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Born to Fish: How an Obsessed Angler Became the World's Greatest Striped Bass Fisherman
by Tim Gallagher Greg MyersonFrom RattleSinker inventor Grey Myerson, "an extraordinary story of one man's obsession, a tale of passion, brutality, tragedy, and redemption...a book about a love of fishing that tackles the deepest themes of life" (Helen Macdonald, author of H is for Hawk).Born to Fish tells the tale of a man who led a harrowing, sometimes dissolute life until he turned himself around, thanks to his rod and reel. Overcoming learning disabilities, substance abuse, and the violence associated with a father in the mob, Greg Myerson, a lifelong sport-fisherman, caught an 82-pound striped bass in 2011, shattering a world record that had stood for 29 years. Without any training in biological research, he began studying the striped bass like a scientist—examining how it hunts, the food it eats, how its behavior is affected by moon phases and the cycles of the tides—which led to the creation of the RattleSinker, the lure that helped him catch the record-setting bass. During an appearance on the TV show Shark Tank, Mark Cuban bought a 33 percent share of Greg's company, World Record Striper Company. Yet at the very instant he achieved his crowning glory as a striped bass fisherman, he had a staggering epiphany and instantly regretted killing the fish. Greg is now at the forefront of the effort to save the big striped bass, the most prolific breeders, and actively promotes no-kill catch-and-release tournaments.
Borne by the River: Canoeing the Delaware from Headwaters to Home
by Rick Van NoyAfter a near-fatal stroke and a separation, amidst a global pandemic, Rick Van Noy decided to go for a paddle. In Borne by the River, he charts the story of discovery, and healing that came from this solo canoe journey. Paddling two hundred miles on the Delaware River to his boyhood home just upriver from Trenton, New Jersey, Van Noy contemplates his fate and life, as well as the simple joy of sitting in a small boat floating down a large river with his dog, Sully.Deftly combining memoir, natural and local history, and engaging reportage of his encounters with other paddlers and river enthusiasts, including members of the Lenape Nation of Pennsylvania, Van Noy reveals deep and shifting layers of environmental, historical, cultural, and personal significance of the Delaware. Borne by the River reckons with the way that rivers braid into one's own life—thrilling rapids, eddying pauses, and life-changing rifts and falls. Van Noy rediscovers and shares how river journeys can scatter anxieties, wash away regrets, and recreate the spirit in its free-flowing currents.
Boron Proxies in Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology (Analytical Methods in Earth and Environmental Science)
by Barbel Hoenisch Stephen M. Eggins Laura L. Haynes Katherine A. Allen Katherine D. Holland Katja LorbacherAnthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions do not only warm our planet but also acidify our oceans. It is currently unclear to which degree Earth’s climate and marine life will be impacted by these changes but information from Earth history, particularly the geochemical signals of past environmental changes stored in the fossil remains of marine organisms, can help us predict possible future changes. This book aims to be a primer for scientists who seek to apply boron proxies in marine carbonates to estimate past seawater carbonate chemistry and atmospheric pCO2. Boron proxies (δ11B and B/Ca) were introduced nearly three decades ago, with subsequent strides being made in understanding their mechanistic functioning. This text reviews current knowledge about the aqueous systematics, the inorganic and biological controls on boron isotope fractionation and incorporation into marine carbonates, as well as the analytical techniques for measurement of boron proxies. Laboratory and field calibrations of the boron proxies are summarized, and similarities between modern calibrations are explored to suggest estimates for proxy sensitivities in marine calcifiers that are now extinct. Example applications illustrate the potential for reconstructing paleo-atmospheric pCO2 from boron isotopes. Also explored are the sensitivity of paleo-ocean acidity and pCO2 reconstructions to boron isotope proxy systematics that are currently less well understood, including the elemental and boron isotopic composition of seawater through time, seawater alkalinity, temperature and salinity, and their collective impact on the uncertainty of paleo-reconstructions. The B/Ca proxy is based on the same mechanistic principles as the boron isotope proxy, but empirical calibrations suggest seawater pH is not the only controlling factor. B/Ca therefore has the potential to provide a second carbonate parameter that could be paired with δ11B to fully constrain the ocean carbonate system, but the associated uncertainties are large. This text reviews and examines what is currently known about the B/Ca proxy systematics. As more scientists embark on characterizing past ocean acidity and atmospheric pCO2, Boron in Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology provides a resource to introduce geoscientists to the opportunities and complications of boron proxies, including potential avenues to further refine them.
