Author: E.A. Aymar
Publisher: Down & Out Books
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 183
Book Description
It happened the night Maggie Wilbourne was to be put to death, the first woman executed by the state of Pennsylvania in modern times. That was when a group of women passionately protesting Maggie’s imprisonment struck. They blew up a local dam, flooding the town of Everton and indirectly inspiring a hellish night of crime and chaos. Fourteen of today’s new and most exciting contemporary crime writers will take you to the fictional town of Everton, with stories from criminals, cops, and civilians that explore the thin line between the rich and the poor, the insider and the outsider, the innocent and the guilty. Whether it’s a store owner grimly protecting his property from looters, an opportunistic servant who sees her time to strike, or two misguided youths taking their anger out against any available victim, The Night of the Flood is an intricate and intimate examination of the moment when chaos is released—in both society and the human spirit. Praise for THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD: “Plenty of complex characters and hard edges. Take a breath, then hang on and enjoy this entertaining romp.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author “Bravo to all the authors who contributed to The Night of the Flood, a collection of brilliant short stories about residents of the dysfunctional town of Everton who are thrust into the turbulence of decisions that will forever change who they thought they were. A stormy page-turner that will leave you wanting more.” —Sandra Brannan, author of the award-winning Liv Bergen Mystery Series “A brilliant, multi-leveled concept, Faulknerian in its structure. A novel in stories. Wow. Fourteen new exciting crime writers create a rare three-dimensional mosaic of a doomed town and the night hell flooded through it. Terrifically exciting. Wonderfully inventive.” —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder As a Fine Art
The Night of the Flood
Author: E.A. Aymar
Publisher: Down & Out Books
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 183
Book Description
It happened the night Maggie Wilbourne was to be put to death, the first woman executed by the state of Pennsylvania in modern times. That was when a group of women passionately protesting Maggie’s imprisonment struck. They blew up a local dam, flooding the town of Everton and indirectly inspiring a hellish night of crime and chaos. Fourteen of today’s new and most exciting contemporary crime writers will take you to the fictional town of Everton, with stories from criminals, cops, and civilians that explore the thin line between the rich and the poor, the insider and the outsider, the innocent and the guilty. Whether it’s a store owner grimly protecting his property from looters, an opportunistic servant who sees her time to strike, or two misguided youths taking their anger out against any available victim, The Night of the Flood is an intricate and intimate examination of the moment when chaos is released—in both society and the human spirit. Praise for THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD: “Plenty of complex characters and hard edges. Take a breath, then hang on and enjoy this entertaining romp.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author “Bravo to all the authors who contributed to The Night of the Flood, a collection of brilliant short stories about residents of the dysfunctional town of Everton who are thrust into the turbulence of decisions that will forever change who they thought they were. A stormy page-turner that will leave you wanting more.” —Sandra Brannan, author of the award-winning Liv Bergen Mystery Series “A brilliant, multi-leveled concept, Faulknerian in its structure. A novel in stories. Wow. Fourteen new exciting crime writers create a rare three-dimensional mosaic of a doomed town and the night hell flooded through it. Terrifically exciting. Wonderfully inventive.” —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder As a Fine Art
Publisher: Down & Out Books
ISBN:
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 183
Book Description
