Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet

Now in paperback, the critically acclaimed narrative about the biggest earthquake in North America in recorded history-the 1964 Alaska earthquake that demolished the city of Valdez and the coastal village of Chenega-and the scientist sent to look for geological clues to explain the dynamics of earthquakes, who helped to confirm the then controversial theory of plate tectonics

On March 27, 1964, at 5-36 p.m., the biggest earthquake ever recorded in North America-and the second biggest ever in the world, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale-struck Alaska, devastating coastal towns and villages and killing more than 130 people in what was then a relatively sparsely populated region. In a riveting tale about the almost unimaginable brute force of nature, New York Times science journalist Henry Fountain re-creates the lives of the villagers and townspeople living in Chenega, Anchorage, and Valdez; describes the sheer beauty of the geology of the region, with its towering peaks and 20-mile-long glaciers; and reveals the impact of the quake on the towns, the buildings, and the lives of the inhabitants. George Plafker, a geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey with years of experience scouring the Alaskan wilderness, was asked to investigate the Prince William Sound region in the aftermath of the quake, to better understand its origins. His work confirmed the then controversial theory of plate tectonics that explained how and why such deadly quakes occur, and how we can plan for the next one.
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