The Last Day (Nicholas Shrady)

Because work often brings me to Lisbon,I thought it would be good to learn a bit more about the towns history and this book was a thrill - informative,interesting and easy to read without too many technical details,it gives clear picture of Lisbon the way it was before that fateful day in 1755. when earthquake,tsunamis and fire literally destroyed the town and how it was subsequently rebuilt again with heroic efforts by certain Mr.Carvalho who was given full freedom by king of Portugal,way too scared to act himself.

Sure,along the way Carvalho made many enemies and stepped on people's feet too often but you have to consider immense opposition from the church and aristocracy who opposed anything new,while he had to rebuilt city from the rumble of stones and along the way managed to get rid of Jesuits who brainwashed citizens into thinking that this was God's punishment and there is no sense in building anything new. Eventually King died and his successor was religious fanatic who punished Carvahlo and restored church but although Carvahlo died in exile,his work is remembered and when we walk through marble streets of Lisbon centre,we appreciate this - there simply wouldn't be any Lisbon the way it is today if not for him.

Nicholas Shrady writes very well and connects our reactions to natural catastrophes than and now - he also points that way back than as well as today,God's punishment is still used as explanation to these catastrophes. Listening to words of Archbishop of New Orleans ("We have reached a depth of immorality that we have never reached before") after recent devastations of hurricanes in that area,you would think we are still in old Lisbon and Jesuits are preaching their thundering sermons.

Somewhere in there there is also a short and interesting history of Lisbon itself,which gives you very good picture of the place it was before the disaster,how it depended on colonies in Brazil (and why this wealth never actually helped the country but was spent elsewhere) and what happened since.

The book starts at ends with same day,November 01, (the day of earthquake) clearly making a point in comparing the town than and now.