The large audience that drove "The Perfect Storm" high on national bestseller lists is sure to welcome this superb narrative of the extreme hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900, leaving at least 8,000 dead in its wake. An unforgettable story of the conflict between human hubris and the last great uncontrollable force, "Isaac's Storm" offers a cautionary tale for the millennium.
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The large audience that drove "The Perfect Storm" high on national bestseller lists is sure to welcome this superb narrative of the extreme hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900, leaving at least 8,000 dead in its wake. An unforgettable story of the conflict between human hubris and the last great uncontrollable force, "Isaac's Storm" offers a cautionary tale for the millennium.
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Add this copy of Isaac's Storm to cart. $19.95, new condition, Sold by Books 'n Stuff rated 3.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Frederick, MD, UNITED STATES, published 1999 by Random House Audiobooks.
I read a borrowed copy of this book years ago and now have my own copy to reread. It's so thoroughly researched and incredibly well-written by a very talented author. At the turn of the 20th century, Galveston, Texas was a busy and thriving city, looking forward to a bright future.
We learn how and why the massive and disastrous Gulf hurricane that hit Galveston head on was not adequately forecast in the early 1900s, long before our sophisticated communications methods, including satellites and their invaluable imagery existed. Not because they didn't have other ways of knowing and communicating. They did.
The Cubans tried to warn the Americans it was coming. The relatively new National Weather Bureau, especially the people in Washington, DC, discounted and ignored the Cuban efforts. Isaac Cline was the newly appointed head of the Galveston Weather Bureau office there in Galveston. He was the person ultimately held responsible, however it wasn't quite that simple.
And of course, nature provided all the clues for anyone able to recognize them. (The Cubans did.) So did Isaac Cline, though not soon enough to get the warning out to evacuate the island in time. We get to 'observe' the often subtle, yet ominous signs from nature in the water, winds and skies as the storm slowly moves toward Galveston. As the impending danger becomes more and more evident, Isaac's dilemma increases. The suspense is so well done in this book.
The inevitable devastating losses of life and property were beyond imagination. Lessons about nature's clear signs, about how humans interact politically and socially and how the consequences of events can play out in real life are beautifully and hauntingly illuminated in the skilled writing of this author. Never underestimate the power of human hubris. I'll be reading more of his works.
parothed
Nov 24, 2015
Fascinating story
Erik Larson is hands down one of the finest American authors alive today. This story, about the tragic hurricane of 1900 that struck Galveston, TX is riveting. informative, incisive and entertaining It has lessons today for citizens dealing with the fury of nature, about the hubris of men of science, and the drama of weather along the USA Gulf Coast. Any history buff or resident who lives or vacations near our coastline
should read this book.
