The Raging Sea: The Powerful Account of the Worst Tsunami in U.S. Histor: Powerful Account of the Worst Tsunami in U.S. History [Paperback]

REVIEW UPDATE MARCH 12, 2011 Watching the heartbreaking reports eminating from the East Coast of Japan one cannot help but be dumbfounded by the awesome power of Mother Nature and the fragility of our existence on this planet. Being from the East Coast I simply cannot fathom the sheer terror of being caught up in a tsunami. Sure, we have powerful hurricanes to deal with on a fairly regular basis but in most cases people have plenty of advance notice and time to evacuate or make adequate preparations. This was certainly not the case yesterday in Japan or for the good people of Crescent City, California on the evening of March 27, 1964.

In "The Raging Sea: The Powerful Account of The Worst Tsunami in U.S. History" author Dennis Powers has done a workmanlike job of recreating the events of that horrible and heartbreaking night nearly four decades ago. You will come to understand just what forces in nature bring about these killer waves. Knowing little or nothing about tsunamis I was stunned to learn that an earthquake in Alaska could set in motion natural forces that would ultimately wreak death and destruction all along the West Coast on that fateful night. The residents of Crescent City and numerous other coastal towns had virtually no time to prepare. And they were really quite unaware of the dangers they were facing. Dennis Powers tells this remarkable story through the words of many of those who lived through it. It is compelling reading.

Once the seas finally began to recede and sunrise approached residents would come to realize the magnitude of the destruction. In downtown Crescent City there was practically nothing left. Eleven people had lost their lives and dozens more were injured. Virtually every building had been destroyed, roads were impassable and phone and electric service were non-existent. The smell of rotting fish was everywhere. Crescent City had endured the brunt of the tsunami and the community would face the monumental task of cleaning up and rebuilding after this disaster. Survivors could not help but wonder if their lives would ever be the same again. And now sad to say it has happened once again. Initial reports indicate that eight foot waves from the Japan tsunami have destroyed much of Crescent City harbor and most if not all of its crab fishing fleet has been lost. Furthermore, at least 4 people were swept into the sea and one is feared dead.

Given the events of the past 24 hours there is likely to be renewed interest in "The Raging Sea". From what I have been able to gather this book is currently out of print but copies can still be had at various booksellers online. They are likely to be snapped up quickly. Author Dennis M Powers has written several books about the sea and maintains his own website [...] You might want to check it out. Perhaps he will now consider publishing a revised edition of this book. Personally, I found "The Raging Sea: The Powerful Account of The Worst Tsunami in U.S. History" to be an engaging and well written book. Dennis Powers certainly managed to hold my attention from cover to cover. Highly recommended.

Dennis Powers' account of the 1964 tsunami's destruction of Crescent City, CA is a mostly straightforward chronicle of events and narratives. The author focuses on the surprise element of this disaster, both in its arrival and in the scope of the devastation. He touches on many heroic and heartbreaking stories of the residents who experienced it. The transformation of the nature of Crescent City and its inhabitants, however, emerges as the central theme of this work. Some of the problems unique to this disaster remind me of similar occurrences, thus making this material more applicable or relatable. Those include problems with false alarms, as well as the problem of residents reentering potentially hazardous areas. These occurrences can be compared and contrasted with those of the World Trade Centers on 9-11 and the collapse of the levees in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

This is a very readable narrative, full of engrossing stories of the death and destruction wrought by the tsunami. Powers' description of the events of Good Friday, 1964 is compelling viewed as history, human interest, or heroic drama. With interest in tsunamis and other calamities high, this book is a relevant addition to the literature of the genre.

I will never visit the sea again without remembering this book. Dennis Powers is a compelling story-teller. This is a riveting drama of the ultimate disaster, and of the ordinary folks in a small town who performed extraordinary feats of heroism.

This one makes stories about shark attacks pale in comparison.