It happened the night Maggie Wilbourne was to be put to death, the first woman executed by the state of Pennsylvania in modern times. That was when a group of women passionately protesting Maggie’s imprisonment struck. They blew up a local dam, flooding the town of Everton and indirectly inspiring a hellish night of crime and chaos. Fourteen of today’s new and most exciting contemporary crime writers will take you to the fictional town of Everton, with stories from criminals, cops, and civilians that explore the thin line between the rich and the poor, the insider and the outsider, the innocent and the guilty. Whether it’s a store owner grimly protecting his property from looters, an opportunistic servant who sees her time to strike, or two misguided youths taking their anger out against any available victim, The Night of the Flood is an intricate and intimate examination of the moment when chaos is released—in both society and the human spirit. Praise for THE NIGHT OF THE FLOOD: “Plenty of complex characters and hard edges. Take a breath, then hang on and enjoy this entertaining romp.” —Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author “Bravo to all the authors who contributed to The Night of the Flood, a collection of brilliant short stories about residents of the dysfunctional town of Everton who are thrust into the turbulence of decisions that will forever change who they thought they were. A stormy page-turner that will leave you wanting more.” —Sandra Brannan, author of the award-winning Liv Bergen Mystery Series “A brilliant, multi-leveled concept, Faulknerian in its structure. A novel in stories. Wow. Fourteen new exciting crime writers create a rare three-dimensional mosaic of a doomed town and the night hell flooded through it. Terrifically exciting. Wonderfully inventive.” —David Morrell, New York Times bestselling author of Murder As a Fine Art
The Night of the Flood
Author: Zoe Somerville
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1838934634
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 309
Book Description
An atmospheric literary thriller set during the devastating North Sea flood of 1953, in which a love triangle turns murderous. Her heart beat hard. There was a crazed beauty to the storm. It was almost miraculous, the way it took away the mess of life, sweeping all in its path... No-one could have foreseen the changes the summer of 1952 would bring. Cramming for her final exams on her family's farm on the Norfolk coast, Verity Frost feels trapped between past and present: the devotion of her childhood friend Arthur, just returned from National Service, and her strange new desire to escape. When Verity meets Jack, a charismatic American pilot, he seems to offer the glamour and adventure she so craves, and Arthur becomes determined to uncover the dirt beneath his rival's glossy sheen. As summer turns to winter, a devastating storm hits the coast, flooding the land and altering everything in its path. In this new, watery landscape, Verity's tangled web of secrets, lies and passion will bring about a crime that will change all their lives forever. Praise for The Night of the Flood: 'Evocative, glorious and tragic' Melanie Golding 'A taut, impressive debut' Neil Hegarty 'Atmospheric and haunting' Emma Stonex 'A compelling story about love and friendship, secrets and betrayal' Anna-Marie Crowhurst
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 1838934634
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 309
Book Description
An atmospheric literary thriller set during the devastating North Sea flood of 1953, in which a love triangle turns murderous. Her heart beat hard. There was a crazed beauty to the storm. It was almost miraculous, the way it took away the mess of life, sweeping all in its path... No-one could have foreseen the changes the summer of 1952 would bring. Cramming for her final exams on her family's farm on the Norfolk coast, Verity Frost feels trapped between past and present: the devotion of her childhood friend Arthur, just returned from National Service, and her strange new desire to escape. When Verity meets Jack, a charismatic American pilot, he seems to offer the glamour and adventure she so craves, and Arthur becomes determined to uncover the dirt beneath his rival's glossy sheen. As summer turns to winter, a devastating storm hits the coast, flooding the land and altering everything in its path. In this new, watery landscape, Verity's tangled web of secrets, lies and passion will bring about a crime that will change all their lives forever. Praise for The Night of the Flood: 'Evocative, glorious and tragic' Melanie Golding 'A taut, impressive debut' Neil Hegarty 'Atmospheric and haunting' Emma Stonex 'A compelling story about love and friendship, secrets and betrayal' Anna-Marie Crowhurst
Nightwanderers
Author: C. J. Flood
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0857078062
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 283
Book Description
