This book is an account of what is more widely known as the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. But Simon Winchester chose its subtitle wisely; rather than just being the story of what happened to the city, he places the event in its historical and scientific context - in the same way as he did with Krakatoa. As such, we get to learn exactly why the earthquake happened, which of course necessitates understanding plate tectonics and the geological features of the Earth in general and the North American plate in particular. Did you know, for example, that the eastern edge of the plate is as far east as Iceland, and is clearly visible there?

Winchester's account of the science is, as ever, lucid and informative, and he relates the background to the earthquake with a rising tension and a sense of the inevitable. We therefore get to learn about the history of the city of San Francisco and the people involved in shaping its evolution from a trading post and frontier town to a modern metropolis.

And then, finally, we arrive at that terrible day in 1906, when first the earthquake and then the catastrophic fire which followed razed the city to the ground. There were plenty of human errors before the event which could have mediated the effects of the disaster, but it was ever thus. The most depressing thought is that a disaster of the same or even greater magnitude is fast approaching, when once again San Francisco will be subjected to the primal ravages of nature. Let us hope that when it happens - and it won't be long, according to the scientists - that fair city is better prepared.

Simon Winchester's book is a must-read for anybody interested in history, geology or disasters, and is written with his usual perfect attention to detail - I know of no other writer who manages to pack so many fascinating facts into one paragraph. A wonderful book.