The recent floods that ravaged Queensland saw three quarters of the state declared a disaster zone - from the capital city on the Brisbane River to remote rural communities - and caused billions of dollars worth of damage, forcing thousands to abandon their homes. This latest assault by nature reminds us all that, despite its stark beauty, the Australian landscape has a deadly edge. It is a place of flood, fire, earthquake and ferocious storms. The Australian Book of Disasters features enthralling stories of catastrophe and survival and courage in the face of enormous odds. With chapters covering the breadth of this harsh land, it includes detailed accounts of the events burnt into Australias national memory, from the Dunbar shipwreck in 1857 to the Black Saturday bushfires of 2009 and finishing with an in-depth look at the Queensland floods of 2010 to 2011.