A stunning, sad and darkly funny story about intense female friendship, from award-winning author, C. J. Flood. It all started with a poo in a flowerbed. Rosie and Titania are as close as sisters - closer, in fact. While Rosie is shy, red-faced and passive, Ti is big, tough and daring. They shouldn't be friends, but they are. Creeping out at night, the girls love to secretly wander through their coastal town, exploring empty streets and sharing their frustrations about school and their different, but equally difficult, families. But when Rosie betrays Ti, the two girls run in different directions - making decisions that could do irreparable damage to both of their lives. As Rosie confronts harsh truths, she must find a way back to Ti, and to herself. Whenever I heard the word kindred, I thought of me and Ti. ‘Flood has a talent for contemporary detail, voice and atmosphere’ The Sunday Times 'Emotionally powerful' Guardian ‘Brilliantly evocative…sharp and funny’ The Scotsman ? Praise for Infinite Sky: 'Extraordinarily powerful . . . brilliantly visual and full of feeling' Guardian 'Every character is drawn with sympathy, economy and assurance' Amanda Craig, The Times 'Loved by young adult journalists, CJ Flood's debut novel is also a burgeoning hit among adult readers' Stylist 'A beautiful, delicate debut' Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall 'Infinite Sky is terrific - moving, original and heartfelt. I loved it.' Terence Blacker 'A beautifully written, poignant account of first love, so full of delightfully recognisable moments, it will have grown-ups welling up too' Irish Times magazine 'Strong debut . . . one to watch' The Bookseller
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0857078062
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 283
Book Description
A stunning, sad and darkly funny story about intense female friendship, from award-winning author, C. J. Flood. It all started with a poo in a flowerbed. Rosie and Titania are as close as sisters - closer, in fact. While Rosie is shy, red-faced and passive, Ti is big, tough and daring. They shouldn't be friends, but they are. Creeping out at night, the girls love to secretly wander through their coastal town, exploring empty streets and sharing their frustrations about school and their different, but equally difficult, families. But when Rosie betrays Ti, the two girls run in different directions - making decisions that could do irreparable damage to both of their lives. As Rosie confronts harsh truths, she must find a way back to Ti, and to herself. Whenever I heard the word kindred, I thought of me and Ti. ‘Flood has a talent for contemporary detail, voice and atmosphere’ The Sunday Times 'Emotionally powerful' Guardian ‘Brilliantly evocative…sharp and funny’ The Scotsman ? Praise for Infinite Sky: 'Extraordinarily powerful . . . brilliantly visual and full of feeling' Guardian 'Every character is drawn with sympathy, economy and assurance' Amanda Craig, The Times 'Loved by young adult journalists, CJ Flood's debut novel is also a burgeoning hit among adult readers' Stylist 'A beautiful, delicate debut' Nathan Filer, author of The Shock of the Fall 'Infinite Sky is terrific - moving, original and heartfelt. I loved it.' Terence Blacker 'A beautifully written, poignant account of first love, so full of delightfully recognisable moments, it will have grown-ups welling up too' Irish Times magazine 'Strong debut . . . one to watch' The Bookseller
The Valley and the Flood
Author: Rebecca Mahoney
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593114353
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
"A tense and beautiful tale about the monsters we make and the memories that haunt us." —Kate Alice Marshall, author of I Am Still Alive and Rules for Vanishing Rose Colter is almost home, but she can't go back there yet. When her car breaks down in the Nevada desert, the silence of the night is broken by a radio broadcast of a voicemail message from her best friend, Gaby. A message Rose has listened to countless times over the past year. The last one Gaby left before she died. So Rose follows the lights from the closest radio tower to Lotus Valley, a small town where prophets are a dime a dozen, secrets lurk in every shadow, and the diner pie is legendary. And according to Cassie Cyrene, the town's third most accurate prophet, they've been waiting for her. Because Rose's arrival is part of a looming prophecy, one that says a flood will destroy Lotus Valley in just three days' time. Rose believes if the prophecy comes true then it will confirm her worst fear—the PTSD she was diagnosed with after Gaby's death has changed her in ways she can't face. So with help from new friends, Rose sets out to stop the flood, but her connection to it, and to this strange little town, runs deeper than she could've imagined. Debut author Rebecca Mahoney delivers an immersive and captivating novel about magical places, found family, the power of grief and memory, and the journey toward reconciling who you think you've become with the person you've been all along.
