Cathryn,

From his Web pages (including the sample chapter and contents list of others), I didn't get an impression that he knows more about where and when a Big One will strike than other scientists know. I didn't download the book but can't imagine any specific prediction for time and place remaining a secret for long if one is included. My guess is that the book has information similar to USGS Web sites and other books about earthquake history and research, although its organization and presentation probably differ.

I agree that anyone with a specific prediction for a major earthquake should alert the public, but as we saw when Governor Davis announced a terrorist threat to bridges, there is likely to be controversy over whether the warning should be announced. I believe a decision about how or whether to react to that kind of alert should be left to each person or family, but even just a few warnings for events that don't materialize might cause many to ignore all future warnings.

Mary C.