Spring is in the air

Once Spring arrives, the mood in the air changes. You see more smiling faces and hear more laughter. The library offers multiple kinds of books to keep you in good spirits. Whether you are looking for true stories, fictional adventures, or just plain, old romance, then the library is the place to be-either in person or digitally.

Some great reads for true story lovers are:

Oogy: the Dog Only a Family Could Love by Larry Levin--a tale about a puppy that endured so much and the family who loved him unconditionally.

The Secret History of Jane Eyre by John Pfordresher--follows how the author Charlotte Bronte wrote her classic novel and concealed that fact from her closest friends so as not to reveal her own personal struggles.

We: A Manifesto for Women Everywhere by Gillian Anderson--inspires women to use practical, spiritual, and psychological tools to create a more fulfilling life.










For you fiction lovers:

We were the lucky ones by Georgia Hunter--a novel based on a true story of a Jewish family in Poland that were scattered throughout the world by WWII and their quest to find each other.

All Grown Up by Jamie Attenberg--is about an alcoholic designer that hides her unhappiness and anxiety from her family and friends until a newborn's illness forces them to re-evaluate their lives.

The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova--follows an American tourist in Bulgaria and her efforts to return a mysterious package to the family she shared a cab with.










And finally, for those of you who feel romance in the air:

The Undateable by Sarah Title--is a fun tale about an "undateable" librarian who agrees to let a reporter find her "perfect match".

Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shavis--follows a guy unwilling to commit to his girl but who sabotages her dates with others.

Someone to Hold by Mary Balogh--is about a woman who leaves London to teach at an orphanage and the artist who awakens something new in her.











So open your mind and try a different genre this Spring. You never know, you might like it.

2017 Book To Movie Adaptations

2017 has already had a few book-to-movie adaptations such as: "Logan", "The Shack", and "Beauty and the Beast".  The following highlights the others coming out later this year.  The library has all the books so you can compare and find out for yourself whether or not the book is better than the movie.

Already Released

"Before I Fall" based on the young adult novel by Lauren Oliver.

"The Sense of an Ending" based on the book by Julian Barnes.

3/31--"The Zookeeper's Wife" based on the book by Diane Ackerman about the true story of zoo owners who saved hundreds of Warsaw Jews during WWII.

4/7--"Wonder" based on the kid's book by R. J. Palacio about a young boy with a facial deformity and his struggle for acceptance.

Upcoming Releases

4/21--"The Lost City of Z" based on the book by David Grann--about a British explorer who disappeared in 1925 while searching for an Amazon civilization.

4/28--"The Circle" based on the book by Dave Eggers about young woman who works for a giant tech company and the scary things that happen.

5/5--"The Dinner" based on the book by Herman Koch about two sets of parents struggling with the horrible crime their teen sons have committed.

5/19--"Diary of a Wimpy Kid Long Haul" based on the kid's book by Jeff Kinney.

5/19--"Everything, Everything" based on the young adult novel by Nicola Yoon about a quarantined girl, allergic to everything, who falls for her neighbor.

6/2--"Captain Underpants" based on the kid's book by Dav Pilkey.

6/2--The Wonder Woman movie based on DC Comics series The New 52.

7/14--"My Cousin Rachel" based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier about an Englishman and his mysterious cousin who may be a murderess.

7/21--"Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" based on the French comic series Valerian and Laureline.

7/28--"Atomic Blonde" based on the book The Coldest City by Antony Johnston.

7/28--"The Dark Tower-The Gunslinger" based on the fantasy epic by Stephen King about Roland Deschain's struggle to preserve his dying world.

9/8--"It" based on the horror novel by Stephen King about seven adults who return home to confront an evil from their childhoods.

10/13--"The Snowman" based on the Norwegian detective thriller by Jo Nesbo.

10/20--"The Mountain Between Us" based on the novel by Charles Martin about two plane crash victims who must survive the wilderness together.

10/20--"Same Kind of Different as Me" based on the book by Ron Hall.

10/27--"Thank You For Your Service" based on the book by David Finkel about how soldiers adjust to living back home after serving overseas.

11/22--"Murder On the Orient Express" based on the mystery by Agatha Christie.

