introduction Introduction (1)In this piece,the author brings the tragedy of Pompeii to life.In the modem world,we have become accustomed to reducing natural disasters to mere statistics.By using his imagination Silverburg has put a human face on this momentous event. Perhaps there is a lesson for all to learn here. (2)Background Vesuvius is probably the most famous volcano in the world and the most observed by scientists. A bibliography compiled in 1918 listed more than 2000 books andIntroduction (1) In this piece, the author brings the tragedy of Pompeii to life. In the modem world, we have become accustomed to reducing natural disasters to mere statistics. By using his imagination, Silverburg has put a human face on this momentous event. Perhaps there is a lesson for all to learn here. (2) Background Vesuvius is probably the most famous volcano in the world and the most observed by scientists. A bibliography compiled in 1918 listed more than 2000 books and introduction