Roger W. Lotchin

This work was issued as part of the long running Christmas gift program to customers and employees of R. R. Donnelly Publishing. It is an excellent compilation of first person accounts of the disaster. Many of the first person narratives were from the famous such as Jack London, who was there as a journalist reporting on the catastrophe, to Enrico Caruso who had just given a performance the night before when he was rattled out of his hotel bed at 5:00 in the morning. Others are unknown now, such as the social worker who struggled and succeeded in shepherding an orphanage full of Chinese girls and babies to safety in Oakland, to the federal employee who fought to save the U.S. Mint, even though the copper clad roof's rafters were blazing over him and the exterior granite walls were exploding from the heat. I was in San Francisco and toured the museum exhibit marking the 100th anniversary of the earthquake and fire in 2005. The tales of heroism are unbelievable and even though the city was lost, many lives were saved self-sacrifice and determination to beat the fire. This is a comprehensive overview delivered from the viewpoints of both the high and the low, who suddenly found themselves on equal ground, fighting the same battle.… (meer)