A Weekend in September [Paperback]

John Edward Weems (Author)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

John Edward Weems, a freelance writer living in Waco, has published several books on Texas and American history, including To Conquer a Peace: The War Between the United States and Mexico, published by Texas A&M University Press

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press (July 1, 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890963908
• ISBN-13: 978-0890963906
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #224,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hurricanes, nothing to ignore............., August 21, 2000

By 

jeanne-scott (Virginia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Weekend in September (Paperback)

In hurricane terms, this book would be a category 5, catastrophic damage to any idea that hurricanes are not potentially deadly. This was an amazing account of the 1900 hurricane that slammed into Galveston, causing unimaginable death and destruction. This book came to my attention after reading Isaac's Storm, a book about the same hurricane. While that book was very good, this was even better. The author interviewed survivors of this storm, and the stories are amazingly frank and clear. When told through the eyes of so many survivors the book takes on a life of it's own. While it does document an event, it never dry or dull. It brings the power of a hurricane to reality and helps the reader to realize that this power is not something that man can control. To realize that predicting the weather has made such a giant leap forward from 1900 may lead people to be complacent in the face of a hurricane,but read this and you will never feel that way again. The descriptions of the sounds and the level of noise were vivid and made me clearly remember the category three hurricane I went through with my family a few years ago. This should be required reading for anyone who lives along the coast, and even inland where hurricane damage can still be catastrophic. Mother Nature deserves respect, and if you don't give it to her.......well.......read the book!!

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Disaster Story now in its Seventh Printing, August 10, 2000

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: A Weekend in September (Paperback)

I read "A Weekend in September" after finishing "Isaac's Storm", in order to learn more about the hurricane that destroyed Galveston, Texas almost exactly 100 years ago. John Edward Weems' book was first published in 1957 and was reissued for the seventh time in 1999. He was able to interview many of the survivors of the Galveston hurricane, and one of the differences between his book and "Isaac's Storm" (which was published over 40 years later) is that Weems tells his story from many more points of view.

Erik Larson, author of "Isaac's Storm" writes a more in-depth narrative about fewer survivors.

Another difference 40 years has made, is that Larson is able to go into much more detail about the origin of the hurricane and the science behind the forces that made it so devastating. He spends much more time describing the days before the hurricane hit Galveston, and Weems spends more time describing the aftermath of the storm and how the survivors recovered and rebuilt.

Both books are compelling accounts of this country's worst natural disaster. You should read both of them, especially if you happen to be in Galveston on the hundredth anniversary of the Great Storm...and another hurricane is rolling through the Gulf.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic account of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane., April 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: A Weekend in September (Paperback)

"A Weekend in September" is a fantastic account of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. The author interviewed many survivors of the hurricane and recounted their experiences in such a way as to make the reader believe they were actually THERE! I could hardly put the book down! Great pictures. Very helpful map of the city that I referenced again and again while reading the book. This is a must-read book for those who are interested in Galveston history, or a history of significant hurricanes.