Bose-Einstein-Kondensate in höheren Bändern des hexagonalen Gitters: Von rf-Techniken einer Gitterstabilisierung hin zum dynamischen Quantenphasenübergang
by Julius SeegerDieses Buch beschreibt die erstmalige, erfolgreiche Realisierung unkonventioneller Superfluide in höheren Bändern des hexagonalen optischen Gitters. Der Populationstransfer und der anschließende dynamische Quantenphasenübergang werden ausführlich diskutiert. Schließlich werden die Metastabilität und Zerfallskanäle des ultrakalten Systems experimentell nachgewiesen. Durch die Reduktion von Phasenrauschen des optischen Gitters konnte die Lebensdauer des ultrakalten Ensembles um etwa eine Größenordnung erhöht werden. Weiterhin werden die optische Phasenregelschleife und Intensitätsstabilisierung des Gitters vorgestellt. Mit den in diesem Buch beschriebenen Ergebnissen und technologischen Entwicklungen werden die derzeit bestehenden Grenzen der Quantensimulation mittels ultrakalter Gase in optischen Gittern aufgehoben und der Weg für zahlreiche nachfolgende Untersuchungen bereitet.
Bosnia and the Destruction of Cultural Heritage (Heritage, Culture and Identity)
by Valery Perry Helen Walasek contributions by Carlton Amra Hadžimuhamedović Tina WikThe massive intentional destruction of cultural heritage during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War targeting a historically diverse identity provoked global condemnation and became a seminal marker in the discourse on cultural heritage. It prompted an urgent reassessment of how cultural property could be protected in times of conflict and led to a more definitive recognition in international humanitarian law that destruction of a people's cultural heritage is an aspect of genocide. Yet surprisingly little has been published on the subject. This wide-ranging book provides the first comprehensive overview and critical analysis of the destruction of Bosnia-Herzegovina's cultural heritage and its far-reaching impact. Scrutinizing the responses of the international community during the war (including bodies like UNESCO and the Council of Europe), the volume also analyses how, after the conflict ended, external agendas impinged on heritage reconstruction to the detriment of the broader peace process and refugee return. It assesses implementation of Annex 8 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, a unique attempt to address the devastation to Bosnia's cultural heritage, and examines the treatment of war crimes involving cultural property at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). With numerous case studies and plentiful illustrations, this important volume considers questions which have moved to the foreground with the inclusion of cultural heritage preservation in discussions of the right to culture in human rights discourse and as a vital element of post-conflict and development aid.
Botany (5th Edition)
by James D. MausethAs new information is introduced and environmental changes occur, Plant Biology continues to develop and evolve as a science. Updated and revised to keep pace with these developments, the Fifth Edition of Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology provides a modern and comprehensive overview of the fundamentals of botany while retaining the important focus of natural selection, analysis of botanical phenomena, and diversity. Students are first introduced to topics that should be most familiar (plant structure), proceed to those less familiar (plant physiology and development), and conclude with topics that are likely least familiar to the introductory student (genetics, evolution, and ecology). Mauseth is sure to provide the latest material on molecular biology and plant biotechnology in an effort to keep pace with these advancing areas of study. All sections are written to be self-contained allowing for a flexible presentation of course material. Key Features: - Includes new content on molecular biology, plant biotechnology, and the most recent coverage of taxonomy and phylogeny of plants. - Now available with a new electronic laboratory manual. - Plants Do Things Differently boxes help students understand and compare plant biology with human biology. - End-of-chapter study guide includes nearly 50 or more questions in each chapter, urging students to test themselves on the most important points in the chapter. - Alternatives boxes encourage students to think expansively about alternative aspects of plant biology that are more advantageous in certain conditions.
Botany For Dummies
by Rene Fester KratzHarvest basic botany knowledge from this abundant book Botany For Dummies gives you a thorough overview of the fundamentals of botany, but in simple terms that anyone can understand. Great for supplementing your botany coursework or brushing up before an exam, this book covers plant evolution, the structure and function of plant cells, and plant identification. Plus, you'll learn about how plants of different types are changing and adapting in response to changing climates. This new edition goes into more detail on fungi—not technically plants, but no one is holding that against them. Regardless of what brought you to the wonderful world of botany, this book will show you around. Get an easy-to-understand introduction to the key concepts in botany Read about recent discoveries and theories in the world of plant science Understand different families of plants and where they grow Improve your grade and pass your exam in your introductory botany course Get a copy of Botany For Dummies and watch your botany knowledge bloom.
