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

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Nature, Environment, Natural Disasters, History, Americas, United States, 20th Century
Cover of the book The Storm of the Century by Al Roker, William Morrow
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Al Roker ISBN: 9780062364678
Publisher: William Morrow Publication: August 11, 2015
Imprint: William Morrow Language: English
Author: Al Roker
ISBN: 9780062364678
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication: August 11, 2015
Imprint: William Morrow
Language: English

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.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

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.

More books from William Morrow

Cover of the book Salting Roses by Al Roker
Cover of the book The Dance of Fear by Al Roker
Cover of the book Blood Money and Other Stories by Al Roker
Cover of the book Parker Pyne Investigates by Al Roker
Cover of the book Cakes by Melissa by Al Roker
Cover of the book My Own Miraculous by Al Roker
Cover of the book Her Own Rules/Dangerous to Know by Al Roker
Cover of the book Stress Less, Accomplish More by Al Roker
Cover of the book The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander by Al Roker
Cover of the book The Betrayal by Al Roker
Cover of the book Magnolia Table by Al Roker
Cover of the book Book of Odds by Al Roker
Cover of the book Johnny Football by Al Roker
Cover of the book Map of Bones by Al Roker
Cover of the book Celiac Disease (Newly Revised and Updated) by Al Roker
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy