David Burkhart

“Burkhart, a Bay Area historian, professional musician, and brewer, has amassed more than 100 stereoscopic photographs of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and combined them with largely contemporary primary sources to produce an absorbing and attractive coffee-table book. The photographs are generally displayed two ways: in large format as an eye-viewable image and in a smaller stereoscopic version, which is to be viewed through a stereoscopic viewer, included in a pocket at the back of the book. The resulting 3-D images bring out an astonishing amount of detail, mightily improving on both the depth and the clarity of the flat image. An introductory chapter describes the development of stereoscopy and the roles of the major promoters of the form. For straight history, readers might prefer Simon Winchester’s A Crack in the Edge of the World, but this is an excellent visual companion. Recommended as a supplement to collections on California history or the history of stereoscopic photography.”–Edwin B. Burgess, Library Journal, January 15, 2006

“Earthquake Days is one of those rare and special books—both smart and gorgeous. Burkhart’s personal passion for stereophotography rings through these pages, coupled with his great sense of history and storytelling. The illustrations are lustrous, with stereo card views, bird’s-eye views, and fantastic full color reproductions of period newspapers, lithographs and more. This book is a tremendous contribution to the visual history of one of the world’s most famous disasters.”–Stephen Becker, Executive Director, California Historical Society

“What a pleasure and more—what a surprise to find in this elegant book both a revitalization and a powerful retelling of the familiar drama of San Francisco’s destruction by earthquake and fire in 1906. Burkhart has gathered not only the most complete collection of photographs (many of them stereo views) and other illustrative revelations, he has created—page after page—a richly rewarding, enlightening experience for what should be his many, many readers. What a pleasure for them!”–J. S. Holliday, author of The World Rushed In and Rush for Riches

“A beautiful book.”–Philip L. Fradkin, author of The Great Earthquake and Firestorms of 1906

For more information about Earthquake Days (ISBN 0977330567), please visit www.1906quake.com