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mkocelko's review
adventurous
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
It is an interesting take on the quake but unfortunate to primarily focus on its impact on the white people in it and not the Native Alaskans.
jchant's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.0
I was born in Alaska, but had the misfortune of moving away before I could remember living there. As a result, I am fascinated with all things Alaska, so this book was right up my alley.
About a year-and-a-half ago, I read This Is Chance!: The Shaking of an All-American City, a Voice That Held It Together, which focused primarily on the people and events in Anchorage during and after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. This book is the other side of that coin, focusing on what caused the earthquake, as well as its impacts on other locations in south-central Alaska. Most of all, this book is about a hero, geologist George Plafker, who, through extensive field research in areas devastated by the quake, determined how the quake happened, and developed new research avenues, which became the basis for current research in plate tectonics.
It may sound like this book is heavy on complicated science, but I was able to follow much of it, and I was intrigued by the stories of the people who experienced the quake and the scientists who explained how it happened. A totally fascinating book!
About a year-and-a-half ago, I read This Is Chance!: The Shaking of an All-American City, a Voice That Held It Together, which focused primarily on the people and events in Anchorage during and after the 1964 Alaska earthquake. This book is the other side of that coin, focusing on what caused the earthquake, as well as its impacts on other locations in south-central Alaska. Most of all, this book is about a hero, geologist George Plafker, who, through extensive field research in areas devastated by the quake, determined how the quake happened, and developed new research avenues, which became the basis for current research in plate tectonics.
It may sound like this book is heavy on complicated science, but I was able to follow much of it, and I was intrigued by the stories of the people who experienced the quake and the scientists who explained how it happened. A totally fascinating book!
skigirl1689's review against another edition
3.0
A little too scientific for my tastes, but I enjoyed the accounts of the people who lived through the 2nd strongest recorded earthquake, the Good Friday quake of 1964.
__karen__'s review against another edition
5.0
As an Alaskan, I never have high hopes for books about Alaskan events. The Great Quake proved me wrong -- fascinating background and account of the great 1964 quake. I listened to the audio version and Robert Fass' narration was perfect for the content. I loved this book so much that when it ended, I went back to the start to listen again.
ccapps's review against another edition
2.0
This book has its moments but you have to slog through a lot of textbook level writing to get to them.