California Disasters: True Stories of Golden State Tragedies and Triumphs. This item is unavailable.California Disasters: True Stories of Golden State Tragedies and Triumphs

True Stories of Survival, Courage, and Catastrophe from California's Greatest Disasters

From devastating earthquakes to epic shipwrecks, California Disasters by award-winning author Phyllis J. Perry captures the unforgettable moments when nature—and human error—tested the spirit of the Golden State. Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling, Perry reveals more than two centuries of catastrophes that shaped California's history and character.

• True accounts of earthquakes, floods, fires, avalanches, and more
• Incredible survival stories and heroic rescues
• Over 200 years of history brought to life with dynamic storytelling
• Perfect for history lovers, adventure readers, disaster buffs, and anyone fascinated by the resilience of the human spirit.
• Written by Phyllis J. Perry, celebrated author and recipient of the Colorado Authors' League Lifetime Achievement Award

Discover the heart-stopping and inspiring true stories behind California's most legendary disasters.

Phyllis J. Perry was born in Grass Valley, a small gold-mining town in northern California. She earned a BA in English Literature with a minor in History at the University of California, Berkeley. She taught in an elementary school of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District and earned her Master's in Education from San Francisco State University. During this time, she experienced the tremors of two earthquakes.

Phyllis later moved with her husband, David, and their two daughters to Long Beach, where David taught at Long Beach State University and Phyllis taught part-time at Golden West Junior College.

Phyllis and her family eventually settled in Boulder, Colorado, where her husband joined the faculty and Phyllis earned her doctorate in Education at the University of Colorado. She worked for twenty years in the Boulder Valley Schools as a teacher, building principal, and director of Talented & Gifted Education. She took early retirement to write full-time.

Phyllis was an award-winning author of fiction and nonfiction for both children and adults, and a member of the Colorado Authors League and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Over the course of her career, she wrote ninety-five books. In 2017, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Colorado Authors League.