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0593114353
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 370
Book Description
"A tense and beautiful tale about the monsters we make and the memories that haunt us." —Kate Alice Marshall, author of I Am Still Alive and Rules for Vanishing Rose Colter is almost home, but she can't go back there yet. When her car breaks down in the Nevada desert, the silence of the night is broken by a radio broadcast of a voicemail message from her best friend, Gaby. A message Rose has listened to countless times over the past year. The last one Gaby left before she died. So Rose follows the lights from the closest radio tower to Lotus Valley, a small town where prophets are a dime a dozen, secrets lurk in every shadow, and the diner pie is legendary. And according to Cassie Cyrene, the town's third most accurate prophet, they've been waiting for her. Because Rose's arrival is part of a looming prophecy, one that says a flood will destroy Lotus Valley in just three days' time. Rose believes if the prophecy comes true then it will confirm her worst fear—the PTSD she was diagnosed with after Gaby's death has changed her in ways she can't face. So with help from new friends, Rose sets out to stop the flood, but her connection to it, and to this strange little town, runs deeper than she could've imagined. Debut author Rebecca Mahoney delivers an immersive and captivating novel about magical places, found family, the power of grief and memory, and the journey toward reconciling who you think you've become with the person you've been all along.
The Flood
Author: Ian Rankin
Publisher: Speaking Volumes
ISBN: 1628158484
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
"One of Britain's leading novelists in any genre"—New Statesman Mary Miller has always been an outcast. As a young girl she had fallen into the hot burn—a torrent of warm chemical run-off from the local coal mine. Fished out white-haired and half-dead, she was initially treated with sympathy. But all that changed when the young man who pushed her in died in an accident down the mines just two days later. From then on she was regarded with a mixture of suspicion and fascination by her God-fearing community. Now, many years later she is hardly less alone. She is the mother of a bastard son, Sandy, and caught up in a faltering affair with a local schoolteacher. Sandy, meanwhile, has fallen in love with a strange homeless girl. But the search for happiness isn't easy. Both mother and son are gradually being forced to come to terms with the past and a dark secret from Mary's childhood. All this in the growing knowledge that their small dramas are being played out against a much larger canvas, glimpsed only in symbols and flickering images—of decay and regrowth, of fire and water—of the flood. The Flood is both a coming-of-age novel and an amazing portrait of a time and place. Proto-Rankin as it is, it's dark, atmospheric and powerful—a remarkable debut from a remarkable author . . . "No one writes more gripping stories than Rankin"—Times Literary Supplement "Arguable Scotland's finest living writer"—The Times "Rankin is a master of his craft"—Independent On Sunday
Publisher: Speaking Volumes
ISBN: 1628158484
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
"One of Britain's leading novelists in any genre"—New Statesman Mary Miller has always been an outcast. As a young girl she had fallen into the hot burn—a torrent of warm chemical run-off from the local coal mine. Fished out white-haired and half-dead, she was initially treated with sympathy. But all that changed when the young man who pushed her in died in an accident down the mines just two days later. From then on she was regarded with a mixture of suspicion and fascination by her God-fearing community. Now, many years later she is hardly less alone. She is the mother of a bastard son, Sandy, and caught up in a faltering affair with a local schoolteacher. Sandy, meanwhile, has fallen in love with a strange homeless girl. But the search for happiness isn't easy. Both mother and son are gradually being forced to come to terms with the past and a dark secret from Mary's childhood. All this in the growing knowledge that their small dramas are being played out against a much larger canvas, glimpsed only in symbols and flickering images—of decay and regrowth, of fire and water—of the flood. The Flood is both a coming-of-age novel and an amazing portrait of a time and place. Proto-Rankin as it is, it's dark, atmospheric and powerful—a remarkable debut from a remarkable author . . . "No one writes more gripping stories than Rankin"—Times Literary Supplement "Arguable Scotland's finest living writer"—The Times "Rankin is a master of his craft"—Independent On Sunday
The Flood Girls
Author: Richard Fifield
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1476797390
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
"Welcome to Quinn, Montana, population: 956. A town where nearly all of the volunteer firemen are named Jim, where The Dirty Shame--the only bar in town--refuses to serve mixed drinks (too much work), where the locals hate the newcomers (then again, they hate the locals, too), and where the town softball team has never even come close to having a winning season. Until now. Rachel Flood has snuck back into town after leaving behind a trail of chaos nine years prior. She's here to make amends, but nobody wants to hear it, especially her mother Laverna. But with the help of a local boy named Jake and a little soul-searching, she just might make things right."--Amazon.com.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1476797390
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 352
Book Description
"Welcome to Quinn, Montana, population: 956. A town where nearly all of the volunteer firemen are named Jim, where The Dirty Shame--the only bar in town--refuses to serve mixed drinks (too much work), where the locals hate the newcomers (then again, they hate the locals, too), and where the town softball team has never even come close to having a winning season. Until now. Rachel Flood has snuck back into town after leaving behind a trail of chaos nine years prior. She's here to make amends, but nobody wants to hear it, especially her mother Laverna. But with the help of a local boy named Jake and a little soul-searching, she just might make things right."--Amazon.com.
