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Book Reaction Paper
Introduction
Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and The Deadliest Hurricane in History by Eric Larson is a story of a prominent Galveston Hurricane, that occurred in the year 1900 on the island of Galveston, Texas. The book gives an account of the town’s meteorologist Isaac Cline, who is the head of the Weather Bureau and fails to predict that dangerous hurricane. In the Weather Bureau, Cline understood more than every other person about the nature of tropical storms, still, he was unable to forecast the hurricane's magnitude and suggest rescue operations beforehand. Isaac Cline learns a tough truth that nature is very volatile, particularly regarding the extent of the catastrophic actions of nature. This paper will give a reflection of the book based on my thoughts and opinions.
Summary
On the evening of September 1900, Isaac peacefully lays in his bed after assuring the town’s people that no extreme hurricane will hit the town after collecting all the facts that proved the utter absence of any tragedy in the near future. Cuba’s meteorologists who known as the best scientists of their era to accurately predict weather were put down by the Weather Bureau. Cuba meteorologist identified all the facts related to the prediction and notified the authorities that the hurricane would hit South Texas destroying everything in its way. Weather Bureau refused to believe Cuba meteorologist and assured its residents that the hurricane would lose its momentum on its way to Florida where it would most likely curve away to another dimension. When a storm hits the town, it initially floods the streets, followed by the rain and wind which eventually increased in the magnitude by midnight. The storm caused the power outage in the town which led to the disruption of the telegram signals. It was the time when residents realized that perhaps they are going to see the worst storm of the century. The storm destroyed the city by drowning half of the island and killing almost everything in its way. One-third of the total population was wiped away from the Earth as a result of this hurricane killing almost 12,000 residents while leaving thousands of them, homeless. Cline survives with the guilt of killing most of the town including his wife.
Thoughts and Opinions
Considering the geographical aspect of the book, I believe Larson has done a great job of depicting the disaster. The way he tracked the Cline's refusal to believe the fact that a deadly storm could be a fate of the town by depicting the storm and its impact itself is appreciating. Initially, the book begins at a chronicle preface which later swings in the methodical antiquity of hurricane expectation and the scientific explanation for its phenomena. It also gives the possible environmental factors and perfect conditions that might have contributed to the cause of a deadly hurricane. Moreover, by combining the distinct sources of biography and science, Larson tries to construct the events in the sequence of their occurrence. By analyzing the narrative content of the book, it is evident, that the events of the disaster are illustrative or hypothetical. This makes the book one of the fascinating and comprehensive pieces of study in the scientific meteorology, considering how it comes from the one’s prediction than experience and how it influences the community planning. Isaac Cline outlines his individual experiences throughout this highly destructive storm's emergence. The tale is an outstanding artwork that reveals a human-versus-nature concept; the writer achieves the aim very well indeed. He includes the various accounts of victims without the storm itself being overlooked. The story demonstrates to the whole humankind that it is naive to assume, that they will surpass nature. Erik Larson also uses an oblique reference in Isaac's Storm to evoke the forces of nature. While the writer states that Galveston has become Atlantis, he refers to the renowned tale of Lost City of Atlantis. According to the book, the entire city of Galveston sinks at the bottom of the sea. This makes the audience realize, that the day of the storm poured a large amount of water into Galveston. The reader understands the magnitude and effect, the catastrophe had on Galveston by this oblique reference. Furthermore, it depicts the forces of nature and conditions to transform Galveston, which is counted among the top functional cities, into Atlantis.
Conclusion
Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and The Deadliest Hurricane in History is an incredibly detailed book of geography. It might apply not just to storms, but to natural catastrophes of all types. It is especially helpful due to the insights it elucidates regarding an individual’s preparation for imminent tragedies. The book further reinforces the notion of the complex and random nature, to humankind. It supplies practical advice for the current fast-growing meteorological era in the pursuit to tackle hazards on time defending human lives and property against nature's wrath. Larson mourns the reality that one person's over-confidence in a scientific intimate situation will result in the casualties of too many helpless individuals. The disaster established a precedent that shaped the coming years of weather forecasting research and reinforced government assistance for effective climate and weather monitoring. Nonetheless, Larson finishes Isaac's Storm, acknowledging that Galveston has managed to raise its basic altitude and restored almost all of its prior state. Even though it was finally succeeded as the main commercial coastal city of Texas by Houston, the revival tale has always been an omnipresent sign of National strength.
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