco as it once was. But my response to this book was immediate and dramatic, long before it inspired me to write my novel. Periodically, I revisit it like an old friend. There is nothing quite like it in the entire book world. It makes history come alive. James Dalessandro
Average customer rating:
|
1906 Earthquake: San Francisco's Great Disaster
Sandor Demlinger
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Photojournalism
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
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General
| 20th Century
| United States
| Americas
| History
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General
| United States
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California
| State & Local
| United States
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| History
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West
| State & Local
| United States
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General
| Americas
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Earthquakes & Volcanoes
| Earth Sciences
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ASIN: 0764324047 |
Customer Reviews:
A top pick.......2006-09-24
Plenty of books have been written over the decades on San Francisco's great earthquake: what sets this apart is its visual focus, gathering nearly two hundred vintage photos - some amazingly never published before - to include images of famous buildings and neighborhoods alike. While text explores decisions by city leaders after the quake, it's these black and white historical prints which will provide the most impact, presenting photos of people, buildings and events. A very strong addition to any local San Francisco history collection: a top pick.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Product Description
GREAT GIFT IDEA!
"Looking at pictures of ruins shouldn't be this much fun."
-- Michael S. Gant, Metro Silicon Valley
WINNER OF FOUR MAJOR BOOK AWARDS:
The 2006 Benjamin Franklin Award in History
The 2006 Independent Publisher Book Award in History
The Best Books 2006 Book Award in U.S. History
The Best Books 2006 Book Award in Photography (Techniques)
Minutes after the 1906 San Francisco quake, photographers were on the scene, documenting California's greatest natural disaster. A few had special 3-D cameras, enabling them to record the events of that fateful April in a particularly vivid and affecting medium. Their "stereo views" of the catastrophe, viewed in 3-D through a "stereoscope," were the way in which many vicariously experienced the quake and its aftermath, from the relative comfort of their own unshaken parlors.
In the award-winning new book, Earthquake Days, the story of 1906 San Francisco is told through these rare, original 3-D images---magnificently reproduced along with firsthand accounts, vintage newspapers, lithographs, and maps. Most of the stereo views in Earthquake Days are presented both as 3-D photos AND as large, 2-D photos. This huge, full-color book includes a free 3-D viewer and an illustrated history of this remarkable photographic genre.
Customer Reviews:
Factual and entertaining look at disaster.......2006-09-15
This book is a gem! Having a longtime interest in the SF Quake, I look forward with great interest to new books, and recently there have been a few. This one is unique in that it offers a well written text with rare glimpses of the event through steroscopic scenes. Mr. Burkhart must have spent numerous hours hunting for these never before seen photos that capture that tragic day so perfectly. Thoroughly researched and beautifully presented, I would receommend this book to seasoned historians as well as casual readers.
Entertaining and Informative!!.......2006-05-31
This is one of the best books I've seen about the 1906 Earthquake. As a 5th generation Californian, I am impressed not only by the multitude of 3-D images of the quake, but also by the fascinating historical accounts that this book contains. Whether you are intereted in the quake itself, the fire or the stories that go with the 1906 Earthquake, this book has something for you. My 87 year old mother loves it, as does my 5 year old grandaughter. I highly reccomend this book!!!!!
Well conceived, well executed.......2006-05-29
This is not the book to pick up if you're interested in the 1906 earthquake. Although informative, that is not what this book is trying to achieve. The book is much more a history book about the way photographers using 3-D technology recorded the aftermath. As such, it provides us with amazing photography, and very good quality enlargements of the original photos, so that we may compare "flat" 2-D to the 3-D.
A truly unforgettable visual presentation of a sad event in American history.......2006-03-11
Earthquake Days: The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire in 3-D is an impressive photographic spectacle about the historic San Francisco Earthquake and is quite like no other treatment of the subject. The vintage black-and-white photographs have been treated so that they appear in 3-D with the aid of the accompanying viewer! The photographs are quite vivid to the naked eye as well, and the accompanying text by California-born historian David Burkhart recounts the historical debacle captured in the tragic images. In addition to the photographs of the city's devastation, Earthquake Days includes vintage newspaper clippings, sketches, cartoons, and the like concerning the disaster. A truly unforgettable visual presentation of a sad event in American history.
A GREAT (BIG) BOOK.......2006-02-28
This is a great (big) book. My only complaint
is it is too big and heavy for casual reading. Did
not like the 3-D glasses provided. Wish I had kept
the ones from TV Guide for viewing "The Medium".
Most of the photographs could be viewed in both
the usual way plus a small version with 3-D glasses.
I found it "novel" but hard to hold up the heavy book
and use the box glasses at the right angle too.
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Earthquake Days: The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake & Fire in 3-D
Denial of Disaster: The Untold Story and Photographs of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906
The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906: How San Francisco Nearly Destroyed Itself
Yosemite in Time: Ice Ages, Tree Clocks, Ghost Rivers
San Francisco Is Burning: The Untold Story of the 1906 Earthquake and Fires
