Enter the eye of the storm in this gripping real-life thriller--A Perfect Storm on land--that chronicles America's biggest tornado outbreak since the beginning of recorded weather: a horrific three-day superstorm with 358 separate tornadoes touching down in twenty-one states and destroying entire towns.April 27, 2011 was the climax of a three-day superstorm that unleashed terror from Arkansas to New York. Entire communities were flattened, whole neighborhoods erased. Tornadoes left scars across the land so wide they could be seen from space. But from terrible destruction emerged everyday heroes--neighbors and strangers who rescued each other from hell on earth. "Armchair storm chasers will find much to savor in this grippingly detailed, real-time chronicle of nature gone awry" (Kirkus Reviews) set in Alabama, the heart of Dixie Alley where there are more tornado fatalities than anywhere else in the US. With powerful emotion and captivating detail, journalist Kim Cross expertly weaves together science and heartrending human stories. For some, it's a story of survival; for others it's the story of their last hours. Cross's immersive reporting and dramatic storytelling catapult you to the center of the very worst hit areas, where thousands of ordinary people witnessed the sky falling around them. Yet from the disaster rises a redemptive message that's just as real: in times of trouble, the things that tear our world apart reveal what holds us together.
Simply brilliant. Much better than the average weather or disaster book.
Published by Tj2wheelie , 2 years ago
You don’t have to be a weather nerd to enjoy this roller coaster ride of a book. With just enough background information to get you invested in the very real characters. And just enough science to help explain why the April 27 outbreak and how it developed but not too science-y to turn off the casual reader.
I know from an interview that Ms Cross spent many hours cross referencing tv coverage of the outbreak with social media posts and comments from survivors and victims alike to get the timeline of the many events right. The use of texts, social media posts allows the unique experience of “hearing” victims who are no longer here to tell us their stories. Ms cross also weaves the results of many interviews- from meteorologists to survivors to families of victims to tell of the terrible day as well as the lead up to it and the sometimes tragic stories of the widely varied characters
Great handy table of contents and index. A great touch is the dedication at the end.
The best weather event book I’ve ever read, and there’s plenty of untapped material for a follow up book on areas and people in Alabama affected by this day.
An easy read for a difficult subject
Published by Jay Kay , 2 years ago
Each chapter unfolds different perspectives on these tragic real-world disasters. The writing is visceral and transports you to the world so easily, tugging on the empathic heart strings. The sympathy I developed reading this, for a College Level Weather class of all places, had me eating up the story and ending on a note in favor of humanity coming together.
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