I remember hearing about the disastrous end to the Waco siege but I was living in the UK at the time so I wasn't aware of the backstory that led to thI remember hearing about the disastrous end to the Waco siege but I was living in the UK at the time so I wasn't aware of the backstory that led to the cataclysmic scenes of destruction that ended the siege of the compound near Waco. This definitely filled in the gaps for me, as well as covering the background of the Branch Davidians generally and the Seventh Day Adventists in general. Now, as an atheist, I find the whole religious thing incomprehensible especially when it comes to cults which this branch most definitely was.
This is a well written account and it is refreshing in that it attempts, and I think succeeds, in providing as close an account of the facts as possible, and doesn't seem to me to be taking a side in this dispute. Given the incendiary nature of this standoff, both literally and metaphorically, I appreciated there was no conspiracy of anti-government rhetoric on display in the account, although this was commented upon especially in the conclusion. I could have done with more of this commentary I think. Also, there is no specific lean to the government side where there were clearly faults aplenty. Abrahams tanks? I didn't realize that the FBI had access to such significant weapons of war as that. I wonder if they still do.
The story of this type of cult does force us to ask questions of ourselves. For example: at what point does this type of activity become worthy of government intervention? It is clear that the cult had managed to acquire a huge arsenal of weapons that they put to us killing ATF agents who were trying to get into their compound, having squandered any element of surprise they arrogantly assumed they had. A two hour gun battle was the result with deaths on both sides and I am still not clear exactly for what. Ostensibly this was to get to them for illegally modifying guns from semi-automatic to fully automatic mode and this is a worthy aim but one can't help wondering if it could have been done in ways other than a raid of this type.
Once the FBI took over and it ended up a 51 day siege eventually ending with the storming of the building speaks to other mishandling. However. It is also clear that Koresh was a charleton, a cult leader who conveniently decided he was entitled, as the next Christ figure, to take all the women in the compound for himself and sire as many kids as he could. He was undoubtedly a charismatic figure but also a liar and a conman and someone who the FBI were foolish to ever trust. When you run a doomsday cult that is praying for the end times, playing into that narrative is probably a bad idea.
This has clearly become a cause celebre for those who are anti-government, extreme right wing, militia groups etc. I hadn't realized there was a direct connection to Timothy McVeigh for example, who cites Waco as one of the causes of his radicalization. He wouldn't have termed it that way of course. It is clear that the government handled this very badly but I blame religion for a lot in this culture and whilst everyone is entitled to follow whatever charismatic preacher they want of course, I do find Koresh to be a vile character who may have believed what he was shilling, but who clearly had a self-serving agenda too. A sorry and sordid tale on all sides really....more
The age of the rigid airships was an interesting and confounding one. It is clear with the advantage of hindsight, and probably should have been at thThe age of the rigid airships was an interesting and confounding one. It is clear with the advantage of hindsight, and probably should have been at the time, that constructing a flying machine from a combination of somewhat heavy metals and ultra-flimsy materials for the outer skin and the gas bags, then to fill said gas bags with a highly inflammable (explosive) gas, was a seriously bad idea. There were numerous examples of how difficult these ships were to fly, how disastrous was an ignition of the hydrogen that provided lift, and also how susceptible they were to bad weather and wind that essentially meant they were fair weather flyers.
There were some exceptions but these, as mentioned by SCG almost seem to prove the rule that these airships were inherently highly dangerous. The Graf Zeppelin being the best example but even that vessel had its share of problems. The R101 is reasonably well known if you have any interest in early UK aviation but probably not outside this limited interest. This book covers in detail the design and construction and demise of the airship as well as the context and the personalities concerned. It is very interesting and apparently well researched and is really a sorry tale of hubris.
I do love books like this that cover a period in history that gives us a taste of what the zeitgeist was like, in this case, getting on for a century ago. These books need more than a straightforward account of the disaster which, in any case, only left 6 survivors all of whom were general crew members and not officers, so were unable to shed much light on what happened leading to the fatal ground impact. Obviously there were no black boxes so we are left to conjecture as to the likely cause of such events. SCG does a good job here and introduces a newish theory that had been considered and rejected at the time, but now seems to be quite compelling.