Women in Sports

The library is highlighting our Sports and Fitness collection this month so pick up a few items today.
Women in sport have come a long way baby!  Title IX, which gave women equal opportunities in sports, was established in 1972.  Before Title IX, 1 in 27 women played sports.  Today, 2 in 5 women play sports!  Women's Sports Foundation's first president Donna de Varona, who herself was an Olympic gold medal swimmer, said "since 1972, thanks to increased funding and institutional opportunities, there has been a 545% increase in women playing college sports and a 990% increase in women playing high school sports."  You go girl! 

Try a few of the following books geared towards women:

She's Tough: Extreme Fitness Training for Women
Kylie Hatmaker
613.7045 Hatm

Roar: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology of Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life
Stacy T. Sims
613.711 Sims

Core Performance Women: Burn Fat and Build Lean Muscle
Mark Verstegen
613.7045 Vers


And if you need more proof that women athletes are here to stay, go no further than the 2016 Olympics where U. S. female athletes won 61 medals including 27 gold!  That's more than the U. S. men who won a total of 55.

2016 Dayton Literary Peace Prize Winners

The Dayton Literary Peace Prize (DLPP) began in 2006. The express mission of the award is to honor the advancement of peace through literature. The DLPP is the only annual literary award in the United States to take on this mission. Works of adult fiction and nonfiction promoting peace and humanity published within the past year are able to be nominated for cash prizes. It is a unique and prestigious award, and it is a Dayton original!
The 2016 winners of the DLPP offer an interesting range of subjects, which is not uncommon to the awards. Each year four books and one lifetime achievement winner are recognized.



Holbrooke Award Winner for Lifetime Achievement
This year Marilynne Robinson was selected to receive the Richard C. Holbrooke Lifetime Achievement award. Graceful and accomplished, ethical and humane, Robinson’s writing has for over thirty years reminded, encouraged, pushed, and sometimes prodded readers to do that right thing and, in the process, to become reacquainted with what a U.S. President (who would surely also have admired her work) called “the better angels of our nature.”

Fiction Winner
Viet Thanh Nguyen's debut novel The Sympathizer  is a profound, startling, and beautifully crafted story of a man of two minds, someone whose political beliefs clash with his individual loyalties. 
It is April 1975, and Saigon is in chaos. At his villa, a general of the South Vietnamese army is drinking whiskey and, with the help of his trusted captain, drawing up a list of those who will be given passage aboard the last flights out of the country. The general and his compatriots start a new life in Los Angeles, unaware that one among their number, the captain, is secretly observing and reporting on the group to a higher-up in the Viet Cong. A gripping spy novel, an astute exploration of extreme politics, and a moving love story, The Sympathizer explores a life between two worlds and examines the legacy of the Vietnam War in literature, film, and the wars we fight today.



Nonfiction Winner
Susan Southard wrote Nagasaki : Life After Nuclear War. Published on the seventieth anniversary of the bombing, Nagasaki takes readers from the morning of the bombing to the city today, telling the first-hand experiences of five survivors, all of whom were teenagers at the time of the devastation. Susan Southard has spent years interviewing hibakusha (“bomb-affected people”) and researching the physical, emotional, and social challenges of post-atomic life. She weaves together dramatic eyewitness accounts with searing analysis of the policies of censorship and denial that colored much of what was reported about the bombing both in the United States and Japan.A gripping narrative of human resilience, Nagasaki will help shape public discussion and debate over one of the most controversial wartime acts in history.

Fiction Runner-up
Delicious Foods by James Hannaham


Nonfiction Runner-up
Find me unafraid : love, loss, and hope in an African slum by Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner


To place holds on the books or view last year's winners, please check out our new Dayton Literary Peace Prize booklist.

For more information on the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, please go to daytonliterarypeaceprize.org.

Graphic Novels Are For Everyone! The Harlem Hellfighters

During the month of March, we are encouraging everyone to check out our graphic novel collection. We have titles for kids, teens, and adults—something for everyone. To do our part, Fine Print writers will be reviewing their favorites all through March. We hope you enjoy our selections and come see more of what your Library has to offer.

My selection this month is:  

The Harlem Hellfighters by Max Brooks, illustrated by Caanan White.

