The storm of the century : tragedy, heroism, survival, and the epic true story of America's deadliest natural disaster : the great Gulf hurricane of 1900 / Al Roker.
Material type:
TextPublisher: New York, NY : William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, [2015]Edition: First editionDescription: vi, 312 pages, 8 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations, maps ; 24 cmContent type: - text
- unmediated
- volume
- 0062364650 (hardcover)
- 0062364669
- 9780062364654 (hardcover)
- 9780062364661
| Item type | Home library | Collection | Call number | Materials specified | Status | Date due | Barcode | Item holds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adult Book
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Main Library | NonFiction | 976.4139 R742 | Available | 33111008057362 |
Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:
In this gripping narrative history, Al Roker from NBC's Today and the Weather Channel vividly examines the deadliest natural disaster in American history--a haunting and inspiring tale of tragedy, heroism, and resilience that is full of lessons for today's new age of extreme weather.
On the afternoon of September 8, 1900, two-hundred-mile-per-hour winds and fifteen-foot waves slammed into Galveston, the booming port city on Texas's Gulf Coast. By dawn the next day, the city that hours earlier had stood as a symbol of America's growth and expansion was now gone. Shattered, grief-stricken survivors emerged to witness a level of destruction never before seen: Eight thousand corpses littered the streets and were buried under the massive wreckage. Rushing water had lifted buildings from their foundations, smashing them into pieces, while wind gusts had upended steel girders and trestles, driving them through house walls and into sidewalks. No race or class was spared its wrath. In less than twenty-four hours, a single storm had destroyed a major American metropolis--and awakened a nation to the terrifying power of nature.
Blending an unforgettable cast of characters, accessible weather science, and deep historical research into a sweeping and dramatic narrative, The Storm of the Century brings this legendary hurricane and its aftermath into fresh focus. No other natural disaster has ever matched the havoc caused by the awesome mix of winds, rain, and flooding that devastated Galveston and shocked a young, optimistic nation on the cusp of modernity. Exploring the impact of the tragedy on a rising country's confidence--the trauma of the loss and the determination of the response--Al Roker illuminates the United States's character at the dawn of the "American Century," while also underlining the fact that no matter how mighty they may become, all nations must respect the ferocious potential of our natural environment.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 302-304) and index.
Underwater -- They all had plans. Looking forward ; The storm: Africa ; A reasonable argument ; Storm watcher ; The storm: from Cuba to Texas -- Maelstrom. Galveston: Thursday, September 6 ; Friday: the waves ; Saturday morning: storm tide ; Saturday afternoon: "half the city underwater" ; The night of horrors -- The white city on the beach. Telegraph silence ; The pile ; "I can begin life again, as I entered it" ; "In pity's name, in America's name" ; No tongue can tell.
"Presents an account of the legendary hurricane to assess its destruction of Galveston, role in thousands of deaths, and influence on American history and culture"--Publisher's description.
On the afternoon of September 8, 1900, 200-mile-per-hour winds and fifteen-foot waves slammed into Galveston, the prosperous and growing port city on Texas's Gulf Coast. By dawn the next day, when the storm had passed, the city that existed just hours before was gone. Over 8,000 corpses littered the streets or were buried under the massive wreckage. Roker brings this legendary disaster and its aftermath into brilliant focus. Exploring the impact of the disaster on a rising nation's confidence, he illuminates both the energy and the limitations of the American Century, and of nature itself.