Released Today: The Great Quake

I've been reading a ton of non-fiction this summer and loving it.  The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed our Understanding of the Planet by Henry Fountain was interesting. I learned a lot and enjoyed every page.

On March 27, 1964, an earthquake that measured 9.2 on the Richter scale hit Alaska.  The state was young and much of it uninhabited but still left 130 people dead.  George Plafker a geologist with the US Geological Survey arrived to investigate the quake which he believed to be the result of plate tectonics.

This account is full of great information, but Fountain's book is readable by anyone, not just people with an interest in earthquakes or geology.  He has interviewed some of the residents who experienced the quake personally and shared their stories.  Getting to know these people is by far my favorite part of the book.

Prior to reading The Great Quake I wasn't even aware there had been an earthquake in Alaska, and yet once I began reading I was totally fascinated by this piece of history.  

This is an amazing account of a devastating event and it's aftermath. If you're looking for a great non-fiction book, The Great Quake will keep you engaged from beginning to end.  

And, best of all, it's being released today.