A warm and witty novel from the acclaimed author of Good in Bed, In Her Shoesand the forthcoming Who Do You Love This is the story of what comes after 'happily ever after' as three young wives make the journey into motherhood, and discover how it changes their sense of themselves and their relationships with friends and family. There's Becky, a plump, sexy chef, with an overworked husband, an adorable baby girl...and the mother-in-law from hell. There's Kelly, an event planner who's trying to cram sixty hours of work into twenty-hour weeks, all while charting her baby's every move on a spreadsheet and hoping that her husband will pull his life together, pull on some pants, and find a job. And there's Ayinde, who is married to Philadelphia's most prominent basketball star, until the combination of new baby and infidelity threatens their marriage. As these three grow closer while attempting to put their lives in order, we also come to know Lia, who returns home to Philadelphia after her life in Los Angeles ends in horrible tragedy. By turns moving, funny, and inspiring, Little Earthquakesis a great big delicious read from a prodigiously talented author.

When the volcano Tambora erupted in Indonesia in 1815, as many as 100,000 people perished as a result of the blast and an ensuing famine caused by the destruction of rice fields on Sumbawa and neighboring islands. Gases and dust particles ejected into the atmosphere changed weather patterns around the world, resulting in the infamous ''year without a summer'' in North America, food riots in Europe, and a widespread cholera epidemic. And the gloomy weather inspired Mary Shelley to write the gothic novel Frankenstein. This book tells the story of nine such epic volcanic events, explaining the related geology for the general reader and exploring the myriad ways in which the earth's volcanism has affected human history. Zeilinga de Boer and Sanders describe in depth how volcanic activity has had long-lasting effects on societies, cultures, and the environment. After introducing the origins and mechanisms of volcanism, the authors draw on ancient as well as modern accounts--from folklore to poetry and from philosophy to literature. Beginning with the Bronze Age eruption that caused the demise of Minoan Crete, the book tells the human and geological stories of eruptions of such volcanoes as Vesuvius, Krakatau, Mount Pelée, and Tristan da Cunha. Along the way, it shows how volcanism shaped religion in Hawaii, permeated Icelandic mythology and literature, caused widespread population migrations, and spurred scientific discovery. From the prodigious eruption of Thera more than 3,600 years ago to the relative burp of Mount St. Helens in 1980, the results of volcanism attest to the enduring connections between geology and human destiny. Some images inside the book are unavailable due to digital copyright restrictions.

On March 27, 1964, at 5-36 p.m., the biggest earthquake ever recorded in North America--and the second biggest ever in the world, measuring 9.2 on the Richter scale--struck Alaska, devastating coastal towns and villages and killing more than 130 people in what was then a relatively sparsely populated region. In a riveting tale about the almost unimaginable brute force of nature, New York Times science journalist Henry Fountain, in his first trade book, re-creates the lives of the villagers and townspeople living in Chenega, Anchorage, and Valdez; describes the sheer beauty of the geology of the region, with its towering peaks and 20-mile-long glaciers; and reveals the impact of the quake on the towns, the buildings, and the lives of the inhabitants. George Plafker, a geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey with years of experience scouring the Alaskan wilderness, is asked to investigate the Prince William Sound region in the aftermath of the quake, to better understand its origins. His work confirmed the then controversial theory of plate tectonics that explained how and why such deadly quakes occur, and how we can plan for the next one.

The extraordinary story of New Zealand's earthquakes, the science and forces that shape them, and the danger of earthquakes yet to hit. This is the story of New Zealand's turbulent tectonics, how earthquakes are measured and described, and how scientists are predicting future shakes across New Zealand. It features some of New Zealand's lesser-known quakes, such as the most powerful quake ever recorded in New Zealand, quakes that have had deadly consequences, and the most recent tremors effecting Wellington and Marlborough. On Shaking Ground has an accessible text with in-depth science. It explains why New Zealand is effected by earthquakes and how damage is caused, with accompanying diagrams and data from GNS Science. It also includes the long history of New Zealand's earthquakes with gripping photographs and personal accounts. The must-have guide for anyone affected by earthquakes in New Zealand, those curious to know what's next in-store, or anyone studying the evolving science behind them.

Earthquakes rank among the most terrifying natural disasters faced by mankind. Out of a clear blue sky-or worse, a jet black one-comes shaking strong enough to hurl furniture across the room, human bodies out of bed, and entire houses off of their foundations. When the dust settles, the immediate aftermath of an earthquake in an urbanized society can be profound. Phone and water supplies can be disrupted for days, fires erupt, and even a small number of overpass collapses can snarl traffic for months. However, when one examines the collective responses of developed societies to major earthquake disasters in recent historic times, a somewhat surprising theme emerges: not only determination, but resilience; not only resilience, but acceptance; not only acceptance, but astonishingly, humor. Elastic rebound is one of the most basic tenets of modern earthquake science, the term that scientists use to describe the build-up and release of energy along faults. It is also the best metaphor for societal responses to major earthquakes in recent historic times. After The Earth Quakes focuses on this theme, using a number of pivotal and intriguing historic earthquakes as illustration. The book concludes with a consideration of projected future losses on an increasingly urbanized planet, including the near-certainty that a future earthquake will someday claim over a million lives. This grim prediction impels us to take steps to mitigate earthquake risk, the innately human capacity for rebound notwithstanding.