However, it is clear this was a disaster waiting to happen and the detail of similar disasters and the whole debate about rigid airships is well covered. There is human interest here too with the relationships between key players well covered as well as the character strengths and flaws for said individuals. I very much enjoyed it. I wonder how wide the audience will be, but it is well worth a read and the topic, as well as the history and the thought processes of Imperial Britain are very interesting....more
I can't recall how I came across either this book or the incident to which it turns its focus. However, it has been on my shelves for a while and I fiI can't recall how I came across either this book or the incident to which it turns its focus. However, it has been on my shelves for a while and I finally got around to reading it when I was looking for a book that tells a good tale. This definitely fits the bill and I have a lot of admiration for the author and for his approach here. I will get onto this some more below, but I was impressed with his hypothesis of what happened to 9 hikers in the frozen wastes of Russia in the 1950s and I was very gratified to see that it didn't wander off into wild fantasies about extraterrestrials or supernatural explanations as so many of these "mystery" books do (I'm looking at you Bermuda Triangle and Oak Island Mystery).
Instead, we are treated to an explanation of the known facts that resulted in the deaths of 9 experienced hikers who inexplicably left their large tent on a sub-zero night in very poor weather in various states of undress including lack of footwear, only to perish in a the pitch dark of that frigid night. This is fertile ground for febrile imaginations and conspiracy theorists to come up with the most outrageous explanations, as well as some more mundane. However, until this book, none really fit the facts or seemed satisfactory. Indeed, the explanation that DE comes up with is, to some extent, conjecture itself, but no doubt fits the circumstances better than most.
It is to the author's credit that he mentions and examines the known facts and the theories previously advanced from a hiker exiting the tent to take a leak being blown away by the wind and the others suffering a similar fate to an avalanche, to a secret weapons test, to aliens, to the murderous rampage of person or persons unknown. All are considered and, I think, rightly dismissed. I like the fact that DE didn't simply sit behind a desk and consider what might have happened but he went to Russia, interviewed those involved albeit 50 years later and even hiked the same itinerary right up to the site of the tragedy.
His theory as to what happened, is, I think, compelling. Of course, it may be possible to rebut it but as it stands it holds water I think. I am naturally skeptical and I think the case is well made here, I would need to read and learn more about this phenomenon advanced here as the cause but I do find it more plausible than many of the others advanced over the years. The final chapter where a conjectured sequence of events occurred that led to the deaths of the hikers by hypothermia or trauma from a fall (or both) does makes some sense.
I very much enjoyed the pragmatic approach taken by the narrative to explain what seemed at the time, and remains very mysterious. It is probably beyond the capabilities of the book and the time allowed but I would love to hear or read about any experiments at the location that revealed the rare phenomenon that is explained here. I think that would make it far more compelling. It's an easy read told in alternating chapters between that happened in 1959 and subsequent investigations and visits in the 2000. Very much enjoyed it....more
I was 20 when the Chernobyl accident happened, but I was in college and although we heard about it, the disaster still seemed far off and in my youth,I was 20 when the Chernobyl accident happened, but I was in college and although we heard about it, the disaster still seemed far off and in my youth, I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been. In the 36 years since this pivotal event in World history, a great deal has been written and filmed, but because it was a disaster that occurred in what was The Soviet Union at the time, it was initially shrouded in secrecy.
This is a detailed account of what happened. It covers the lead up to the construction of Chernobyl itself, the push to move toward peaceful nuclear energy in the USSR at the time, the construction with its flawed reactor design, the human error, the cause of the explosion and a great deal of the book is devoted to the clean up and the investigation. The latter, of course, was largely an exercise in scapegoating rather than an honest attempt to critique and improve the reactor designs. It is proposed by the narrative, apparently reflective of Gorbachev's own thoughts, that the disaster was a key event in the breakup of the USSR.
