Synopsis
From the burning of Rome to the 1989 Lockerbie crash, Man-made catastrophes offers a comprehensive world survey of man-made disasters that have devastated our world and even altered the course of human history. The more than 280 entries included in this volume encompass a wide range of events, including fires, explosions, railway disasters, maritime disasters, civil unrest and terrorism, space disasters, nuclear and industrial accidents, and air crashes.
For easy reference, the book is organized by disaster type, with a general introduction of each category preceding the entries on individual events. In addition to providing the basic facts of each disaster, the lively text offers insight into the background of each event as well as the ultimate impact on mankind and the environment. Highlighted throughout are eyewitness accounts, and helpful chronologies provide information at a glance.
Highlights from Man-made Catastrophes:
The most tragic maritime disaster of all time occurred in the Baltic Sea in 1945 when an unidentified Soviet submarine torpedoed the Wilhelm Gustloff, loaded with refugees. While the death toll from this incident is estimated to be nearly five times the number of fatalities in the Titanic tragedy, this disaster has gone virtually unrecorded.
One of the most bizarre airplane accidents happened on July 28, 1945 when a U.S. Army Air Corps B-25 bomber flying in heavy fog collided with New York's Empire State Building.
The worst train wreck in India's history was caused by an engineer's decision to brake for a cow on the tracks. This 1981 incident near Mansi resulted in more than 560 deaths.
Following the 1986 explosion at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, a sarcophagus was built to contain the waste of 171 tons of coagulated and resolidified fuel, which will remain radioactive and dangerous for at least 150 years. The 20-story-high structure of concrete and steel has a life span of only 25 years.
Authoritative and comprehensive, Man-made Catastrophes will be an important source for students, researchers and historians.
Reviews
YA-- Arranged by type of disaster, this one-volume encyclopedia discusses hundreds of man-made events. The categories include air, space, train, and sea accidents; fires, explosions, civil unrest, and nuclear and industrial tragedies. The opening pages of each section list the worst calamaties first by nation and then in chronological order. An asterisk indicates whether that catastrophe is included in the text. The lists are followed by a brief history of that category complete with a glossary and acronyms used in that section. The writing style is factual and authoritative, but easy to read. Often primary sources are used and quoted. The bibliography is extensive, and the index is detailed. Helpful black-and-white photographs are well labeled. The entries themselves are arranged by nation or state with the length varying from one half column to several pages (Chernobyl). Other incidents include the Great Fire of London, the Titanic, the Hindenburg, the Holocaust, riots in Watts, French Reign of Terror, and Spartacus's efforts to free Roman slaves.
- Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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