Bottom Gravity Currents and Overflows in Deep Channels of the Atlantic Ocean: Observations, Analysis, and Modeling
by Eugene G. Morozov Roman Y. Tarakanov Dmitry I. FreyThis book is dedicated to the analysis of bottom waters flows through underwater channels of the Atlantic Ocean. The study is based on recent observations of the authors, analysis of historical data, numerical modeling, and literature review. For example, studying both the measurements from the World Ocean Circulation experiment in the 1990s and recent measurements reveals the decadal variations of water properties in the ocean.Seawater is cooled at high latitudes, descends to the ocean bottom, and slowly flows to the tropical latitudes and further. This current is slow in the deep basins, but intensifies in the abyssal channels connecting the basins. The current overflows submarine topographic structures and sometimes forms deep cataracts when water descends over slopes by several hundred meters. The flow of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) is studied on the basis of CTD sections combined with Lowered Acoustic Doppler Profiling (LADCP) carried out annually, and long-term moored measurements of currents. This book is a collection of oceanographic data, interpretation, and analysis, which can be used by field oceanographers, specialists in numerical modeling, and students who specialize in oceanography.
Boundaries of Rock Mechanics: Recent Advances and Challenges for the 21st Century
by Meifeng Cai Jin’an WangBoundaries of Rock Mechanics. Recent Advances and Challenges for the 21st Century contains 180 papers from the International Young Scholars Symposium on Rock Mechanics 2008 (Beijing, China, 28 April-2 May 2008). The symposium was organized by the ISRM Commission on Education, and sponsored by the International Society for Rock Mechanics (ISRM) and
Boundaries of a Complex World (Springer Series in Synergetics)
by Andrei LuduThe 2nd edition of this book provides novel topics and studyies in boundaries of networks and Big Data Systems.The central theme of this book is the extent to which the structure of the free dynamical boundaries of a system controls the evolution of the system as a whole. Applying three orthogonal types of thinking - mathematical, constructivist and morphological, it illustrates these concepts using applications to selected problems from the social and life sciences, as well as economics. In a broader context, it introduces and reviews some modern mathematical approaches to the science of complex systems. Standard modeling approaches (based on non-linear differential equations, dynamic systems, graph theory, cellular automata, stochastic processes, or information theory) are suitable for studying local problems. However they cannot simultaneously take into account all the different facets and phenomena of a complex system, and new approaches are required to solve the challenging problem of correlations between phenomena at different levels and hierarchies, their self-organization and memory-evolutive aspects, the growth of additional structures and are ultimately required to explain why and how such complex systems can display both robustness and flexibility. This graduate-level text addresses a broader interdisciplinary audience, keeping the mathematical level essentially uniform throughout the book, and involving only basic elements from calculus, algebra, geometry and systems theory.
Boundaries: A Casebook in Environmental Ethics
by Christine E. Gudorf James Edward HuchingsonIn this expanded and revised edition of a fresh and original case-study textbook on environmental ethics, Christine Gudorf and James Huchingson continue to explore the line that separates the current state of the environment from what it should be in the future. <p> Boundaries begins with a lucid overview of the field, highlighting the key developments and theories in the environmental movement. Specific cases offer a rich and diverse range of situations from around the globe, from saving the forests of Java and the use of pesticides in developing countries to restoring degraded ecosystems in Nebraska. With an emphasis on the concrete circumstances of particular localities, the studies continue to focus on the dilemmas and struggles of individuals and communities who face daunting decisions with serious consequences. This second edition features extensive updates and revisions, along with four new cases: one on water privatization, one on governmental efforts to mitigate global climate change, and two on the obstacles that teachers of environmental ethics encounter in the classroom. Boundaries also includes an appendix for teachers that describes how to use the cases in the classroom.
