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 … 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.
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I enjoyed reading this book. I not only learned about the devastation in 1900, but how politics played such a large part in putting Galveston at risk.
Great historical information.
Excellent, well written book. As a one time resident of Galveston who was happy NOT to experience a hurricane during my time there I found it fascinating.
This is one of the best books I have read on the Great Gulf Hurricane at the turn of the 20th century. IMHO was better than Erik Larson’s book probably because I am a weather geek and loved his explanations of how the storm was forming and moving. It also covers the terrible devastation just like Larson’s book, but Storm of the Century was more intersting to me.
Wow, if this would happen today the climate change zealots would be ecstatic. This was a bad storm.
I read Isaac’s Storm by Erik Larson. This goes into much more depth of the citizens that lived through the storm and how they survived.
A very informative and well written book
My favorite book on the 1900 Galveston hurricane is “A Weekend in September,” because the author wrote in the ‘50s after interviewing survivors and families, and interwove those stories brilliantly. Something about the people stories has me, and Ive read it a few times.
That said, this is a GREAT complement book! Al Roker focuses on weather-related factors, U.S. weather service mistakes, and the news reporting factors that brought together nationwide and worldwide relief efforts on Galveston’s behalf. He captures the outside dimensions of the story, and they’re VERY interesting. Good read!
A wonderfully done history of the 1900 Galveston hurricane.
A very interesting and easy-to-read description of the worst hurricane to hit the US prior to the 21st century. Because Al Roker is a meterologist, he is able to give the scientific reasons behind some of the events while still bringing the human element to life.
I was captivated by the personal dramas the author uses to tell the story as well as the almost unimaginable scope of the storm. A great read!
A very thoroughly researched and multi-faceted view of this tragic hurricane. Includes compelling personal stories, understandable explanations of the weather phenomena involved, and how arrogance and even racism resulted in the flawed forecasting of the event – leading to needless and massive loss of life. The enormity of the recovery effort was especially gripping, and inspirational. Read it in just a few sittings!
Great history of nature versus the stupidity of governmental pooh-bahs. Nature won and Galveston lost. Excellent details of what actually happened to people as a hurricane destroyed the city. Also, the best explanation of weather terms I’ve found. High recommended.
Very good read very informative
This book brings home the experience of being in Galveston prior to and during the hurricane. Where Erik Larsen peaks interest in the subject by exposing the historical relationships between the development of the telegraph and Isaac Cline’s meteorological career and decisions surrounding this hurricane, Al Roker brings the reality of the hurricane into your home.
This book also lays out very clearly why there was no warning even though Cuba tried to tell us and the continued racism that allowed for ongoing denial of responsibility by US Government and military long after the event.
By drawing on the first hand experiences of survivors and making the weather information easy to understand but not overly abundant, The Storm of the Century is compelling, informative, personal, and easy to read.
Al Roker has written a very easy-to-read and informative book. Great story teller. Oh that we’ve all heard of the great hurricane in Galveston in 1900, not many of us know the intricacies that happened during this horrible time.
I thought the book was boring. Too much detail about weather instruments, etc. I did finish it however. Very tragic what happened but would probably be more suitable to a future weatherman.
This is an interesting story of the destruction of Galveston caused by a hurricane in 1900. Al Roker has done his homework and told a good story and filled many gaps in my understanding of why Galveston was not warned about the hurricane. There was some repetition and I thought it could have been shortened without leaving anything out, but if you can cut Al some slack for not being a great writer, you will enjoy what he wants to teach you.
Very informative of how politics and pig pigheadedness overruled common sense. This book will keep you turning the pages, so make sure you have your chores done before you start it.
Well worth the read.
Fascinating story. Written well and an easy read.