The Little Book of the Great Earthquake

Chosen as Best Essay 2005, it became an essential reference for anyone interested in the history of the Great Earthquake of 1755.

Major catastrophes have always disturbed and aroused human curiosity. The debate surrounding the 1755 Earthquake has reasons not to be exhausted. On November 1, 2005, its 250th anniversary was celebrated. In addition, the panorama of political, religious, and civilizational turbulence that has dominated recent history adds to our consciousness. The Great Earthquake, like other catastrophes, was the origin of a vast cultural and intellectual production, highlighting the dominant ways of thinking and controversies of the time. Evoking this history means bringing to light the 18th-century controversies, opening new perspectives on the implications of the event, but also on the parallels that can be drawn with the present day.
In The Little Book of the Great Earthquake, Rui Tavares's lively and cinematographic writing takes us on an unusual journey, one that is difficult to resist. What is the relationship between great catastrophes such as the 1755 Earthquake, September 11, 2001, the 2004 tsunami, or the fires of Rome in 64 AD? What if the Earthquake had not happened? What accounts did the survivors leave us? What was the impact of the Earthquake on the cultural landscape of the time? And what feelings does it provoke in us today? The answers emerge, unexpected, alternative, and fundamentally bold. Consider one of the conclusions: "(...) the great legacy of 1755 is that of the constructive interpretation of a natural phenomenon. That is, in very simple terms, an attitude that consists of saying that, next time, we will be better prepared."