Crack At the Edge of the World
Just finished the most recent book from Simon Winchester about the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. It is a wonderful history of geology as well as of San Francisco. The devastation, destruction, and death are described in detail based on letters and descriptions of the day. The power of an earthquake is beyond my imagination. The power of the 1906 quake is even beyond that. I can't even imagine the earth rolling like waves in the sea.

Three things struck me in the book as interesting.
1. Awe at being involved in something so powerful. Many people have responded that way to even such death and destruction. They knew they were involved in something that, while not unique, was far beyond the ordinary. Even in their fear and seeking to escape, they had a sense of pride and awe about being in the presence of such power. This has been seen in people facing all kinds of extremes of earth and weather. They never forget it- and often then don't want to.

2. With Hurricane Katrina still being talked about as one of the great destructions on a par with the 1906 Quake, the response time was nothing short of remarkable. They did not have the instant media coverage and all that supposedly can give us an edge in such things. But no matter. Within 18 hours of the first shock hitting San Francisco, a train load of relief arrived there from Los Angeles. That was teamwork!

3. Hubris and greed. Not a surprise that these showed up. Humans can always be human! Insurance companies seeking ways not to pay for damage through unheard of loopholes left many forever poor. Downplaying the cause of the destruction of the city was accomplished by saying it was only the fires, not the quake, that did the damage. After all people might not want to move there if they felt it wasn't safe. On and on the stories go. But then again, they always do.

Perhaps the most devastating reminder in the book is that it will happen again. No ifs, ands, or buts. It will happen. But like 101 years ago, no one will have any idea when.

Humbling!