Neil Fein's Blog

A Crack in the Edge of the World
America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906
by Simon Winchester

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.

Labels: books