Rating: 
Summary: A REAL PAGE-TURNER!!!
Review: A friend gave me a copy of The Last Days of St. Pierre, so I figured I'd at least read the first chapter or so, even though disasters aren't usually my thing. WOW! WHAT A SURPRISE! I had a hard time putting this book down!The first chapter begins with the personal journal of a sailor who passed some fifty miles from the volcano on the day of the disaster in 1902, then docked on another island to find the burned out hull of a large steamer that had escaped the eruption while 18 other ships sank. Then the scene shifts to Washington, New York, Philadelphia, and Paris, where the first sketchy reports of the disaster are arriving by telegraph. Then the preparations of the scientist and journalists who head off to Martinique to unravel the mysteries about what happened there. No reader can possibly stop here; you have to go on the Chapter 2. Even though you think you know what's going to happen next, there is one surprise after another. And I found myself really caring about the many of the characters, trying to guess who will die and who will escape in time. This true story is what I call a "MUST READ!"
Rating:
Summary: A REAL PAGE-TURNER!!!
Review: A friend gave me a copy of The Last Days of St. Pierre, so I figured I'd at least read the first chapter or so, even though disasters aren't usually my thing. WOW! WHAT A SURPRISE! I had a hard time putting this book down! The first chapter begins with the personal journal of a sailor who passed some fifty miles from the volcano on the day of the disaster in 1902, then docked on another island to find the burned out hull of a large steamer that had escaped the eruption while 18 other ships sank. Then the scene shifts to Washington, New York, Philadelphia, and Paris, where the first sketchy reports of the disaster are arriving by telegraph. Then the preparations of the scientist and journalists who head off to Martinique to unravel the mysteries about what happened there. No reader can possibly stop here; you have to go on the Chapter 2. Even though you think you know what's going to happen next, there is one surprise after another. And I found myself really caring about the many of the characters, trying to guess who will die and who will escape in time. This true story is what I call a "MUST READ!"
Rating:
Summary: Great movie plot
Review: Although based on fact and historical accounts, it would make a great movie. The characters are real. Facinating.
Rating:
Summary: Great movie plot
Review: Although based on fact and historical accounts, it would make a great movie. The characters are real. Fascinating.
Rating:
Summary: Buy & Read this Book!!!!
Review: An exceptionally well written and documented book. Previously I had read accounts of this disaster, but none had the depth of Dr. Zebrowski's book on the total destruction of the city of St. Pierre and devastation of much of the Islands of Martinique and St. Vincent. He covers the human side of this tragedy with accuracy and compassion. Zebrowski has drawn from many sources and put the accumulated information into a very readable book. Anyone who likes to read about historical/scientific events should enjoy "The Last Days of St. Pierre".
Rating:
Summary: zebrowski does not ignore the human side
Review: As the author's son who accompanied him to Martinique to do the research for this book, I need to take some minor exceptions to the review (below) posted by one Marc Bernstein. Last Days is most certainly not a novel (as he labels it). The book identifies its sources on a chapter-by-chapter basis, most of them publications dating from 1902-1903, supplemented by our own field observations (we rejected quite a few of the contemporary descriptions as geographically or physically impossible, for instance). If the book happens to read like a novel, that was precisely my father's intent. But the characters are all historically authentic and their stories are well-researched and quite true. We, and the publisher, were well-aware of the discrepancies in the spellings of some of the place-names. We used the spellings that appeared in the century-old English-language sources (George Kennan's 1903 use of AcierErather than Assier,Efor instance). Inconsistencies in spelling are a common occurence; drive, for instance, from France to Basel, Switzerland, and
even today you'll see the spelling BaleEon road signs on the French side of the border. As for the explanations of vocanic phenomena, they were purposely kept nontechnical. The intent was not to tell the reader everything that is known today, but rather to examine what pockets of ignorance aggravated the 1902 disaster. One of the themes of this book is that scientific inquiry is driven by ignorance, and because at the time of the catastrophe very little was known about volcanoes, a lot of people began asking a lot of scientifically fruitful questions.
Rating:
Summary: Nonfiction, only reads like a Novel.
Review: As the author's son who accompanied him to Martinique to do the research for this book, I need to take some minor exceptions to the review (below) posted by one Marc Bernstein. Last Days is most certainly not a novel (as he labels it). The book identifies its sources on a chapter-by-chapter basis, most of them publications dating from 1902-1903, supplemented by our own field observations (we rejected quite a few of the contemporary descriptions as geographically or physically impossible, for instance). If the book happens to read like a novel, that was precisely my father's intent. But the characters are all historically authentic and their stories are well-researched and quite true. We, and the publisher, were well-aware of the discrepancies in the spellings of some of the place-names. We used the spellings that appeared in the century-old English-language sources (George Kennan's 1903 use of AcierErather than Assier,Efor instance). Inconsistencies in spelling are a common occurence; drive, for instance, from France to Basel, Switzerland, and
even today you'll see the spelling BaleEon road signs on the French side of the border. As for the explanations of vocanic phenomena, they were purposely kept nontechnical. The intent was not to tell the reader everything that is known today, but rather to examine what pockets of ignorance aggravated the 1902 disaster. One of the themes of this book is that scientific inquiry is driven by ignorance, and because at the time of the catastrophe very little was known about volcanoes, a lot of people began asking a lot of scientifically fruitful questions.
Rating:
Summary: History with a Human Face
Review: At last we find a scientist who is able to portray history with a truly human face! The combination is so rare and exhilarating that upon completing this book one feels as if they've lost a close friend in the character of Father Mary. Zebrowski is able to bring him back to life for us and allow him to teach us a very valuable lesson in compassion for our fellow man. The spotlight is focused on an indifferent French government who chose to ignore the obvious signs of impending disaster and the heroic attempt of one man to avert it. A truly moving story with a moral lesson that should become required reading for children of all ages!
Rating:
Summary: Enthralling, Captivating, Dramatic & Historical Accounting
Review: Dr. Zabrowski paints a compelling picture that encompasses the policical, economic, cultural and social life and times of St. Pierre and Martinique a century ago. This amazing scientific book captures the reader much as you might expect of an intrieguing substantative novel. One's fund of knowledge is easily and enjoyablly advanced with regard to natural disasters, human behavior, history, etc. The scope of his research left no stone unturned to the point that one can almost imagine walking along the cobble stone streets in the St. Pierre of yesterday. Thunderous Mt. Pelee as well as the people and political characters come alive in living color. This author's ability to captivate is unequalled as he recounts scientifically and with historical accuracy these century old events. This would make a good movie. I will eagerly await more from Dr. Ernest Zebrowski.
Rating:
Summary: Enthralling, Captivating, Dramatic & Historical Accounting
Review: Dr. Zabrowski paints a compelling picture that encompasses the policical, economic, cultural and social life and times of St. Pierre and Martinique a century ago. This amazing scientific book captures the reader much as you might expect of an intrieguing substantative novel. One's fund of knowledge is easily and enjoyablly advanced with regard to natural disasters, human behavior, history, etc. The scope of his research left no stone unturned to the point that one can almost imagine walking along the cobble stone streets in the St. Pierre of yesterday. Thunderous Mt. Pelee as well as the people and political characters come alive in living color. This author's ability to captivate is unequalled as he recounts scientifically and with historical accuracy these century old events. This would make a good movie. I will eagerly await more from Dr. Ernest Zebrowski.
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