Customer Reviews

Island in a Storm: A Rising Sea, a Vanishing Coast, and a Nineteenth-Century Disaster that Warns of a Warmer World

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At first glance, you would wonder as to the timeliness of a book addressing a devastating storm which occurred in 1856 and slammed into the Gulf of Mexico and in particular, a small resort island; Isle Derniere. After reading just the first chapter of this rather unique and amazing work, the wonder will disappear as you, the reader will start recognizing quite familiar situations, granted, often stored in the back of the mind, but never the less there. The message of this work is timeless...in so many different ways.

This work offers so very much in so few pages. It is like reading two or three books simultaneously. Not only is the story absolutely captivating, but the facts, trivial and important, fly fast and furious. We receive a wonderful lesson in history as the author takes us to antebellum Louisiana, giving the reader glimpses in the lives of the rich sugarcane plantation owners, politicians, developers, Riverboat Captains, the poor working people, the horrid and unworkable institution of slavery, transportation of the time, attitudes, dress, diet and so much more. A history of New Orleans is served up which is a separate and fascinating study unto its own. Along with the history lesson, the reader receives lessons in river, ocean and weather dynamics along with a life and death story of an island. Behind this entire work though, the author has woven dire warnings; warnings that need to be heeded. Have we changed all that much since the mid 1800s?

Basically, this is the story of Isle Derniere, one of the various barrier islands off of the coast of Louisiana which on August 10, 1856 was hit and demolished and more or less completely whipped out by a hurricane. It is the story of the rich vacationers there and their slaves as they tried desperately to survive. Along with these unfortunate folk, we have a number of nearby ships which are suffering the same fate. Through the authors pen we are served a wonderful, vivid and delicious profile of many individuals; the good, the bad and the ugly. The reader must keep in mind that this is not in any sense of the word a novel. This is a true story which has been meticulously reconstructed by the author through detailed research. Fortunately for us, there were survivors of this disaster and much documentation and first hand accounts are available to which the author has had access. The author has perfectly captured the essence of the times.

Now we have here even extra bonuses! Abby Sallenger has a PhD in Marine Science from the University of Virginia and was the former chief scientist of the U.S. Geological Survey's Center for Coastal Geology. He is currently leading the USGS storm Impact research group. Sound pretty boring, huh? When I first open this book I must admit that my eyes did a bit of a roll and I let out a little moan of despair. Goodness was I wrong! No dry thesis here, no, no, no! No ramblings of a musty academic are to be found in these pages! This work is as much of a page turner as many a novel I have read! This guy, Sallenger, can write! He is also an obvious natural story teller. I can truthfully favorably compare his skills to that of David McCullough and Stephen Ambrose as a writer of popular history. It does not stop there though. While I am far from an expert in Marine Science, History of Louisiana or meteorology, I have, over the past 50 years, done a tremendous amount of reading in these areas and traveled through the geographical areas featured in this work, so when I say that this book is well researched, it is not an empty statement just to fill up space...this writer knows his stuff!

This work is a fascinating read and will give the reader much food for thought on many levels. The earth has been changing for millions of years and our coast lines change at a comparatively fast page. Will we learn from our past? Will we heed the warnings we are receiving via a rising sea level and shrinking ice cap? Personally, I am quite pessimistic in this area, but you need to read this one yourself and make your own mind up.

Bottom Line: A wonderful mixture of history, science and the human condition told by a very skillful writer and story teller.

I enthusiastically recommend that you put this book at the top of your "to read" list. The time you spend reading it will be well worth it!

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks

In the summer of 1856 Isle Dernier was a fast developing resort area catering to the wealthy citizens of New Orleans and Louisiana who wanted relief from heat and high humidity and security from the threat of yellow fever epidemics. That Isle Dernier was a low lying coastal island with no protection from Gulf storms worried no one until August, when the wind began to blow and the surf started to rise higher and higher, finally sweeping most of the island's structures and their human inhabitants away.

The 1850s were a time of turmoil and growth in the United States, particularly in the area around New Orleans. The decade was also a time of great scientific advancement. Scientists, both professional and amateur, were just beginning to understand the process in which tropical storms formed and grew into hurricanes. Communication on land could be fast thanks to the recent invention of the telegraph, but the wires didn't yet reach beyond metropolitan areas and information from ships at sea was still subject to long delays. These handicaps contributed to Isle Dernier's inhabitants' lack of awareness of the danger they were in and to a long delay in getting assistance to the survivors after the storm had passed.

Its fortunate that several of the survivors were literate and inclined to tell their stories, as this allows an almost hourly account of what happened on the Isle. As in any disaster there were amazing tales of survival and heroism and some deplorable examples of cowardice and looting. But what I found most intriguing about Island In A Storm was the geological and climatological explanation for what happened on the Isle and elsewhere in Louisiana that August:the natural forces at work shaping and then scouring away coastlines, how man's efforts to curb these natural forces tends to exacerbate their effects, and how ignoring the evidence of past disasters only leads to greater peril. This is especially compelling in the afterword, in which Dr. Sallenger warns that rising sea levels in a warmer world will inevitably mean problems for those who build and rebuild on barrier islands and other low lying areas.