Nuclear power generation is a complex affair but this narrative is easy to read and explains what happened in terms that the layman can readily appreciate, if not fully understand. It is truly horrifying of course and we are taken through the events in real time so to speak. It pays to understand the human impact as well as the technical aspects of the disaster and this is well explained here.
Sheds much more light on the disaster and how it could occur. I am hazy as to whether this could, indeed, occur again, although we know that such a calamity if possible with the disaster in Japan that was of a commensurate level. These are the only two nuclear disasters on this scale and they are horrendous to contemplate. Some countries seem to have decided to push ahead with nuclear power and it does seem that this might still be an important means of power generation going forward, but there will always be the worry in the background, that Chernobyl could occur again. This is touched on at the end of the book....more
I will never be a mountaineer and certainly not a deep wreck diver, but these two sports hold a fascination over me. I am not sure why - maybe becauseI will never be a mountaineer and certainly not a deep wreck diver, but these two sports hold a fascination over me. I am not sure why - maybe because I wouldn't ever partake, I can look at it from distance and try to understand the fascination without personally risking my life!
I can think of fewer worse demises than drowning, 200 feet under water whilst trapped in a sunken ship. I do understand the some people want to be challenged by their sport and have a high tolerance for risk. The story of the famed liner the Andrea Doria, and her demise in 1956 is also gripping. Combine these elements and you essentially have the story of the specialized divers who descend to this fabled wreck every year, often in search of mementoes, occasionally paying with their lives.
This is actually the second Doria diving book I have read. They follow a similar path, for obvious reasons, although Deep Descent is more obviously a book that sets out to tell the stories, rather than a cobbled together series of articles. Diving is interesting to me, and it seems intrinsically dangerous and incredibly unforgiving. McMurray is a deep diver and this gives his narrative extra credence. He is at pains to point out that mistakes/equipment failure/panic at depth basically kill you. The ocean is a hostile place. 200 feet doesn't sound a great deal if you are walking it, or even in terms of a game of golf. It is less distance than even the shortest of par threes. However, 200' down in the ocean is clearly a world away, and a world that has no qualms about killing you.
I read this as a diversion to be honest. My reading has recently become a series of challenging studies on racial and other social issues, as well as tackling the top 100 novels of classical literature. This book fits the bill perfectly. Easy to read and follow, and the stories are compelling and sad. The tone is pretty matter of fact. Divers, after all, accept that they are engaged in a dangerous sport. The best narratives are around the boats and the skippers, who have to square their responsibility with their need to run a business. Many have lost friends, sometimes on a dive they shared, but they keep going. Most of them anyway.
George Mallory is reputed to have commented that he sought to climb Everest "because it's there". even if he didn't, it is a sentiment that resonates. The Andrea Doria is there too, and similarly lures skilled people, sometimes to their deaths. I would never do it - I am not built that way so to read about those that do is interesting. As with other books on this subject, one is only able to scratch the surface of these motivations. There is certainly a streak of great self confidence, in some manifesting as arrogance but I didn't get the impression this is universally the case. Some of the divers appeared very conservative and cautious, although this wasn't always enough to save them.
As I say, an interesting window into a world most of us will never experience. I like to do that occasionally, but very glad that is going to be as far as it goes for me!...more
It's interesting how quickly news cycles rise and then move on, none more so than disasters. They capture our imagination and are all consuming until It's interesting how quickly news cycles rise and then move on, none more so than disasters. They capture our imagination and are all consuming until they are resolved and time moves on. This is probably not so much a disaster per se, more a rescue and endurance story but it is interesting to revisit the collapse of the mine and the subsequent rescue operation.
When mines collapse there is rarely a good outcome. It isn't spoiler to write that this mining incident had an ostensibly happy ending, although, as this book recounts, the ordeal these men suffered was far from over when they were pulled from the mine after 69 days underground.
