Denial of Disaster: The Untold Story and Photographs of the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 (Hardcover)

by Gladys Hansen (Author), Emmet Condon (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
"The motion of the quake was like the waves of the ocean about twenty feet between crests, but they came swifter and choppy, with a kind of grinding noise." The running dispute between Geraral Funston and Mayor Schmitz over "who was in charge" goes on for the duration of the disaster. Thousands of helpless, trapped victims die in the rubble of shabby South-of-Market rooming houses when fires sweep the area. Navy personnel fight to save the waterfront from flames. This is the untold story and photographs of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. By Gladys Hansen and Emmet Condon.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Cameron & Company; 1st edition (December 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0918684331
• ISBN-13: 978-0918684332
• Product Dimensions: 14 x 11.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #388,130 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MONUMENTAL WORK, June 1, 2004

By	James Dalessandro "rimbaud40" (San Rafael, Ca United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Ten years ago, I discovered Denial of Disaster and was floored by what I read. This is the definitive historical work on the greatest natural disaster in U.S. History. The research by Gladys Hansen and her team, former Fire Chief Emmett Condon and the superb journalist David Fowler, forever destroys the official lies that have lasted nearly a century. The official death toll is 478: Gladys has proven that more than 3,500 died. The death toll is easily over 6,000. The photographs are superb, the text strong and inviting, the eyewitness accounts are breath taking. Yes, I may be biased: my novel, 1906, is a fictional account of the last, great days of the city of San Francisco as it once was. But my response to this book was immediate and dramatic, long before it inspired me to write my novel. Periodically, I revisit it like an old friend. There is nothing quite like it in the entire book world. It makes history come alive. James Dalessandro

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exquisite photographic history of 1906 San Francisco, March 21, 2005

By	K. L Sadler (Freedom, Pa. USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I got this book because it was so highly recommended, after I had finished reading the fiction, 1906. That book gave a lot of information that was new to me, even though I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and my father worked in SF. This book is simply incredible. The amount of photographs of all kinds, including panoramic scenes meant for stereotopic viewers that were popular at that time, and postcards that were 'colored' made this book an incredible find. Not only have I been through it several times, but also I brought it back to my father and mother who were in awe of the detail and the photography provided by the author of this book. Her information concerning individuals, concerning the inability of the fire companies to successfully fight any of the fires (water pipes were broken as were roads made inaccessible)...intrigued me and my father who was a civil engineer.

Then my nephew who is studying at a nearby college came and went through the book, as he is studying urban planning. He was very interested in the modern day SF and the author's explanations of why SF is in an even more precarious position should another quake as strong as the 1906 quake happen, due to continued ignoring of the need for quake proof buildings and water lines, breaks between houses, the fact that SF actually has less fire departments now then in 1906 and other major problems.

I love San Francisco as a city and where I grew up, but quite frankly, I would never dream of moving back there, partly because of this book. Yet there are other cities equally at risk over poor urban planning (new Orleans for one), and this book would be a good required reading for those going into urban planning and environmental impact on human populations.

A truly great book...

Karen Sadler

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most complete book on the "Great Fire & Earthquake", November 27, 2005

By	Erik E. Byberg (millbrae, california United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is the must have for anyone interested in this history of San Francisco. As a fifth generation native of the "City" who had reilitives who lived through this natural disaster, I can wholeheartedly say that this is the the quinticental book on the subject. It is filled with never before published pictures of both the distruction and the notiable public figures of the day. and dose a very good job of correcting some of the misinformation attributed to the original official record of the earthquake and fire. Simple a great book.