The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire

The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire by Charles Morris I love historical non-fiction books and The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire did not disappoint. It was written in the style of the time immediately after the earthquake occurred. It is not as easy to follow if you have something against non-modern writing. I found it interesting as Mr. Morris discussed not only the earthquake and fire but other events of the time. The story does not follow a set timeline but does jump around. Overall it was a good account of a very tragic event in US history.

This was another one of those books that had me from page one. I didn't know a lot about this time in history so learning about it was freaking amazing. It felt real and raw and like I was really there. The terror, the good that actually came from this disaster, everything. Well researched, well written. I adored this book, really. 5 out of 5 stars. I would recommend this book.

A contemporary account of the earthquake and ensuing fire that destroyed San Francisco in 1906. Since it is more a report on (rather than an analysis of) the events, I would particularly recommend this book to students and anyone looking for primary source material. Several excellent illustrations and photographs are included.

I'm really into history, especially natural disasters where you see both the best and worst of humanity. I like to think I would be part of the best, but until I'm in that situation, I won't really know. I like to read about disasters, especially if there are "how to" survive stories. There wasn't a lot of that here, but there was a LOT of history.

Let me go a bit further in the explanation of what I mean by "history". This book is a re-issue. It was originally written two weeks after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. It is timely to that era. I find that FASCINATING. I LOVE taking a peek into the past, especially when it was written THEN, not from our modern perspective with secondary sources. I like to read from the POV of the people who lived then. See how they thought, felt, see how we have changed, for the better and the worse.

There was a LOT of casual racism against the Chinese in this book. It was appalling. Which shows that we have grown to see and understand what racism is, at least a little more than back then.

Of course, the outpouring of aid, with little mention of graft and corruption and stupidity, made me sad. Because if they really were able to get aid to those who needed it quickly and with little graft, and it was 1906, then where did we go wrong? How the HECK did the debacle of Katrina relief happen? Inexcusable.

This book really hit all of my buttons. It was written in 1906, not long after the event actually took place. There was a LOT of history of San Francisco before the event, what happened during and the hope for what would happen after. The language is a bit on the older side, that is to be expected, but it wasn't Shakespeare or Old English. Definitely do-able.

I enjoyed it and feel that I have learned quite a bit from this book. Please note, it is the first book I have read on the topic, so I didn't exactly know much about the topic to begin with.

A good entry into the tragedy of the earthquake and fire in San Francisco. Not for the faint of heart, there are some rather gruesome first hand accounts in there and people died in horrific ways, so read with caution. I would recommend this.

Four solid stars.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dover Publications for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

This was a great historical read, although I didn't realize it was previously published some time ago. Taking that into account, the reader has a better understanding of how the story is told more from a "publishing/storytelling" standpoint rather than strict historical facts. Overall, still a great read for those that like reading about history.

As a contemporary account of the earthquake and fire, it is a wonderful historical research source, both as to the details of the disaster and the racism of the time. After reading this, I really want to visit San Francisco and see where it all happened.

Published in the August 2016 issue of ROUNDUP MAGAZINE, Western Writers of America (www.WesternWriters.org)
CHARLES MORRIS (editor). The 1906 San Francisco Earthquake and Fire: As Told by Eyewitnesses. Dover. Trade paperback, 240 pages, $16.95, DoverPublications.com.
Unabridged reproduction of a 1906 book by a journalist who gathered recollections from survivors “of the fearful disaster.” This great reference for historians and novelists includes 59 original full-page plates.