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Title details for The Big Ones by Dr. Lucy Jones - Available

The Big Ones

How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Us (and What We Can Do About Them)

by Dr. Lucy Jones
Dr. Lucy Jones
Audiobook
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By the world-renowned seismologist, a riveting history of natural disasters, their impact on our culture, and new ways of thinking about the ones to come
Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, volcanoes—they stem from the same forces that give our planet life. Earthquakes give us natural springs; volcanoes produce fertile soil. It is only when these forces exceed our ability to withstand them that they become disasters. Together they have shaped our cities and their architecture; elevated leaders and toppled governments; influenced the way we think, feel, fight, unite, and pray. The history of natural disasters is a history of ourselves.
In The Big Ones, leading seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones offers a bracing look at some of the world's greatest natural disasters, whose reverberations we continue to feel today. At Pompeii, Jones explores how a volcanic eruption in the first century AD challenged prevailing views of religion. She examines the California floods of 1862 and the limits of human memory. And she probes more recent events—such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and the American hurricanes of 2017—to illustrate the potential for globalization to humanize and heal.
With population in hazardous regions growing and temperatures around the world rising, the impacts of natural disasters are greater than ever before. The Big Ones is more than just a work of history or science; it is a call to action. Natural hazards are inevitable; human catastrophes are not. With this energizing and exhaustively researched book, Dr. Jones offers a look at our past, readying us to face down the Big Ones in our future.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 17, 2018

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780525531982
      • File size: 269057 KB
      • Duration: 09:20:32

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Dr. Lucy Jones, who advises on risk reduction for the U.S. Geological Survey, lives in Southern California. Her arguments for retrofitting buildings in Los Angeles are effective, and she brings that persuasiveness to her narration. She discusses disasters around the world--from ancient Pompeii's volcanic eruption to Hurricane Katrina--covering the world's worst floods, earthquakes, and volcanoes. She shows listeners examples of successful disaster prevention and management, while examining what went wrong elsewhere. Jones introduces geological concepts with clarity to back up points and consistently calls for readiness and empathy. She makes listeners familiar with the psychology of disaster and ends her book with steps listeners can take to improve their own readiness. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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