About History Bookazine All About History Book of Disasters fifth edition Back Issue

Earthquakes. Tsunamis. Volcanic eruptions. Pandemics. Disaster and devastation has plagued humankind and threatened our survival from the dawn of our existence. Technological advancements have led to further tragedy: aviation incidents, oil spills and nuclear meltdowns that we fight desperately to contain.
Ever since the media began to broadcast events live and globally, we have experienced an almost unending stream of reportage delivered right into our homes. But despite this, we still sometimes struggle to comprehend many aspects of a disaster. How do we measure the scale of a cataclysm? How does a person respond to such a tragedy? And what happens once the damage is done and the wave pulls back? This new edition of the Book of Disasters takes an in-depth look at some of the most devastating events throughout history and investigates these questions. From the destruction of Pompeii and the desolation left in the wake of the Black Death, to the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger and the plane crash in the Andes that pushed human endurance to its limits, a whole host of modern and historic events are covered here. Read the stories of eyewitnesses and interviews with experts in an effort to understand the disasters that altered the course of human history.