Bad Friday: The Great and Terrible 1964 Alaska Earthquake

by Lew Freedman

When a strong shake is felt in Alaska today, a half-century later, many who lived through the 1964 Good Friday Earthquake still become tense as they count the seconds. How long will this one last? None who were there can forget the strongest earthquake ever recorded in North America -- a destructive force that in some places shook the ground for five and a half minutes, wreaking death and destruction and setting off powerful tsunamis. In BAD FRIDAY, survivors share their personal stories -- the Seward family that rode out a tsunami on the roof of a house torn off its foundations and carried away ... widespread early fears that the Russians had dropped an atomic bomb ... the fright of stunned shoppers in a furniture store where chandeliers hanging by chains swung back and forth so violently they crashed into the ceiling and shattered ... the Anchorage homes carried away in a massive landslide ... and the 441-foot cargo ship in Valdez that was tossed thirty feet into the air and knocked over on its side on dry land before powerful forces righted it again back in the bay.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2013

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I bought this book hoping it contained first-person accounts of the '64 quake. However, what it actually contained was a rather disjointed series of re-told accounts from various sources. The book could have done with some reorganization and/or some editing. Each chapter seemed to skip around a bit, and there were often seemingly random (and usually repeated) paragraphs about geology, seismology, or tectonics. Most irritating, however, is the consistent use of the phrase 'tidal wave' instead of the more accurate tsunami. Disappointing.

[Mark Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the best writing---it was very repetitive as though Freedman did not have enough material to fill a whole book. In particular, he kept repeating several key facts, like that the 1964 Alaskan earthquake was the second largest in the world and the largest in the US, as though needing to remind the reader of these facts to talk-up the incident. The personal stories were somewhat interesting, but, after the first 10 or so, they too seemed repetitive and didn't offer many new insights--there was a lot of shaking, buildings fell, and (in some areas) tsunamis swept people and buildings away. It sounds callous, but the stories themselves were not engaging enough---maybe if Freedman had gone more into the history of the particular towns he covers or some of the families, their accounts would have been more moving and my emotional investment higher. (The most memorable stories were of a family that clings to the roof of their house to survive a large tsunami that carries them far inland, and the tidal devastation that hit the small town of Valdez, erasing it off the map.) I did find it interesting (and depressing) that many upper-class folks in Turnagain, a wealthier area of Anchorage, decided to rebuild their homes in that area, even though the land was poor and many homes fell right into the sea during the earthquake! The main takeaway was that the earthquake was large, many lives were lost (about 130 people in Alaska and along the western seaboard), but that it could have been much worse if it had not happened on a holiday, Good Friday, when people were in affected buildings instead of at home, and if Alaska had been more densely populated.

Overall, this book seemed like a shallower dive into the disaster--a book intended to be sold to Alaskan tourists.

[Ruth York · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book, with lots of stories of those who survived the devastating earthquake of 1964. While it doesn't read in a nice, linear manner, I still enjoyed the many tales. Especially since I just returned from visiting Kodiak, Anchorage and Seward myself. The photos alone were fascinating, and I can't imagine living through it personally.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Living in NJ at the time, I was under the impression that Anchorage had been hit by the tsunami as well. I believe it was Life magazine that carried color images and it all blended into one horror. Survivor stories also fascinate me and this book has a multitude. It’s the non-survivors that rend the heart.

[Mary Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The information included in this book was exceptional. However. the writing was not very cohesive.

I am still glad that I read this shortly after returning from Alaska.

[pianogal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book wasn't bad but it was choppy and repetitive. I thought the wrap up at the end was good.

[Deb M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I cannot say this was necessarily a bad book. It was just a book written in a way I did not care for.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in 1964, as a teenager, I was awestruck by the photographs I saw from Anchorage and the rest of Alaska. This past March I was in Anchorage, and visited the wonderful display in the Alaska Museum, and wanted to learn more. Although this book might not be a smooth read, I got to learn how the quake affected Alaska, and also how it changed the lives of the survivors. There were a number of great stories from that terrible day, and then follow ups with the same people. There were sad stories and heartwarming stories. I am very glad I added this book to my Kindle library, and even happier that I read the entire book.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book with many first-hand accounts from people in Anchorage, Seward, Valdez, and Kodiak during the earthquake. I wish it had more geology about the cause of the earthquake. I would have given it four stars, but the writing is very repetitive and jumps around in time and place. For example, the chapter entitled, "Anchorage today" repeats eye witness accounts and includes very little about Anchorage today. But if you want to know what it was like on that day in 1964, this book will take you there. As for why the earthquake occured, you'll need to go elsewhere.

[Nick]

How do read the book

[Daniel J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

History Remembered!

I was 10 years old when I heard the news about the Great Alaska Quake! I lived in Wisconsin and saw the news when we got home from Good Friday church.