"In 1919, the 369th infantry regiment marched home triumphantly from World War I. They had spent more time in combat than any other American unit, never losing a foot of ground to the enemy, or a man to capture, and winning countless decorations. Though they returned as heroes, this African American unit faced tremendous discrimination, even from their own government. The Harlem Hellfighters, as the Germans called them, fought courageously on—and off—the battlefield to make Europe, and America, safe for democracy."  from the back cover.  

This graphic novel is special in several different ways:  it is about World War I, which is often overlooked by both writers and readers alike.  And it is about a part of African-American history that very few people know about.  It is full of action and violence and it will make you angry. It is also about courage, perseverance, and hope for a better future--without war and without racism.

Let graphic novels open your eyes to more than just super heroes!

The following men fought with the 369th:

Benjamin O. Davis Sr., first African-American
general (1941) in the US Armed Forces.

Hamilton Fish III, New York Congressman

Henry Johnson, first recipient of the
Croix de Guerre (French Cross of War).

Myles A. Paige, the first African American to
serve as a City Magistrate in New York City

Spotswood Poles, referred to as "the black Ty Cobb" for his prowess
in the professional Negro baseball leagues in the early 20th century.

November's In the Queue

November's In the Queue is filled with thrillers, magic, and a touch of the dramatic! Sit back and relax with these great novels.  

Fiction
The Japanese Lover: A Novel by Isabelle Allende
This is the impossible romance which bloomed between a Polish World War II survivor and a Japanese gardener's son. Theirs is a forbidden love after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Decades later, Alma's caregiver discovers love letters which span seventy years. Then she investigates this forbidden love. 

Bohemian Gospel by Dana Chamblee Carpenter
Thirteenth century Bohemia is a dangerous place for a young woman. Especially if you are as odd as Mouse.  This gripping and remarkable debut novel is the story of Mouse's quest to uncover her past and find her destiny with the help of King Ottakar.


New Books by Best-Selling Authors

The Guest Room: A Novel by Chris Bohjalian
House of the Rising Son: a Novel by James Lee Burke
The Promise: An Elvis Cole and Joe Pike Novel by Craig Crais
The Pharaoh's Secret: A Novel by Clive Cussler
The Mistletoe Inn: A Novel by Richard Paul Evans
Commander-in-Chief by Mark Greaney
Avenue of Mysteries: A Novel by John Irving
Born of Betrayal by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Secret Sisters by Jayne Anne Krentz
After She's Gone by Lisa Jackson
Private Paris by James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
A Christmas Escape by Anne Perry
See Me by Nicholas Sparks
Scandalous Behavior by Stuart Woods

Non-Fiction

Andy and Don: The Making of a Friendship by Daniel de Vise
Features extensive unpublished interviews with those closest to these two men and a powerful biography that celebrates the real-life friendship between Andy Griffiths and Don Knotts.

Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates by Brian Kilmeade
This pop-history narrative tells of a lesser known confrontation between the third president of the United States and Pasha, the Tripoli pirate who challenged his authority by attacking American ships.

But Enough About Me by Burt Reynolds
A no-holds-barred memoir that traces one of America's favorite actors from adolescence and the accident that led to his acting career.

Farewell Patches

My friend's beloved dog passed away this week. Patches lived a full life. He was a shelter dog who took everyone he met by storm. This includes his girlfriend's owner (yes, every now and then he would somehow climb a six foot high fence and wander to his girlfriend's home for a visit). How do you get upset with a dog who fetches anything you throw and keeps your child from running into the street to get a ball when a car is coming. Patches was a beloved family pet and a hero.

This booklist is in honor of great pets everywhere. 

Last Dog On the Hill by Steve Duno 
This is the moving story of the author's adopted rottweiler mix, a free-thinking heroic dog, who positively influenced everyone he met.  Lou is an amazing dog who won the respect of gang members, foiled an armed robbery, captured a rapist and comforted Alzheimer patients. 

A Dog Named Boo by Lisa J. Edwards
She thought she was rescuing a puppy; turns out he was rescuing her. An amazing story of how the dunce of obedience school, who has a clumsy gait and is nearly blind, became the best therapy dog around.

A Street Cat Named Bob and How He Saved My Life by James Bowen
This Never-to-be-forgotten story of friendship has charmed people across the globe. James is a street performer who found an injured cat. Nursed the cat to health and tried to send the cat on his way only to be showered by Bob's love and affection which changed James' life for good.

