Description
Book Synopsis: 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.
Details
The Johnstown Flood is not just a book, but a gripping tale of one of America's greatest disasters. Penned by master historian David McCullough, this book takes us back to the late nineteenth century, when Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a thriving coal-and-steel town. Filled with hardworking families striving for their share of the nation's industrial prosperity, it was a place where dreams were born.
But amidst this boom, danger lurked in the mountains above Johnstown. An old earth dam, rebuilt hastily to create a lake for the privileged patrons of an exclusive summer resort, posed a threat that went ignored. The likes of Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon enjoyed their leisure while turning a blind eye to the repeated warnings. Then, on that fateful day of May 31, 1889, disaster struck. The dam burst, unleashing a torrential wall of water that tore through Johnstown, claiming the lives of over 2,000 people.
David McCullough's impeccable storytelling skills transport us to nineteenth-century America, a time marked by ambition, confidence, and tragedy. The Johnstown Flood serves as a classic portrait of life back then, with vivid descriptions of the hopeful energy that drove the nation's progress. It's a compelling reminder that those in positions of responsibility are not always responsible. McCullough's narrative not only captivates but also imparts a powerful historical lesson that is relevant now as it was then.
Don't miss out on this extraordinary piece of history. Get your hands on The Johnstown Flood today and immerse yourself in an era that shaped our nation. Learn from the mistakes of the past and gain a deeper understanding of the consequences that can arise when negligence triumphs over caution.
Click here to order The Johnstown Flood now!
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