It is hard to fathom being encapsulated in a mountain that long. The first 17 days passed with minimal food and contaminated water before the first small bore hole was sunk into the chamber the men inhabited. After that they were passed food and had ever increasing contact with the outside world but it still took more than 50 days to enlarge the hole enough to extricate them.
The book does a great job of covering the men down below and their trials as well as the dynamic between them - they agreed that the story belonged to them all and agreed not to talk to journalists or sell film rights as individuals. This book is the result and it tells the story in a compelling narrative that switches between the families and rescue teams up above and the struggle to survive in the mine. Tabor does a great job of telling what must be, frankly, a story that has overall drama but not a lot happening on a day to day basis.
There was drilling, and waiting. The book covers in some detail the events post rescue when the men were seen as heroes and celebrities and came into money for telling their story. It seems that many suffered a lot from the stress and found it hard to adjust although several actually went back to mining in the end. A very interesting read of a remarkable feat of endurance and rescue....more
I've read a lot about Katrina and there always seems to be more to learn about this disaster and this book is about the situation at Memorial HospitalI've read a lot about Katrina and there always seems to be more to learn about this disaster and this book is about the situation at Memorial Hospital and the allegations of euthanasia taking place there as conditions deteriorated. I must confess that this story totally passed me by at the time and in the years that followed so this was less of a retrospective on that than a learning experience for me.
It is told in a straightforward, chronological manner. From the storm to the power outages at the hospital (with some history of the building too), to the decisions made in worsening and desperate conditions, or perhaps not made.
Nobody was indicted for the alleged murders of the sickest patients at Memorial. A picture is painted here of Ann Pou who is the physician most identified with claims that these patients were euthanized instead of being rescued, some within hours of evacuation. I found the story of the 5 days themselves surprisingly unemotional given the circumstances. It seemed a regular telling of how things went from bad to worse and there is nothing wrong with that but I was somewhat unengaged by the narrative for some reason.
The aftermath was treated similarly. I think that, in effect, the book does a good job of objectivity in what is and was an emotionally charged situation however this has a couple of implications. Firstly, Dr. Pou is treated as a angel in the minds of some, an ogress to others but the text itself gives us no indication of whether it thinks her guilty, careless or innocent. This is admirable as I am not a fan of polemics on a particular theory, but in the end one is not sure where we stand and I didn't feel I had enough information to really form a view as it was all shrouded in hearsay. This reminds me somewhat of unsolved mystery books such as the investigation into DB Cooper; we don't have an answer so we are just left hanging.
Pou also comes across at times as an unlikeable character; arrogant, prone to revisiting history, making herself a victim etc. but maybe I am being harsh. However I came away from this with no particular idea what went on (she has never spoken about it) and therefore somehow unsatisfied. Perhaps this is just where it is inevitably going to end given the situation. There are some interesting epilogues that broaden the discussion out from the individual to the general, in terms of the implications for emergency meds and the liability of physicians in an emergency situation from both a legal and ethical point of view.
This is perhaps the most interesting lesson of all. I work with physicians all the time in my job and I know that they are dedicated, wonderful people BUT there can be, not always, that element of arrogance. Indeed perhaps there has to be to do that job or follow that calling. However I can't help but come away from this book thinking, as unlikeable as politicians and elected officials can be, they do have a duty to investigate potential wrong doing and the closing of ranks and pandering to public opinion that went on here does make me wonder whether there weren't indeed some questionable acts perpetrated here during Katrina. We will probably never know. I also think that, in the abstract, it is easy to say that desperately sick people who are in a nightmare emergency might be better eased off this planet in an ostensibly humane way, but when it comes to you personally, or one of your loved ones, do you really want a doctor making that decision without your consent?...more
I'm a big fan of both this genre and his author and I waited eagerly to read this book as I have also read about the Lusitania in many other accounts I'm a big fan of both this genre and his author and I waited eagerly to read this book as I have also read about the Lusitania in many other accounts and am familiar with the cliched thinking that holds the sinking of the vessel led directly and immediately to the U.S. Entering WW1. As usual EL writes with fluency, interest and style. This is easy to read and he weaves together strands of the story with anecdotes and stories about passengers, officers and u-boat crew leading to the sinking.