Homer's Odyssey by Gwen Cooper
The story of a blind kitten who steals the heart of everyone he meets and how he changed his owner into the woman she was destined to become. 

Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of An Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien
This is a thoroughly engaging, often funny and always heartwarming story about an owl that is capable of reason, play and above all love and loyalty. 

Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa
This unlikely hero wanders throughout the local nursing home bringing comfort to those who are about to die and their family. It is heartwarming, funny and simply a beautiful story about an amazing cat who allows everyone to embrace the last moments of their loved ones lives.  

Saving Cinnamon by Christine Sullivan
Navy reservist Mark Feffer's tour of duty in Afghanistan is brightened by Cinnamon, a stray dog who becomes the base mascot. When Mark trusts Cinnamon's care to a professional handler and she is lost. Mark does everything he can to bring her home. 

Sophie The Incredible True Adventures of the Castaway Dog by Emma Pearse
This is a tender, heartwarming story of a family's beloved pet, Sophie that is lost at sea; swims six miles through shark infested water; and survives alone on an isolated island for five months, until she is once again reunited with her family.  

Udderly Good Reads!

The cow is of the bovine ilk; one end is moo, the other milk.
--Ogden Nash

July 15th was Cow Appreciation Day!  No, really it was.  So, to help celebrate and honor our bovine friends (or just read cool cow books), try one of the following moo-tivating titles:

Going Bovine by Libba Bray--All 16-year-old Cam wants is to get through high school. It’s not a lot to ask. But that’s before he’s given some bad news: a terminal diagnosis of "mad cow" disease. Which totally sucks. Hope arrives in the winged form of Dulcie, a loopy punk angel/possible hallucination. She tells Cam there is a cure—if he’s willing to go in search of it. With the help of a death-obsessed, video-gaming dwarf and a yard gnome, Cam sets off on the mother of all road trips.

Till the Cows Come Home by Judy Clemens--Stella Crown works hard and loves her life. She runs her own dairy farm, rides her Harley on the weekends, and has enough friends to suit her just fine.  But on her 29th birthday, things start to change. A neighborhood child dies and a string of mysterious disasters place Stella and her farm in peril.  Stella must find her enemy before anyone else, including herself, ends up dead.

Holy Cow by David Duchovny--David Duchovny's witty fable about a cow, a pig and a turkey's hilarious and moving farm-break to save themselves from the cruelty of human consumption.

The Cow's Tale by Dorothy J. Franke--the true story of the author's life on a dairy farm, as a city girl married to a he-wants-to-be-a-farmer. Unfortunately for her, she had no background in farming so she had to learn everything the hard way.

Cows of Our Planet by Gary Larson--a Far Side Collection.

Apocalypse Cow by Michael Logan--If you think you've seen it all -- WORLD WAR Z, THE WALKING DEAD-- you haven't seen anything like this. From the twisted brain of Michael Logan comes Apocalypse Cow, a story about three unlikely heroes who must save Britain . . . from a rampaging horde of ZOMBIE COWS! Followed by World War Moo.

The Jesus Cow by Michael Perry--Life is suddenly full of drama for low-key Harley Jackson: A woman in a big red pickup has stolen his bachelor’s heart, a Hummer-driving predatory developer is threatening to pave the last vestiges of his family farm, and inside his barn is a calf bearing the image of Jesus Christ. 

The Complete Cow by Sara Rath--This is a lighthearted yet serious look at dairy and beef cows of the world.  From ancient myths to a breed encyclopedia to a whimsical look at the fun pop culture surrounding famous cows, this books has it all.   

Cow: a Bovine Bio by Florian Werner--She is everywhere: as a vehicle for both farmers and advertisers, a subject for research scientists and poets, and ever-present in the form of lucky charms, children's toys, or simply as a tasty sandwich-filler. The female of the bovine species is revered as sacred or reviled as stupid, but one thing she never inspires is indifference. Combining a myriad of richly entertaining anecdotes and an abundance of illuminating discoveries, Werner presents the curious cultural history of that most intriguing of animals: the cow.

