The Great Quake Debate: The Crusader, the Skeptic, and the Rise of Modern Seismology

In the first half of the twentieth century, when seismology was still in in its infancy, renowned geologist Bailey Willis faced off with fellow high-profile scientist Robert T. Hill in a debate with life-or-death consequences for the millions of people migrating west. Their conflict centered on a consequential question: Is southern California earthquake country?

These entwined biographies of Hill and Willis offer a lively, accessible account of the ways that politics and financial interests ...