Boundaries: The Making of France and Spain in the Pyrenees
by Peter SahlinsThis book is an account of two dimension of state and nation building in France and Spain since the seventeenth century--the invention of a national boundary line and the making of Frenchmen and Spaniards. It is also a history of Catalan rural society in the Cerdanya, a valley in the eastern Pyrenees divided between Spain and France in 1659. This study shuttles between two levels, between the center and the periphery. It connects the "macroscopic" political and diplomatic history of France and Spain, from the Old Regime monarchies to the national territorial states of the later nineteenth century; and the "molecular" history--the historical ethnography--of Catalan village communities, rural nobles, and peasants in the borderland. On the frontier, these two histories come together, and they can be told as one.
Boundary Conformal Field Theory and the Worldsheet Approach to D-Branes
by Aptara. Inc Andreas RecknagelBoundary conformal field theory is concerned with a class of two-dimensional quantum field theories which display a rich mathematical structure and have many applications ranging from string theory to condensed matter physics. In particular, the framework allows discussion of strings and branes directly at the quantum level. Written by internationally renowned experts, this comprehensive introduction to boundary conformal field theory reaches from theoretical foundations to recent developments, with an emphasis on the algebraic treatment of string backgrounds. Topics covered include basic concepts in conformal field theory with and without boundaries, the mathematical description of strings and D-branes, and the geometry of strongly curved spacetime. The book offers insights into string geometry that go beyond classical notions. Describing the theory from basic concepts, and providing numerous worked examples from conformal field theory and string theory, this reference is of interest to graduate students and researchers in physics and mathematics.
Boundary Element Method for Magnetohydrodynamic Flow: 2D MHD Duct Flow Problems (Surveys and Tutorials in the Applied Mathematical Sciences #14)
by Münevver Tezer-Sezgin Canan BozkayaBoundary Element Method for Magnetohydrodynamic Flow” offers one of the first systematic and detailed treatments of the application of boundary element method (BEM) to magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow problems. It aims to fill in the gaps left by the earlier books on the application of BEM to some physical problems such as fluid dynamics, elasticity, and geophysics. An overview of the theory of MHD flow and a comprehensive mathematical formulation of BEM for convection-diffusion-type differential equations are provided by the authors, who heavily rely on their research and experience in the disciplines of BEM and MHD flow. The book first discusses the basic principles of the BEM approach for the MHD duct flow problems in coupled form with the fundamental solution derived by the authors. Specifically, the BEM solutions of MHD flow in pipes of rectangular or circular cross-sections, and MHD flow in infinite regions, are all covered emphasizing the convergence of infinite boundary integrals. This book, especially, concentrates on the MHD flow in regions with partly insulated partly perfectly conducting boundaries by BEM giving also the parabolic boundary layer thickness emanating from the points of discontinuities on the walls. The book secondly includes the dual reciprocity boundary element technique (DRBEM), an alternative form of BEM that expands the applicability of BEM to MHD flow and heat transfer problems as well as buoyancy MHD flow with magnetic potential and inductionless MHD flow. The purpose of the book is to serve as a research book for applied mathematicians, engineers, scientists, and graduate students who wish to learn in-depth about the formulation and application of BEM in MHD flow problems. As such, it is an invaluable resource and a major contribution to the numerical solution of MHD flow problems.
Boundary Layer Climates
by T. R. OkeThis modern climatology textbook explains those climates formed near the ground in terms of the cycling of energy and mass through systems.
Boundary Physics and Bulk-Boundary Correspondence in Topological Phases of Matter (Springer Theses)
by Abhijeet AlaseThis thesis extends our understanding of systems of independent electrons by developing a generalization of Bloch’s Theorem which is applicable whenever translational symmetry is broken solely due to arbitrary boundary conditions. The thesis begins with a historical overview of topological condensed matter physics, placing the work in context, before introducing the generalized form of Bloch's Theorem. A cornerstone of electronic band structure and transport theory in crystalline matter, Bloch's Theorem is generalized via a reformulation of the diagonalization problem in terms of corner-modified block-Toeplitz matrices and, physically, by allowing the crystal momentum to take complex values. This formulation provides exact expressions for all the energy eigenvalues and eigenstates of the single-particle Hamiltonian. By precisely capturing the interplay between bulk and boundary properties, this affords an exact analysis of several prototypical models relevant to symmetry-protected topological phases of matter, including a characterization of zero-energy localized boundary excitations in both topological insulators and superconductors. Notably, in combination with suitable matrix factorization techniques, the generalized Bloch Hamiltonian is also shown to provide a natural starting point for a unified derivation of bulk-boundary correspondence for all symmetry classes in one dimension.