Non-Fiction That Reads Like Fiction

A lot of fiction readers won't read non-fiction and vice versa.  Personally, I enjoy both--probably because I love history--but I really just like a good story.
There are several authors that you can always count on to write a good non-fiction book.  Bill Bryson (A Walk in the Woods), Malcolm Gladwell (Outliers), and Simon Winchester (Krakatoa) are sure bets for keeping you entertained and teaching you something at the same time.
For all of you fiction-only readers who want to broaden your horizons, then try one of the following.  These are great stories that just happen to be true.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt--murder mystery in Savannah.

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote--one of the first and best true crime books.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann--search for a mysterious city in the jungles of the Amazon.

The Aviators by Winston Groom--three legendary aviators and their lives.

Seabiscuit: an American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand--small racehorse that brought hope during the Great Depression.
Unbroken: a World War II Story of Survival... by Laura Hillenbrand--runner, soldier, POW, and inspirational survivor.

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer--young man's tragic journey.
Into Thin Air: a Personal Account... by Jon Krakauer--disaster on Mt. Everest.

Shadow Divers: The True Adventures... by Robert Kurson--scuba divers risk everything to solve a WWII mystery.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness... by Erik Larson--a serial killer on the loose at the 1893 Word's Fair.

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie

Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt--memoir of an Irish lad with a hard childhood.

Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard--President Garfield's life, murder, and legacy.

Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi--an inside look at women's lives in Revolutionary Iran.

Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach

Ghost Soldiers: the Epic Account... by Hampton Sides--a daring mission behind enemy lines to rescue American POWs in the Philippines.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot--is it legal or ethical to take a person's tissue without their consent or compensation?

Wild by Cheryl Strayed--a woman alone, hiking the Pacific Coast Trail.

My favorites are Unbroken and Into Thin Air.  What are some of yours?

Disaster Books: Hurricanes, Floods, and Tsumanis

1935 Hurricane Monument

I have been fascinated with true accounts of disasters since I was a little kid.  I don't think it's morbid curiosity.  I like the historical aspects, the compassionate feelings the tragedies invoke, the heroes and the villains, and the improvements that we as human beings, have created to try to counteract the forces of mother nature and our past hubris.  Plus, a good disaster book almost always keeps me on the edge of my seat and wanting to read more.

Since August will be the anniversary of four major tragedies, I thought I'd highlight the books and authors that are part of a genre called disaster books.  The definition according to Wikipedia is:

"Disaster books are a literary genre involving detailed descriptions of major historical disasters, often based on the historical records or personal testimonies of survivors. Since reportage of both natural disasters and man-made disasters is commonplace, authors tend to be journalists who develop their news reports into books."

This week we will be covering hurricanes, tsunamis, and floods.  Look for other types of disaster books in the following weeks.  Give these books and authors a try--you won't be disappointed.

Johnstown, PA After the Flood

The Johnstown Flood--Johnstown, PA--May 31, 1889--An elite hunting/fishing club neglected to repair the Johnstown Dam and ignored repeated warnings of leaks and possible failure. When the dam failed, it released a 40-foot-high, 1/2-mile-wide wall of water. Traveling at 40 mph, it swarmed over Johnstown and immediately killed approx. 2,000 people. It was so powerful that the body of one resident was found in Steubenville, OH--over 100 miles away.

--The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough

--The Johnstown Flood (DVD)

Galveston after Storm

The Galveston Hurricane--Galveston, TX--September 8, 1900--over 8000 people were killed--$700 million in damages.   It was the worst natural disaster in United States history.  A seawall was finally built to protect the island.

--Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson

--Galveston and the 1900 Storm: Catastrophe and Catalyst by Patricia B. Bixel

Downtown Dayton, 1913 Flood

The Great Dayton Flood--Dayton, Ohio and other cities in the Great Miami watershed--March 21-March 26, 1913--An estimated 360 people died and 65,000 were displaced.  Approx. 20,000 homes were destroyed and damages were over $2 billion.  It was the greatest natural disaster in Ohio history.  Since 1922, the Miami Conservancy District's flood control system has kept Dayton safe from floods over 1500 times.