Flood!
Author: Eric Drooker
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN: 9781593076764
Category : Comic books, strips, etc
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
An American Book Award winner and an Editor's Choice of the New York Times, Flood! is the powerful first graphic novel by Eric Drooker, frequent cover artist for the New Yorker. Flood! is a modern novel written in the ancient language of pictures, with an expressionist, film noir edge. This definitive edition' of Flood! is a unique record of our country's turbulent past - and corporate present - and a must-read for students of graphic storytelling. This third edition also features a new cover by Drooker and a complete re-design.'
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics
ISBN: 9781593076764
Category : Comic books, strips, etc
Languages : en
Pages : 0
Book Description
An American Book Award winner and an Editor's Choice of the New York Times, Flood! is the powerful first graphic novel by Eric Drooker, frequent cover artist for the New Yorker. Flood! is a modern novel written in the ancient language of pictures, with an expressionist, film noir edge. This definitive edition' of Flood! is a unique record of our country's turbulent past - and corporate present - and a must-read for students of graphic storytelling. This third edition also features a new cover by Drooker and a complete re-design.'
After the Flood
Author: Kassandra Montag
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062889397
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 414
Book Description
A Chicago Tribune Best Book of the Year An inventive and riveting epic saga, After the Flood signals the arrival of an extraordinary new talent. A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water. Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her oldest daughter, Row, who was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Then, in a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra suddenly discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Throwing aside her usual caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there. On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship and Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers. A compulsively readable novel of dark despair and soaring hope, After the Flood is a magnificent, action packed, and sometimes frightening odyssey laced with wonder—an affecting and wholly original saga both redemptive and astonishing.
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 0062889397
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 414
Book Description
A Chicago Tribune Best Book of the Year An inventive and riveting epic saga, After the Flood signals the arrival of an extraordinary new talent. A little more than a century from now, our world has been utterly transformed. After years of slowly overtaking the continent, rising floodwaters have obliterated America’s great coastal cities and then its heartland, leaving nothing but an archipelago of mountaintop colonies surrounded by a deep expanse of open water. Stubbornly independent Myra and her precocious seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, fish from their small boat, the Bird, visiting dry land only to trade for supplies and information in the few remaining outposts of civilization. For seven years, Myra has grieved the loss of her oldest daughter, Row, who was stolen by her father after a monstrous deluge overtook their home in Nebraska. Then, in a violent confrontation with a stranger, Myra suddenly discovers that Row was last seen in a far-off encampment near the Arctic Circle. Throwing aside her usual caution, Myra and Pearl embark on a perilous voyage into the icy northern seas, hoping against hope that Row will still be there. On their journey, Myra and Pearl join forces with a larger ship and Myra finds herself bonding with her fellow seekers who hope to build a safe haven together in this dangerous new world. But secrets, lust, and betrayals threaten their dream, and after their fortunes take a shocking—and bloody—turn, Myra can no longer ignore the question of whether saving Row is worth endangering Pearl and her fellow travelers. A compulsively readable novel of dark despair and soaring hope, After the Flood is a magnificent, action packed, and sometimes frightening odyssey laced with wonder—an affecting and wholly original saga both redemptive and astonishing.