Boundary Value Problems for Linear Partial Differential Equations
by Manuel Mañas Luis Martínez AlonsoBoundary value problems play a significant role in modeling systems characterized by established conditions at their boundaries. On the other hand, initial value problems hold paramount importance in comprehending dynamic processes and foreseeing future behaviors. The fusion of these two types of problems yields profound insights into the intricacies of the conduct exhibited by many physical and mathematical systems regulated by linear partial differential equations.Boundary Value Problems for Linear Partial Differential Equations provides students with the opportunity to understand and exercise the benefits of this fusion, equipping them with realistic, practical tools to study solvable linear models of electromagnetism, fluid dynamics, geophysics, optics, thermodynamics and specifically, quantum mechanics. Emphasis is devoted to motivating the use of these methods by means of concrete examples taken from physical models. Features No prerequisites apart from knowledge of differential and integral calculus and ordinary differential equations. Provides students with practical tools and applications Contains numerous examples and exercises to help readers understand the concepts discussed in the book.
Boundary and Interior Layers, Computational and Asymptotic Methods BAIL 2018 (Lecture Notes in Computational Science and Engineering #135)
by Gabriel R. Barrenechea John MackenzieThis volume gathers papers presented at the international conference BAIL, which was held at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland from the 14th to the 22nd of June 2018. The conference gathered specialists in the asymptotic and numerical analysis of problems which exhibit layers and interfaces. Covering a wide range of topics and sharing a wealth of insights, the papers in this volume provide an overview of the latest research into the theory and numerical approximation of problems involving boundary and interior layers.
Bounded Noises in Physics, Biology, and Engineering (Modeling and Simulation in Science, Engineering and Technology)
by Alberto D'OnofrioSince the parameters in dynamical systems of biological interest are inherently positive and bounded, bounded noises are a natural way to model the realistic stochastic fluctuations of a biological system that are caused by its interaction with the external world. Bounded Noises in Physics, Biology, and Engineering is the first contributed volume devoted to the modeling of bounded noises in theoretical and applied statistical mechanics, quantitative biology, and mathematical physics. It gives an overview of the current state-of-the-art and is intended to stimulate further research. The volume is organized in four parts. The first part presents the main kinds of bounded noises and their applications in theoretical physics. The theory of bounded stochastic processes is intimately linked to its applications to mathematical and statistical physics, and it would be difficult and unnatural to separate the theory from its physical applications. The second is devoted to framing bounded noises in the theory of random dynamical systems and random bifurcations, while the third is devoted to applications of bounded stochastic processes in biology, one of the major areas of potential applications of this subject. The final part concerns the application of bounded stochastic processes in mechanical and structural engineering, the area where the renewed interest for non-Gaussian bounded noises started. Pure mathematicians working on stochastic calculus will find here a rich source of problems that are challenging from the point of view of contemporary nonlinear analysis. Bounded Noises in Physics, Biology, and Engineering is intended for scientists working on stochastic processes with an interest in both fundamental issues and applications. It will appeal to a broad range of applied mathematicians, mathematical biologists, physicists, engineers, and researchers in other fields interested in complexity theory. It is accessible to anyone with a working knowledge of stochastic modeling, from advanced undergraduates to senior researchers.
Boxing Pandora: Rethinking Borders, States, and Secession in a Democratic World
by Timothy William WatersA timely and provocative challenge to the foundations of our global order: why should national borders be unchangeable? The inviolability of national borders is an unquestioned pillar of the post–World War II international order. Fixed borders are believed to encourage stability, promote pluralism, and discourage nationalism and intolerance. But do they? What if fixed borders create more problems than they solve, and what if permitting borders to change would create more stability and produce more just societies? Legal scholar Timothy Waters examines this possibility, showing how we arrived at a system of rigidly bordered states and how the real danger to peace is not the desire of people to form new states but the capacity of existing states to resist that desire, even with violence. He proposes a practical, democratically legitimate alternative: a right of secession. With crises ongoing in the United Kingdom, Spain, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, and many other regions, this reassessment of the foundations of our international order is more relevant than ever.