Dr. Abby Sallenger leads the US Geological Survey's Storm Impact research group. His background in geology and marine science equips him to handle this subject thoroughly and professionally, and his interest in history and ability to write well enable him to present the story of Isle Dernier in a manner that is always interesting, even to the general reader without a specialist background.

The author does a great job of sustaining suspense while imparting fascinating information about the fragility of barrier islands. A remarkable read about the riches of the Mississippi River, the constantly shifting terrain between the river and the ocean, and the privileged members of society who escaped to their own little island and paid dearly for building their castles in the sand. Highly recommended.

Abby Sallenger, a senior coastal scientist with more than 30 years experience studying storm and sea-level rise effects on coasts- but a 1st time author- has written a compelling and thororoughly interesting account of the sudden and dramatic effects of the 1856 hurricane on the Isles Derniers barriers islands and the people living and ultimately dying there, there. The book blends very effectly the science of storm as agents driving coastal change, their effects on coastal landforms causing barrier islands to cross tipping points and disintegrate, and how these complex geologic processes affect the people who choose to build in such high risk areas. Sallenger's take-home message is that low-lying areas such as barrier islands are highly vulnerable and should be avoided for building and settlement. This was good advice for 1856 and should be heeded especially today with large populations living in the coastal zone, trillions of dollars in infrastructure, and compelling scientific evidence that a warming world is already bringing more storms and sea-level rise. Abby Sallenger's account of events 150 years ago should be a wake up call for all of us to reconsider how we view natural processes and develop more sensible and sustainable ways of enjoying the coast but reducing the risks.

A riveting and scientific, well written account of nature at it's worst. Abby Sallenger may be a relatively new author but he is gifted and knowledgeable of his subject. He develops his characters and draws the reader into the events and circumstances surrounding the Last Island Storm of 1856. Readers of South Louisiana ancestry will relish this story.

In his book, Island in a Storm, Abby Sallenger, reveals his unique writing talents in writing a book that tells a moving, real life story that will keep you turning the pages each night. His extensive research of the history of the storm in 1856 and of the plight of the Isle Deniere families and ship captains has resulted in a very fast-moving and deeply interesting summary of that most devestating time in our country's history. The science revealed forwarns of future pending disasters due to the eroding of our delicate coastlines and global warming. I feel confident you, too, will be glad you took the time to check out this author and discover some refreshing new writing talent.

My great-great-grandfather was W.W. Pugh. I knew that he had a plantation, Woodlawn, and I knew that he and his family (or most of his family) survived the 1856 hurricane on Isle Derniere. But all I knew of that disaster was the story of Last Island told in the novel, Chita, by Lafcadio Hearn. I read Abby Sallenger's masterful non-fiction account of the destruction of Isle Derniere, and was fascinated to find quotations from my great-great-grandfather's memoir. But, aside from learning a bit of family history, I found Island in a Storm an engrossing tale, a great read.

Having lived through the 1947 hurricane on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Katrina in New Orleans I know what a powerful hurricane is like. But the horror of the 1856 hurricane on Isle Derniere surpasses anything imaginable. Abby Sallenger does a superb job of describing that terrifying storm, and of bringing to life those who were on the island. He also laments the tragedy of our vanishing barrier islands and coasts.

Kudos to Abby Sallenger.

Over the years I have read quite a few books about hurricanes. It seems that I never tire of them. Like so many other Americans I am literally transfixed by the tales of these awesome meteorological events. It would appear that each one of these "monster" storms has its own set of unique charactoristics. I have found that the best books about these powerful storms are those that have the ability to transport the reader back in time and drop them right into the middle of the desperate circumstances being experienced by those unfortunate souls who just happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. This is most certainly the case with Abby Sallenger's terrific new book "Island In A Storm: The Rising Sea, A Vanishing Coast, and A Nineteenth Century Disaster That Warns of A Warmer World". The people who found themselves trapped on the long and narrow Isle Derniere off the coast of Louisiana back in August 1856 were caught totally offguard by this hurricane that would severely test their courage and stamina and ultimately cost many of them their lives. In the meantime, throughout the pages of "Island In A Storm" Sallenger also chronicles the fate of three vessels who also had the great misfortune to find themselves at the mercy of this mammoth cyclone that today would qualify as a Category Four storm. Without a doubt this is a very compelling story!

It never ceases to amaze me where people choose to build their homes and businesses. Indeed, the Isle Derniere, also known as Last Island, was extremely vulnerable to these kinds of storms. It seems to me it was not a question of "if" but rather a question of "when" one of these storms would decimate the island. Yet according to Abby Sallenger relatively few people on the Isle seemed very concerned as this storm approached. However, during the course of the day on August 10, 1856 the situation on the island became increasingly desperate and the available options for residents would become fewer and fewer. Buildings were pounded by the relentless surf and torrential rains. At first most of the buildings flooded but by afternoon the structures were being ripped apart by winds well in excess of 100 miles per hour. People scrambled to find safe shelter. Many were struck by flying debris leaving some seriously injured and killing dozens of others. During the course of this storm some islanders performed heroically while others simply failed to measure up. Among the heroes cited by Abby Sallenger are Dr. Alfred Duperiere and one Michael Schlatre who lived to write about his experiences. In fact, his account of the events of August 10, 1856 was published in the Louisiana Historical Quarterly in the 1930's and was part of the source material for this book. As I mentioned earlier it seems that each one of these hurricanes are seperate and unique events. I was absolutely horrified by what took place on the Isle Derniere in the hours immediately following the storm. You will be too!