The Dark Flood Rises
Author: Margaret Drabble
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 0374715769
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
“This humane and masterly novel by one of Britain’s most dazzling writers is . . . a praisesong for the magical human predicament.” —Cynthia Ozick, The New York Times Book Review A highly regarded expert on housing for the elderly who is herself getting on in age, Francesca Stubbs drives “restlessly round England,” which is “her last love . . . She wants to see it all before she dies.” Amid the professional conferences that dominate her schedule, she fits in visits to old friends, brings home cooked dinners to her ailing ex-husband, texts her son, who is grieving over the shocking death of his girlfriend, and drops in on her daughter, a quirky young woman who lives in a flood plain in the West Country. Fran’s intimate struggle against mortality is set within the dramas of her private world, and against the tumult of the world at large. For her friends and family in Britain, the flood tides are rising. For an expat community in the seemingly idyllic Canary Islands, there is always the potential for a seismic event. Meanwhile, migrants are fleeing an increasingly war-torn Middle East. Margaret Drabble’s latest enthralls, entertains, and asks existential questions in equal measure. Alas, there is undeniable truth in Fran’s insight: “Old age, it’s a fucking disaster!” A New York Times Notable Book One of the Washington Post’s 50 Notable Works of Fiction in 2017
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 0374715769
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 321
Book Description
“This humane and masterly novel by one of Britain’s most dazzling writers is . . . a praisesong for the magical human predicament.” —Cynthia Ozick, The New York Times Book Review A highly regarded expert on housing for the elderly who is herself getting on in age, Francesca Stubbs drives “restlessly round England,” which is “her last love . . . She wants to see it all before she dies.” Amid the professional conferences that dominate her schedule, she fits in visits to old friends, brings home cooked dinners to her ailing ex-husband, texts her son, who is grieving over the shocking death of his girlfriend, and drops in on her daughter, a quirky young woman who lives in a flood plain in the West Country. Fran’s intimate struggle against mortality is set within the dramas of her private world, and against the tumult of the world at large. For her friends and family in Britain, the flood tides are rising. For an expat community in the seemingly idyllic Canary Islands, there is always the potential for a seismic event. Meanwhile, migrants are fleeing an increasingly war-torn Middle East. Margaret Drabble’s latest enthralls, entertains, and asks existential questions in equal measure. Alas, there is undeniable truth in Fran’s insight: “Old age, it’s a fucking disaster!” A New York Times Notable Book One of the Washington Post’s 50 Notable Works of Fiction in 2017
Johnstown Flood
Author: David McCullough
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416561226
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 308
Book Description
The stunning story of one of America’s great disasters, a preventable tragedy of Gilded Age America, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough. At the end of the nineteenth century, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a booming coal-and-steel town filled with hardworking families striving for a piece of the nation’s burgeoning industrial prosperity. In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been hastily rebuilt to create a lake for an exclusive summer resort patronized by the tycoons of that same industrial prosperity, among them Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon. Despite repeated warnings of possible danger, nothing was done about the dam. Then came May 31, 1889, when the dam burst, sending a wall of water thundering down the mountain, smashing through Johnstown, and killing more than 2,000 people. It was a tragedy that became a national scandal. Graced by David McCullough’s remarkable gift for writing richly textured, sympathetic social history, The Johnstown Flood is an absorbing, classic portrait of life in nineteenth-century America, of overweening confidence, of energy, and of tragedy. It also offers a powerful historical lesson for our century and all times: the danger of assuming that because people are in positions of responsibility they are necessarily behaving responsibly.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1416561226
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 308
Book Description
The stunning story of one of America’s great disasters, a preventable tragedy of Gilded Age America, brilliantly told by master historian David McCullough. At the end of the nineteenth century, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a booming coal-and-steel town filled with hardworking families striving for a piece of the nation’s burgeoning industrial prosperity. In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been hastily rebuilt to create a lake for an exclusive summer resort patronized by the tycoons of that same industrial prosperity, among them Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon. Despite repeated warnings of possible danger, nothing was done about the dam. Then came May 31, 1889, when the dam burst, sending a wall of water thundering down the mountain, smashing through Johnstown, and killing more than 2,000 people. It was a tragedy that became a national scandal. Graced by David McCullough’s remarkable gift for writing richly textured, sympathetic social history, The Johnstown Flood is an absorbing, classic portrait of life in nineteenth-century America, of overweening confidence, of energy, and of tragedy. It also offers a powerful historical lesson for our century and all times: the danger of assuming that because people are in positions of responsibility they are necessarily behaving responsibly.