Time of Terror: the Great Dayton Flood of 1913 by Allan W. Eckert

Washed Away: How the Great Flood of 1913... by Geoff Williams

Letters from the Attic: Stories from the Victims... by Scott D. Trost

Train Derailed by 1935 Hurricane

1935 Labor Day Hurricane--August 29-September 10, 1935--Category 5 storm--408-600 killed (mostly in the Florida Keys) and $104 million in damages.  It was the most intense hurricane to make landfall in the U. S. and the Atlantic Basin in recorded history.  The storm surge was 18-20 feet high with over 185 mph winds.  The memorial contains the ashes of approx. 300 of the victims and is made from the local Keys limestone. (keystone)

Storm of the Century: the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 by Willie Drye

Downtown Huntington, WV During 1937 Flood

The Ohio-Mississippi River Valley Flood of 1937--from Pittsburgh, PA to Cairo, IL--January 18-February 5, 1937--385 dead, 1 million left homeless, and $8 billion in damages.  National authorities created a flood control plan with over 70 storage reservoirs.  Completed in the early 1940s, it has reduced the Ohio River flood heights. 

The Thousand Year Flood: the Ohio-Mississippi Disaster of 1937 by David Welky

1938 Hurricane

The Great New England Hurricane of 1938--September 9-September 22, 1938--Category 5 storm--682-800 deaths and over $18 billion in damages.  It knocked down an estimated 2 billion trees in New York and New England.  Eastern Long Island was hit the worst and the storm was nicknamed "The Long Island Express."  It was so strong that it created 10 new inlets on E. Long Island.  Actress Katharine Hepburn narrowly escaped death from her home in Connecticut.

Great Hurricane: 1938 by Cherie Burns

Aftermath of 2004 Tsunami

2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami--18 countries affected--December 26, 2004--Over 220,000 people killed--1/3 of which were children.  500,000 people were injured and 5 million lost their homes and/or access to food and water.  Caused by a 10-second-long, 9.0 magnitude earthquake, the tsunami traveled 375 miles in 75 minutes at 300 mph.  The wave reached 33 ft high near the epicenter.  Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand had the most fatalities. Of the 5000 foreign tourists killed, Sweden lost the most people with 543 dead.  The deadliest tsunami in recorded history.

Wave by Sonali Deraniyagala

Wave of Destruction: the Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami by Erich Krauss

Tsunami: The Aftermath (DVD)

Tsunami, the Wave that Shook the World (DVD)

The Impossible (DVD) and (Blu-ray)

Hurricane Katrina--August 23-September 3, 2005--Over 1,800 people died and it caused $108 billion in damage.  It was the costliest natural disaster and one of the deadliest hurricanes in U. S. history.

Not Left Behind: Rescuing the Pets of New Orleans by (Best Friends Animal Society)

The Storm: What Went Wrong and Why... by Mike Bryan and Ivor Van Heerden

Flood of Lies: the St. Rita's Nursing Home Tragedy by James A. Cobb Jr.

Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital by Sheri Fink

Not Just the Levees Broke by Phyllis Montana-Leblanc

1 Dead in Attic by Chris Rose

2011 Tohoku, Japan Earthquake & Tsunami--March 11, 2011--Over 21,000 deaths, over 3000 missing, and over 27,000 injured.  Caused by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake--Waves reached a height of 133 ft and traveled 6 miles inland in some places.  Estimated $235 billion in damages which makes it the costliest natural disaster in world history.  The wave also caused a partial nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima power plant.  This makes it the 2nd largest nuclear disaster after Chernobyl.

Strong in the Rain: Surviving Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami, and Fukushima Nuclear Disaster by Lucy Birmingham

3.11: Disaster and Change in Japan by Richard J. Samuels

Disaster Books: Fires and Volcanoes

Ruins of Pompeii in the shadow of Mt Vesuvius

I have been fascinated with true accounts of disasters since I was a little kid.  It's not morbid curiosity.  I just like the historical aspects, the compassionate feelings the tragedies invoke, the heroes and the villains, and the improvements that we as human beings, have created to try to counteract the forces of mother nature and our past hubris.  Plus, a good disaster book almost always keeps me on the edge of my seat and wanting to read more.

Since August will be the anniversary of two big volcanic eruptions and two deadly fires, I thought I'd highlight the books and authors that are part of a genre called disaster books.  The definition according to Wikipedia is:

"Disaster books are a literary genre involving detailed descriptions of major historical disasters, often based on the historical records or personal testimonies of survivors. Since reportage of both natural disasters and man-made disasters is commonplace, authors tend to be journalists who develop their news reports into books."

