With a unique three-part organization, this non-quantitative, carefully illustrated book introduces the scientific, historical, and personal safety aspects of earthquakes. It provides the basic scientific facts about earthquakes, explaining how the study of earthquakes has progressed through time, offering details on the development of earthquake instruments, and covering immediately practical aspects such as personal safety, building and living in areas prone to earthquakes, and earthquake geography. Earthquake prediction is discussed, including past and present attempts at prediction and the techniques available. A handbook for personal safety vs. earthquakes is provided, outlining the steps to take before, during, and after an earthquake. It assumes no scientific background. Earthquakes: Myths, Legends, and Logic; Measuring Earthquakes; Faults and Earthquakes; Earthquake Size and Location; The Earthquake Process; Plate Tectonics; Journey to the Center of the Earth; Earthquakes and Tsunamis; Earthquake Triggering; Great Historic Earthquakes; Earthquakes in the United States; Earthquake Prediction; What to do Before, During, and After an Earthquake; Building for Earthquake Safety. A useful reference for anyone interested in learning more about earthquakes.