Aside from the compelling account of this storm I also found a couple of other facts mentioned in "Island In A Storm" to be really quite fascinating. As you might expect, people had precious little information about the weather in general and approaching storms in particular in those days. In Chapter 4 you will read about how Joseph Henry at the Smithsonian Institution, with the cooperation of telegraph operators throughout the nation, pieced together what were in essence the very first weather maps. Also, Sallenger mentions that even in those days the well-to-do lived in the higher elevations of the City of New Orleans while lower income laborers were forced to reside in the more vulnerable low-lying areas of the city. This is an unfortunate economic fact of life and as we learned in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina this pretty much continues to be the case today.

All in all, I found "Island In A Storm: A Rising Sea, A Vanishing Coast, and A Nineteenth Century Disaster That Warns of A Warmer World" to be a terrific read. I would compare it quite favorably to other books about hurricanes that I have read and enjoyed previously like R.A. Scotti's "Sudden Sea" and Mary A. Shafer's "Devastation on the Delaware". At the very end of the book Dr. Sallenger passionately makes his case to put an end to the madness and stop building and rebuilding on these fragile barrier islands. I would wholeheartedly agree with his position. "Island In A Storm" is exceptionally well written, thoroughly researched, thought-provoking and quite entertaining to boot. What more can you ask for? Very highly recommended!

"Island in the Storm" is a surprising book by a first time author. Abby Sallenger has his Ph.d in Oceanography so I had expected technical details, but I did not expect them to be delivered in such a tightly spun tale.

In 1856, the Isle of Deniere was hit by a monster hurricane that was both unexpected and utterly destructive. The island was a mere 5 feet above sea level and did not provide much protection from the 13-18" storm surge and the 150mph winds. The island was a newly founded resort for the planter class of Louisiana - Abby Sallenger gives a haunting account of the final days of both the residents and the island itself.

Dr. Sallenger does more than recount the details of a hurricane. He is able to teach the dynamics of both hurricanes and the life-cycles of barrier islands. I was surprised to learn so much about the "movement" of barrier islands, but I was more surprised that Dr. Sallenger made me interested enough to want to learn.

People who would enjoy "Island in the Storm"

- People interested in history
- People from Louisiana (there is a nice overall history of the migration of people to that region of the country)
- Hurricane buffs
- Anyone who enjoyed Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in Historyand RISING TIDE: THE GREAT MISSISSIPPI FLOOD OF 1927 AND HOW IT CHANGED AMERICA

Final Verdict

Both entertaining and stimulating- an easy 5 star recommendation.

----Please note that I reviewed a free promotional copy which was provided by the author/publisher--

On August 10, 1856, a hurricane destroyed Isle Derniere, a resort off of the coast of Louisiana and killed hundreds vacationers and inhabitants. This hurricane was even more disastrous than the 1900 Galveston storm (the one author Erik Larson called "Isaac's Storm" - Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History) in that it completely inundated its target and "severed [it] into two parts, as if chopped by a meat cleaver."

Author Abby Sallenger, who leads the U.S. Geological Survey's Storm Impact research group, writes an in-depth narrative about a handful of survivors, but Isle Derniere itself is his main biographical subject. The reader learns how it came into being as a child of the sediment-laden Mississippi River, and coalesced into "an elegant arc of sand perched on the seaward edge of a vast marsh." It was born as a mainland beach and evolved into a barrier island as the Mississippi changed course, and the marsh behind the beach was starved of water and sediment.

Louisiana's French and German settlers came to look upon Isle Derniere as a summer resort where they could escape the heat and humidity of their sugar plantations. This book is filled with details of Antebellum life for both rich and poor, slave and master. The periodic epidemics of Yellow Fever are especially emphasized, since they were another reason why well-to-do citizens of the Bayou State sought out their breezy Gulf island resort.

That would all change in August of 1856. The author introduces us to his characters in their vacation setting and begins a slow buildup to the hurricane strike. The sense of impending doom was so vivid that I had to stop reading "Island in a Storm" before bedtime because it wouldn't let me sleep. The details of the survivors' narratives are disturbing and unforgettable: a father who tears his drowning daughter's arms from around his neck so that he can live; the smugglers and wreckers who invaded the island after the storm to prey off of the living and the dead; the privations of a sailor who survived the destruction of his ship, only to be left floating in the Gulf for a week.

"Island in a Storm" is a timely warning for anyone who lives or is planning to build on a river delta in the path of a hurricane or cyclone, especially during this period of rising sea levels.

***review copy supplied by author