Oregon's Greatest Natural Disasters

by William L. Sullivan

Giant earthquakes and tsunamis devastate western Oregon every 300 to 600 years. The last one hit in 1700, so we're due anytime. This informative, entertaining book tells the stories of Oregon's past floods, fires, and eruptions -- including the Vanport Flood, the eruption of Mt. St. Helens, and the Columbus Day Windstorm. Then it investigates the cycles behind our natural disasters and takes a look at what may happen when the next "Big One" strikes.

Genres: History, Americana, Science, Nonfiction

264 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2008

About the author

Sullivan completed his B.A. in English at Cornell University, studied linguistics at Germany's Heidelberg University, and earned an M.A. in German at the University of Oregon.
In 1985 he backpacked 1000 miles across Oregon's wilderness. His journal of that adventure, "Listening for Coyote", topped the New York Times' year-end review of travel books and was chosen one of the 100 most significant books in Oregon history.
Since then he has written many novels, hiking guidebooks, and historical works. His memoir, "Cabin Fever", describes the 25 summers he and his wife Janell spent building a log cabin by hand along a roadless river in the wilds of Oregon's Coast Range. Each summer he still lives and writes at the cabin.
Sullivan reads in seven languages, plays the pipe organ, undertakes backcountry ski expeditions, and volunteers to support libraries.

Reviews

[Mitchell Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cool but inconsistent book. Somewhere between a catalog of disasters and actual writing - with a fictional description of what a Cascadia subduction event tacked on to the end. Oregon is definitely filled with many varied and interesting ways to die. And now I understand them a bit more than I did - even if this book didn't make that a completely easy process. 3.5 of 5.

[Jason Jaworski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't go wrong with Bill Sullivan. He explores our state's history of flood, earthquake, tsunamis, volcanoes and more with solid science and drama along with some amusing anecdotes. informational, fun, and easy reading. The last chapter is pure disaster porn, taking place in 2020 over a week of the area experiencing a 9.2 richter scale earthquake off the coast, tsunami's on the coast and a killer earthquake into Portland. Good stuff.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for any Oregonian. Growing up in California the big one was always lurking, but I had no idea as to the threats in Oregon. I thought flooding was going to be more perilous then earthquakes but living on the West Coast they are prevalent anywhere you might reside.
I loved how the book was broken up so each chapter focused on a particular type of disaster and the individuals involved. This humanized the incidents and brought reality to the tragedies.
While the epilogue was the only work of fiction in the book, I thought it was very important in bringing the most possible threat to life. A threat that could visit us in the near future. Whole communities were lost on the coast or stranded due to the cataclysmic effects of seismic activity.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent selected history of Oregon

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband and I were spending our 31st Anniversary at Crater Lake, we had such a good time. The views were amazing. While we were roaming around Rim Village, I went into the visitor’s center for souvenirs and books. I was curious about the history of Crater Lake especially its place in Native American history. That’s how I found Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters and I just had to get it because my curiosity got the better of me.

When we got back to our camper and settled in, I started reading it out loud to my husband, I also read it out loud on the drive home. We both decided that living in Hepner will never happen because even though the is a dam to help control flooding it doesn’t mean the dam will hold forever, everything has an expiration date. We also agree the coast is fun to visit but wouldn’t want to live there. But then I live in a valley here in Oregon that used to be under water at some point in time, so who knows what will happen when the planet gets fed up with humans impeding its ability to care for itself.

It is a huge rarity for me to get into a non-fiction book, they are usually so blasted boring that I don’t even get past the first 2 pages. So, you can understand how excited I am that I really liked how Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters was written. The chapters were filled with a lot a corroborating historical evidence to back up the scientific predictions to change the questions from how do we prevent the disasters to how do we survive them with little to no lose of life and property. Oregon’s Greatest Natural Disasters left me shaking my head at some of the choices that have been made in the past that have had their own destructive consequences to nature leaving me wondering who is more destructive, nature or humans. I also can’t help but be curious about what the planet and nature will do to rebalance everything for the survival of the planet and if we will be part of that equation as a help or a hinderance. I guess time will tell.

This Review was originally posted here https://laurasbookbinge.wordpress.com...

[Nan Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and informative account of Oregon's geologic history, events and likely future.
The book, interesting and informative as it was, left me feeling rather uncomfortable about living near the beach. I've lived through some really big storms here, I've known about the probability of a big earthquake and tsunami for a long time but reading about all the devastation in one book left me wanting to run to the hills, what hills I'm not sure because it seems like nowhere is safe. And that left me feeling a little shaky about living on this planet. The planet is probably feeling a little shaky about having humans on it, too. This book is definitely worth reading. Mr. Sullivan has done a great job of informing folks about the possibilities and precautions of living through storms, floods, fire and earthquakes. I really loved that he pointed out the stupidity of building on landfill and too near the beach and floodplains; the far reaching effects of clear-cutting.
(I'm sure it had to do with production costs, but most of the photographs in the book were so hard to see that I couldn't tell what I was looking at).

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book in three ways. First, as a remembrance. As a native Oregonian I remember well the Columbus Day Storm of '62. And the floods of 1964. And the ash dusting we received over 100 miles away from Mt. Saint Helens. Secondly, his book filled in some gaps in my knowledge of some big events in Oregon's history. Some things, like the Tillamook Burn, I new little about and others like the Heppner Flood were new to me. But no matter what natural disaster Sullivan is writing about he does an excellent job of blending science, politics, history, and personal stories into compelling chapters. It's these personal stories that draw you in and make you pause. There's a theme throughout the book of this could(or will) happen again. It's at this level I find the book most valuable. How would we respond to a large disaster? Are we prepared? To drive home the point Sullivan offers a fictional epilogue of people caught and isolated in disaster set in the near future.
Remember what happened, learn about why, and think about preparation.

[Jaimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a MUST READ for all Oregonians. Besides giving Oregon residents a lot of good info. to be aware about natural disasters which can and will occur in our state, Sullivan relays stories of people who went through natural disasters in Oregon history and it reads like a novel. I am fascinated by Earth Science, but I think even people who aren't really into the subject will love this book. I can't imagine anyone not being shocked and horrified by these events throughout Oregon's history. In a matter of minutes, Mother Nature can manipulate huge areas of the landscape, kill hundreds--sometimes even thousands of people and crumpled towns like they were made out of paper. Even if you're not from Oregon, read this book!

[Oceanscape Network · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is kind of a must-have title if you're interested in the natural processes of the Earth and how they can lead to cataclysm. The book covers both recent and prehistoric disasters, including earthquake, volcanoes, tsunami, landslide and forest fire. The last chapter is a "Fictional Epilogue" about how an earthquake and tsunami might effect Oregon in the future, including a downright macabre account of visitors evacuating the Oregon Coast Aquarium (and other coastal areas) in advance of a large-scale inundation. Difficult stuff to read, but all the more reason to be earthquake and tsunami prepared, everyone!

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating history of Oregon's natural disasters beginning with the ice age floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, modern floods, volcanoes, fires, and wind storms. The history of previous devastating earthquakes and tsunamis and the inevitability of future major earthquakes and tsunamis in Oregon are especially chilling in the context of the recent events in Japan. The book is well written and is a fast read.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thumbed through this one. It wasn't what I thought it would be. There are a lot of graphics that give some visualization on the same subject of subduction earthquakes covered in Thompson's "Cascadia's Fault", as well as other disasters not related to earthquakes.

[Cezary Wojcik]

scary

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

bonus: some Oregon history