| Description |
xvii, 418 p. : ill., maps ; 24 cm. |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| Contents |
I: Before -- Beginnings -- The tale of t two cities -- Science, politics, and San Francisco -- The hotel and the opera house -- II: During -- Wednesday, April 18, 1906 -- Thursday, April 19, 1906 -- Friday, April 20, 1906 -- III: After -- The relief effort -- The upbuilding of San Francisco -- The search for understanding -- The culture of disaster -- Disaster and race -- The politics of disaster -- The fat lady sings. |
| Summary |
This account of the earthquake, the firestorms that followed, and the city's subsequent reconstruction shows how humans, not the forces of nature, nearly destroyed San Francisco in a remarkable display of simple ineptitude and power politics. Fradkin takes us onto the city's ruptured streets and into its exclusive clubs, teeming hospitals and refugee camps, and its Chinatown. He reveals how an elite oligarchy failed to serve the needs of ordinary people, the heroic efforts of obscure citizens, the long-lasting psychological effects, and how all these events ushered in a period of unparalleled civic upheaval.--From publisher description. |
| Subject |
San Francisco Earthquake and Fire, Calif., 1906
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Earthquakes -- California -- San Francisco -- History -- 20th century.
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Fires -- California -- San Francisco -- History -- 20th century.
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San Francisco (Calif.) -- History -- 20th century.
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| ISBN |
0520230604 (cloth : alk. paper) |
| Standard No. |
9780520230606 |
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