Perhaps it's because I am so familiar with the story, that I found that there wasn't a whole lot here that was new to me and his book fell more into the category of filling in the gaps in information about which I was unsure. I'm aware this is arrogant and I want to stress I enjoyed the book in particular the story from the u-boat's point of view, one we rarely hear. This is set into the context of the all out submarine warfare that Germany instituted, but I would have liked to see more of that developed.
Larson writes in a way that makes the book very approachable and easy to read and it certainly is a thorough examination of the voyage, but I just found it a little below the very high level of his other books, at least for me.
I like books like this since they attempt to set the events of a particular disaster into a wider context and in this regard, this book goes further tI like books like this since they attempt to set the events of a particular disaster into a wider context and in this regard, this book goes further than most. The disaster itself is covered in considerable detail, although we have to accept that some things are still unknown given the inaccessibility of the plant to this day.
However context is important here, and a level 7 nuclear disaster forces us to look at our own industry and ask: "Could it happen here?" Clearly the answer, despite the glib assurances of the nuclear industry is "yes". This book goes a long way toward explaining why there is, or should be, no room for complacency and focuses on the US plants and their potential vulnerability.
Of course, many are not in as seismically an active area as Fukushima (or indeed the whole of Japan) but many are of the same design as Fukushima and in areas vulnerable to flooding (which ultimately caused many of the problems) although not from tsunamis. It is clear that the investigation into this industry needs to be intense and independent and it hasn't been in the past.
I am not anti-nuclear, in fact I have often seen it as the way forward. However we have to question that assumption in the light of Fukushima as we cannot dismiss it as Russian incompetence as we did with Chernobyl.
There is a lot of detail, and interest can potentially wane, but this is a very good book, thorough and wide ranging. We should all read it and question this form or electrical generation....more
I'm very uncertain how to rate this book and 2 stars seemed to me a little harsh but looking at the descriptions of the ratings, "It was Ok " seems toI'm very uncertain how to rate this book and 2 stars seemed to me a little harsh but looking at the descriptions of the ratings, "It was Ok " seems to sum it up for me. I went with 3 stars in the end as I admire both the writing and the honesty of this book. Initially I thought that this was going to be a book that falls into the category of being hard to read, but necessary and there is no doubt the writing is compelling, visceral and real. However I have to say that I found the book a very personal description of grief that, whilst poignant and eliciting great sympathy from the reader, ultimately left me feeling as though I was intruding on a grief that was never ending.
In essence the fact that the tragic deaths of the author's family were the result of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami is not particularly relevant to the main theme of the book which is about grief, survivors guilt and the terrible sadness, anger and desperate poignancy that comes from having one's family ripped away and asking yourself why you survived.
In this the book sheds light on this subject in a very well written account that covers in straightforward, honest prose how the author felt travelling through the 8 years of grieving for her family. However the story remains bleak - there is no resolution (how can there be I guess) and the pain almost seems as raw today as it did in the early years,albeit taking a different form.
So, if you are expecting to gain any insight into the wave itself, you wont from this book. It is an intensely personal account of unimaginable grief and that is a subject about which it is hard to read. I found the book depressing to be honest, there seems to be little light at the end of the tunnel for Sonali and I almost felt uncomfortable at reading page after page that outlined new depths of grief.
I picked this up thinking the context of the wave would be more to the fore....more
Poignant, moving and in places horrifying. I enjoyed the book (if that word is truly appropriate in the context of the subject matter) but I picked thPoignant, moving and in places horrifying. I enjoyed the book (if that word is truly appropriate in the context of the subject matter) but I picked this up hoping to learn more about the accident itself, which is not really covered.