Boy Scouts Handbook: The First Edition, 1911 (Dover Books On Americana Ser.)
by Boy Scouts of AmericaRead by presidents, scientists, and national heroes, the Boy Scouts Handbook has been used by generations of American youths. Filled with practical advice for everyone, the book contains everything from safety tips on swimming and instructions for putting up a tent to directions for making an aquarium and pointers on how to identify common North American trees.More than 200 figures and illustrations accompany valuable information on woodcrafting, camping, sailing, hiking, health and endurance, and providing first aid. But more than just a guide to outdoor life, the handbook also offers timeless observations on politeness, patriotism, and good citizenship.As useful and valid today as it was when first published nearly 100 years ago, the Boy Scouts Handbook will delight Americana enthusiasts as much as it will be treasured by collectors and nature lovers.
Boy, Were We Wrong About the Weather!
by Kathleen V. KudlinskiHurricaines, Thunder and Lightning, climate change, Wind, Rain. We were once wrong about all of these. But are we right now? Find out in the latest book in this award-winning series. Ancient Sumerian warriors used to think that lightning and thunder were caused by an angry weather god —boy, were they wrong! Even today once common ideas about how our weather and climate work are changing as new discoveries are being made. Kathleen V. Kudlinski and Sebastià Serra team up to debunk old—and sometimes silly—myths about weather and to celebrate the pioneers that made meteorology the science it is today. This award-winning series is especially meant for the budding scientist and is perfect for children who are fascinated by the natural world and how it works.
Braced Oil Dampers for Buildings: Development and Analytical Modeling
by Osamu Takahashi Atsuki YokoyamaThe high damping force of oil damper vibration control systems in buildingsoffers relative safety during earthquakes and at a low environmentalcost. The oil damper is connected using braces in series and is installed withpins to the building structure, which minimizes the impact on the buildingstructure and allows installation and removal with ease.This is the first book detailing experimental work and cases of the use ofoil dampers in buildings. It shows their effectiveness by detailing the testingand analysis of buildings with them placed at braced positions, exposed tosmall amplitude vibration, and without them.• The only comprehensive presentation of oil damper vibration control• Covers analysis and design, with case studies and details of testingand experimental resultsThe book is organized systematically to suit students and junior professionalsin structural design as well as more specialist engineers. An additionalPython code sample is available online for learning the behaviors of oildampers (Jupyter Notebook environment required).Osamu Takahashi is a professor at Tokyo University of Science, founderof Science Kozo Inc., and an advisor to the New International StructuralDesign & Engineering Challenge Association, in Japan.Atsuki Yokoyama works in the Research and Development Departmentof Sanwa Tekki Corporation and has a PhD in Engineering from TokyoUniversity of Science.
Bracing for Disaster: Earthquake-Resistant Architecture and Engineering in San Francisco, 1838–1933
by Stephen Tobriner&“The first history of seismic engineering in San Francisco . . . spiced with survivor and eyewitness accounts. &”—Midwest Book Review For the past one hundred and fifty years, architects and engineers have quietly been learning from each quake and designing newer earthquake-resistant building techniques and applying them in an ongoing effort to save San Francisco. Bracing for Disaster is a fresh appraisal of a city responding to repeated devastation. In the language of a skilled teacher, Tobriner examines what really happened during the city&’s earthquakes—which buildings were damaged, which survived, and who were the unsung heroes. Filled with more than two hundred photographs, diagrams, and illustrations, this is a revealing look at the history of buildings by a true expert, and it offers lessons not just for San Francisco but for any city beset by natural disasters. &“The real saga is how a fast-growing city grapples with the reality that it has more to worry about than fires and fog. The core of the story is fairly technical, rooted in the crude intuitive ways in which builders reacted to a seismic threat they could neither measure nor define. But Tobriner crafts the story well.&”—SFGate
Bracing for Disaster: Earthquake-resistant Architecture and Engineering in San Francisco, 1838-1933
by Stephen TobrinerFor the past one hundred and fifty years, architects and engineers have quietly been learning from each quake and designing newer earthquake-resistant building techniques and applying them in an ongoing effort to save San Francisco. Bracing for Disaster is the first history of seismic engineering in San Francisco. In the language of a skilled teacher, Tobriner examines what really happened in the city's earthquakes—which buildings were damaged, which survived, and who were the unsung heroes—in a fresh appraisal of a city responding to repeated devastation. Filled with more than two hundred photographs, diagrams, and illustrations, this is a revealing look at the history of buildings by a true expert, and it offers lessons not just for San Francisco but for any city beset by natural disasters.