alisonlcohn's review

Go to review page

reflective slow-paced

2.0

Not Larson's best.

book_concierge's review

Go to review page

5.0

5***** and a ❤

What an extraordinary read - a page-turner about weather! But then, the hurricane that destroyed Galveston was the most deadly disaster to ever strike the United States (and still is). Larson brings the drama to life while conveying the calm of ignorance and the unbelievable loss afterwards. Very well researched. The personal stories really brought it to life. There is some detailed scientific data here, but the basic plot is gripping.

I was lucky to hear Larson speak when he was on the book tour. He talked specifically about the scene when the water surges from ankle-deep to shoulder-deep in a moment, and he(Larson) thought - "My children are all under 4 feet tall; they would have drowned." Larson personalized the story by giving this thought (and others) to Isaac himself.

(I couldn't help but think of this book in 2008 with Hurricane Ike bearing down on Galveston, yet again.)

lexnowling58's review

Go to review page

dark informative sad medium-paced

5.0

blumoongirl's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Meh.
Opinion is based on my inability to stay interested in minute detail of a topic I only have mediocre interest in to start with. If you enjoy that sort of thing-and you are a weather buff-definitely give this a try.

alidottie's review

Go to review page

4.0

I had never even heard of thiw hurricane till Katrina. Now that Ike has once again hit Galveston I am interested in what it was like this time. Anyone who read this book would have left aGalveston far behind at the chance of a hurricane coming their way. I felt like I was in the hurricane reading the survivors tragic experiences quoted in this book.

literary_heather's review against another edition

Go to review page

informative fast-paced

3.5

booksarebreadcrumbs's review

Go to review page

adventurous informative reflective sad tense

3.5

Not as captivating at the other books I’ve read by Larson. I found the weather and climate science at the beginning a little boring, but the intense accounts of the storm almost made up for it. Still worth a read.

colleengeedrumm's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

A dream is the fulfillment of a wish.

If I owned Texas and hell, I'd rent out Texas and live in hell.

book_reader_lover's review

Go to review page

adventurous informative tense fast-paced

4.5

I just don't think anyone beats Erik Larson in nonfiction telling today.  I always find his books fascinating and end up learning things I never did.  Isaac's Storm is no different.  It is about the deadliest hurricane to ever hit America.  It happened 105 years before Katherine, in 1900 in Galveston, Texas.  The hurricane killed thousands and demolished the city.  Some say had it not been for the hurricane, Galveston may have been as big as Houston and as important.  Larson looks at a meteorologist Isaac Cline and the deadliest hurricane.   It seems in those days, men had thought that they had reached the limits of science and that they were immune to nature's power.  A very compelling, vivid true story of life and death.

#libbyapp #audiobook #carlislepubliclibrary #lonokecountylibrarysystem #eriklarson #isaacsstorm #readaway2024 #alphabetchallenge2024

appletater97's review

Go to review page

dark informative sad tense

5.0