That is my fault and not the fault of the book, but I guess I wasn't really in the right frame of mind. I will pick it up again and re-read it at a later date...more
Short read chronicling the huge tornado that killed so many in 1925. Told through the eyes of those that were there via testimonies from the time, butShort read chronicling the huge tornado that killed so many in 1925. Told through the eyes of those that were there via testimonies from the time, but also set in context with an explanation of the weather phenomenon that spawned it and kept at a level that does both a good job of explanation as well as being very readable and the accounts personal.
Not as riveting as some of the more recent accounts of disasters due to the length of time that has passed, but nonetheless a very interesting read - can only imagine what such a storm would do should it arise today....more
Same author as "The Mighty Fitz" and very much the same subject matter. This is perhaps the better of the two, although they are similar in approach aSame author as "The Mighty Fitz" and very much the same subject matter. This is perhaps the better of the two, although they are similar in approach as well as in subject.
The difference between this story and that of the Edmund Fitzgerald, is that this disaster had survivors. Not many, but at least we know the story this time, instead of having to guess as to what sank the ship.
Once again I am amazed at how treacherous the waters of the Great Lakes seem to be in the winter and during storms, and how the hardworking ships that sail there often seem to succumb to the power of those waves.
An interesting read, sad, somehow not that enlightening....more
Here we go again - another disaster book. I promise that I am not obsessed with disasters although to look at my book list I guess you would wonder...Here we go again - another disaster book. I promise that I am not obsessed with disasters although to look at my book list I guess you would wonder...
Part of the reason that I find these books fascinating is that they provide an emotive tie back to a different time, even if that time was fairly recent. In this case the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in a ferocious winter storm on lake Superior in 1975. As well as providing us with a window on the world as it was when the disaster occured, such incidents are normally filled with pathos, anger, bitterness, mystery, controversy, theories, heroes and villains, hubris, people in the wring place at the wrong time and often the haunting thought "what if...?" All of these, when they are pulled together in a well written book make for compelling reading.
This is a pretty good example of the genre, and for me, it made me think. I personally have not spent any time on the Great Lakes and so, despite hearing them descibed as inland seas, I had never realized quite what a violent, storm tossed body of water they were. I assumed when I heard terms like "lake freighter" that they were relatively small scale vessels ploughing back and forth across tranquil lakes. How naive. How wrong.
This book lays those comfortable thoughts to rest and explains what Lake Superior is really like in winter and I for one, wouldn't want to be on a ship then. This is a sad story, and something of a mystery to this day. There are conflicting theories despite the fact that divers have been able to visit the wreck, and we will probably never know what ultimately caused this ship to become vulnerable to the severe storm she encountered.
Not a deep book, but one that certainly taught me a lot and was well written and sympathetically done, not melodramatic. Schumacher well conveys the sense of unease that must still be afoot among these sailors - if the Mightly Fitz can go down, how safe are we?...more
There are a lot of great accounts of storm related disasters (Isaacs Storm being one of my other favorites) but this stands there with the best of theThere are a lot of great accounts of storm related disasters (Isaacs Storm being one of my other favorites) but this stands there with the best of them. These accounts typically tread reasonably similar ground - massive storm, what that means for people in it's path, the uncertainty about where it will hit, the personal stories etc. This book isn't really an exception to that rule, but it is very well written and engaging, giving more than the usual explanation of hurricanes in general and Camille in particular. There are plenty or personal stories but these are not overdone and the overall scale comes across.
What I didn't realize about this storm, was the severe and almost unprecedented flooding that is caused in Virginia, killing a great many people there as well. This takes up at least half the book and is horrifying and fascinating in equal measure. The personal stories are more prevelant here and they deserve to be given the nature of the tragedy there.
Fascinating, well written and easy to read. Certainly left me far more informed about this monster storm and why it has such a place in storm history and lore....more
I am reluctant to award 5 stars here on Goodreads. I was uncertain whether to do so here, but the fact is, this book was, to me at least, a page turneI am reluctant to award 5 stars here on Goodreads. I was uncertain whether to do so here, but the fact is, this book was, to me at least, a page turner that I couldn't put down. I have seen some critiques of the writing style here, and I guess you can tell that Ward is not a writer by trade. However this is totally rendered moot in my view.
