I read this as part of my #nonfictionnovember and honestly ... I think I probably would have enjoyed it more if it had been sprinkled in among my fiction reads rather than another non-fiction, factual account. I think I'd just shifted a little into "school" mode. I was listening to the audiobook. The narrator and/or the writing was just a little dry (sometimes I can't really tell unless/until I actually read the text copy myself) and I felt a bit like I needed to be taking notes, recording names/dates, that I should be remembering details. I do think I learned a lot, and will retain a good portion, but I also fear much will fade into memory.  I'm interested in reading a historical fiction based in this same time (as I was looking up some possibilities, I realized I had already read [book:The Nature of Fragile Things|53398512] - I had liked it, rated it 4* ... but it hadn't made a big enough impact that I'd remembered it had this earthquake as a topic as I started this book. Probably would have if I'd read it after. I have a couple others on my list now too ...)

The title is good ... the earthquake was just one minute, but its aftereffects (the death, destruction and fire) impacted everyone.

This is one I'd recommend to anyone who enjoys learning about history. LOTS of facts and information and quotes ... unlike fiction, not really characters that you learn to love and care about. So many people, most just getting a quick mention or credit for a quote, some not even named (a 10 year old boy said " ______" a girl who was 6 at the time of the quake remembers " _____" ...