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Indlæser... The Day the World Endedaf Gordon Thomas, Max Morgan-Witts
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Bliv medlem af LibraryThing for at finde ud af, om du vil kunne lide denne bog. Der er ingen diskussionstråde på Snak om denne bog. I added this book to my shelf after a friend had reviewed it. Last week while helping out at the library, I found it in the pile of books they were pulling from the shelves. I sat down and opened it up and the next time I looked up an hour and half had lapsed. This is a riveting, day by day, account of the eruption of Pelee in 1902. Published in 1969, this book has stood the test of time. It reads more like an engrossing novel then a non-fictional account written by two news reporters. The research that went into this book is evident. The story combines the everyday emotions and lives of the people living below the mountain, in St. Pierre. The authors also include all of the turmoil that was occurring: vodoo worshipers, the political motives, the involvement (or non-involvement) of the Catholic Church. So many lives were lost due to inaction by so many people. Insects and snakes invaded the town, even they were smart enough to come down off the mountain and "get out of Dodge". Political motives fueled those in charge and no evacuation orders were issued. Approximately 30,000 souls were lost, and an entire town wiped off the map. The Day the World Ended is the compelling story of the most lethal volcanic eruptions of the 20th Century. St Pierre on the French island of Martinique was, at 30,000 people, the largest city on the island and the location of the Governor's Palace. The book follows the course of events from mid-April to May 8th, when St. Pierre, and virtually all of its residents, ceased to exist. The book continues on, following the aftermath of the few survivors. An excellent work. ingen anmeldelser | tilføj en anmeldelse
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The true story of a horrifying natural disaster--and the corruption that made it worse--by the New York Times-bestselling authors of Voyage of the Damned. In late April 1902, Mount Pelée, a volcano on the Caribbean island Martinique, began to wake up. It emitted clouds of ash and smoke for two weeks until violently erupting on May 8. Over 30,000 residents of St. Pierre were killed; they burned to death under rivers of hot lava and suffocated under pounds of hot ash. Only three people managed to survive: a prisoner trapped in a dungeon-like jail cell, a man on the outskirts of town, and a young girl found floating unconscious in a boat days later. So how did a town of thousands not heed the warnings of nature and local scientists, instead staying behind to perish in the onslaught of volcanic ash? Why did the newspapers publish articles assuring readers that the volcano was harmless? And why did the authorities refuse to allow the American Consul to contact Washington about the conditions? The answer lies in politics: With an election on the horizon, the political leaders of Martinique ignored the welfare of their people in order to consolidate the votes they needed to win. A gripping and informative book on the disastrous effects of a natural disaster coupled with corruption, The Day the World Ended reveals the story of a city engulfed in flames and the political leaders that chose to kill their people rather than give up their political power. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Indlæser... GenrerMelvil Decimal System (DDC)972.98History and Geography North America Mexico, Central America, West Indies, Bermuda West Indies (Antilles) and Bermuda; Caribbean Windward Islands and other southern islandsLC-klassificeringVurderingGennemsnit:
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The authors employ the technique of weaving together individual stories with descriptions of the bigger picture. The narrative is strictly a historical account and is light on scientific explanations, but it is very readable and flows nicely. The authors provide an extensive bibliography, but no footnotes relating content to sources. I had not read anything about this disaster previously and feel I learned a great deal. ( )