I found this book to be quite interesting and easy to read. It gives a detailed eye-witness account to the destruction caused by the series of earthquakes in the early 1800's. If you are looking for a technical book about the Rift Zone, this book is not for you because it does not go into much detail about the fault itself. However, it does tell of the relation of the current geology and how it was effected by the earthquakes. Generally, I found this book very enjoyable and I suggest it for anyone who is interested in the learning more about the potential hazards that lie below the Mississippi Valley.