This week we will be covering volcanoes and fires.  Look for other types of disaster books in the following weeks.  Give these books and authors a try--you won't be disappointed.

Volcanoes

Mount Vesuvius--August 24, 79 A. D.--southwest of Naples, Italy. It erupted for eight straight days and killed 20,000 people.  Hot ash mixed with water, formed a deadly crust that buried the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.  The preserved bodies of the dead can still be seen to this day.

--From Pompeii: the Afterlife of a Roman Town by Ingrid D. Rowland
--Pompeii (2014)--DVD and Blu-ray

Mount Tambora--April 5, 1815-Spring 1817--on the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia.  The eruption spewed ash that blocked the sun and caused temperatures to drop.  This caused excessive rain, frost, and snowfall in the United States and Europe.  This lead to riots, famine, and epidemics. Over 150,000 people died and billions of dollars in crops were destroyed.

--The Year Without Summer: 1816 and the Volcano that Darkened the World and Changed History by William K. and Nicholas P. Klingaman

Krakatoa--August 26-27, 1883--an island in Indonesia. The eruption annihilated the island of Krakatoa and the resulting tsunami killed nearly 40,000 people.  This was the most powerful volcanic eruption of all time.  The explosion woke up people in Southern Australia which was over 2,500 miles away.

--Krakatoa: the Day the World Exploded by Simon Winchester

Fires

Peshtigo, WI--October 8, 1871--the whole town was destroyed in one hour and over 2000 people died.  Because the Great Chicago Fire occurred on the same day, Peshtigo's tragedy was largely overlooked.

--Firestorm at Peshtigo: a Town, It's People, and the Deadliest Fire in American History by Denise Gess and William Lutz

Great Chicago Fire--Chicago, IL--October 8, 1871--it started in Mrs. O'Leary's barn but no evidence was ever found to blame her cow.  The fire burned four square miles of town and left 90,000 people homeless.  300 people died and it overshadowed the deadlier Peshtigo fire.

--The Great Chicago Fire by Robert Cromie

Iroquois Theater Fire Memorial

Iroquois Theater Fire--December 30, 1903--Chicago, IL--the worst theater fire in U. S. history, 602 died, many which were children.  It was a new theater and advertised itself as "fireproof".  It had no working sprinklers, the fire escapes had no stairs or ladders, and 27 of the exits were padlocked shut.  This criminally negligent fire led to the adoption of stricter safety, building, and fire codes around the country.

--Chicago Death Trap: the Iroquois Theater Fire of 1903 by Nat Brandt

"The Big Burn"--August 20, 1910--Washington, Idaho, and Montana--the largest forest fire in U. S. history, it destroyed 3 million acres and killed 7 civilians and 78 firefighters. It helped pioneer the conservation of public lands and defined the role of the U. S. Forest Service as a major foe of wildfires.

--The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan

Triangle Shirtwaist Company Fire--March 25, 1911 in New York City--it killed 145 people, mostly immigrant women aged 13-23.  This disaster horrified the country and changed labor laws for the better.  The 100 year memorial for the victims was held in 2011.

--Triangle: the Fire that Changed America by David von Drehle
--Triangle Fire (2011)--DVD

Morro Castle Steamship Fire--September 8, 1934--Offshore Asbury Park, NJ--a mystery including a murder, a suspicious fire, incompetence, and criminal negligence that led to the death of 133 people.

--When the Dancing Stopped: the Real Story of the Morro Castle and Its Deadly Wake by Brian Hicks

Famous Clown Emmett Kelly carrying water at Hartford Circus Fire

Hartford Circus Fire--July 6, 1944--Hartford, CT--worst circus tragedy in the United States--168 people died, 2/3 of which were children--the big top tent went up in flames and trapped scores of people inside. This tragedy led to a new flame-retardant material being used for tents.

--The Circus Fire: a True Story by Stewart O'Nan

--Hartford Circus Fire by Michael Skidgett (2014)--on order

Mann Gulch Fire Memorial

Mann Gulch Fire--August 5, 1949--Mann Gulch, Montana--1 fire watch guard and 12 smokejumpers died--worst disaster in the history of the U. S. Forest Service elite smokejumpers unit--their deaths led to updates in wildfire fighting techniques and safety procedures.

--Young Men and Fire by Norman Maclean