This is a realtively short book, but one that I read in a couple of sittings. There is a limited preamble where we learn about NW and the development of his love for sailing in general, and fascination with the Fastnet in particular. This is perfect in its brevity and in what it tells us about the author and his early health struggles. NW perfectly judges the fact that his readers want to know who he is, but are primarily interested in the account of the storm.
That account is compelling, told in a matter of fact way that really brings it alive. He provides the details we need - the smells, the sounds, the fear, the panic the uncertainty, the hope and the despair. What I particularly liked about the account was the the two themes of the story that are set in the context of the storm. The first of these, that runs through the whole narrative, was the fact that his crew mates abandoned the yacht, thinking that Ward and another crew mate were dead, when in fact they were only unconscious.
This has obviously left the author bitter and angry (understandably so) although he does seem to have come to terms with it, even if he doesn't seem to speak to those who left to this day. The second, poignant theme is the fact that he spent the last day of his ordeal in the boat with a dead colleague with whom he had a one way conversation through all those mose difficult hours. Ward credits this man with his survival, even though he was dead for much of the time.
It's a great story, compelling, well told and vivid. Highly recommended even for those, like me, who don't sail. I do remember this race from my childhood, and it is good to look back at it from the perspective of one who battled through it, lost friends and ultimately survived his ordeal....more
Very much a niche history of the worst disaster in British coal mining history. The interest in these accounts comes not so much from the technicalitiVery much a niche history of the worst disaster in British coal mining history. The interest in these accounts comes not so much from the technicalities of the disaster itself (although that is interesting too) but rather the human accounts and the window the event gives us into the historical time of the disaster.
This book was originally penned in the 80s when, in my experience, narratives were generally not as readable as more modern accounts but this re-published book doesn't suffer from that shortcoming. It's well written, sympathetic, poignant and detailed account of both disasters at the Universal colliery. It deserves to be read and we should be thankful we don't have to venture down the pits as those in 1913 did for a living ...more
Hmmm - not bad but somewhat unsatisfying as a book as, in my opinion, the author tried to pull together several disparate strands with the context of Hmmm - not bad but somewhat unsatisfying as a book as, in my opinion, the author tried to pull together several disparate strands with the context of the new Madrid Earthquakes as the backdrop. It just about works but frankly, the earthquakes themselves almost seem to take a back seat to the history of the settling of the frontier. That's OK, since it is an interesting topic in itself, but I wanted to know more about the earthquakes themselves and it seems as though that was a little lacking here.
Normally I read books like this for the historical context so it may seem churlish to make such an observation, but in this case the balance seems a little wrong. It may be my fault - after all the last few words of the title are the only place where the earthquakes are mentioned (although the title itself is suggestive of it).
The murder is interesting in itself, as is the history of the New Madrid settlement, but the tremors themselves, and the fact that there is a major fault line in the middle of the US that has been largely forgotten, seems to me to be the most interesting aspect of the whole area, and this is not really developed in any detail. Unlike Simon Winchester's most excellent "A Crack in the Edge of the World" this book fails to really explain the geology and why it is so important and why we should pay attention. The desciptions of the events themeselves are most interesting, but again lack great detail in my opion.
Worth reading, I certainly learned a lot, but I felt the structure and emphasis weren't quite as good as I had hoped....more
An interesting analysis of why societies in the past have failed (Easter Island etc.) and what lessons those failures hold for us today.
There are sevAn interesting analysis of why societies in the past have failed (Easter Island etc.) and what lessons those failures hold for us today.
There are several factors at play (most of which are common to the modern western societies of today.....) and none of them are particularly earth shattering in terms of analysis. In other words they come down to resource depletion, population desity spiking to a point that the natural resources can no longer support that population, leading to strife and war and ultimately extinction of society.
An interesting view of several past, failed societis that seem to have mainly been in marginal areas to start with. Undoubtedly there are parallels with today but ultimately this failed to shed a huge amount of new light on the current environmental problems....more
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