A book about history and a storm that I had never heard or read about before. The story begins during the Depression and includes close to 400 World War veterans who are out of work and are sent to the Florida Keys for a work relief program, one of many by the Roosevelt administration. You get a look at the before the storm comes through and then the aftermath. They looked into the investigations that I thought were a farce and how some blamed the Veterans themselves as being less than people. Remember some of these men could have been the same ones that marched on Wahington and camped because they were promised benefits for fighting in World War One but were denied. Also, most people don’t know or remember that Roosevelt campaigned to help the Veterans and once in office went back on that promise. Once again the Vets were secured and have continued to have been regardless of who is in office, should be noted my grandfather fought in WWI and my father fought in WWII and Korea. Overall a good book.

I really enjoyed this book it was one of the best books about hurricanes that I have read. I did feel that after the hurricane the author took too much time explaining the congressional investigations that followed with really no outcome other than to say that the government swept it under the rug but I felt that there were some corollaries between the 1935 hurricane and Katrina. I also love the focus on the keys recovery after the hurricane and the impacts That hurricane still have on the keys in Florida today.

I don't know from hurricanes. Blizzards...sure. Earthquakes...yeah, we get the odd one. Volcanoes...well I live in a lava field, not that we've had one recently. But hurricanes are something that happen on the other side of the continent. But I was intrigued by this book and I wasn't disappointed.

The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 (this was before they were named) was probably the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. It's the one that they mention in the movie Key Largo. It had maximum sustained winds at landfall of 185 mph and barometric pressure of 26.34 inches of mercury. I didn't know what that last one meant until I read the book, but apparently that's lower pressure than most barometers at the time were able to measure. It was, by any measure, a monster storm.

But beyond its severity, it hit the Florida Keys at a politically sensitive time. The 1936 political campaign was in the offing. And on Labor Day of 1935 there were hundreds of World War I veterans in the Keys that had been sent there by the Roosevelt administration to work on the Overseas Highway under the direction of the Federal Emergency Relief Administration. 695 veterans, most of whom had been members of the Bonus Army, were in three work-camps in the lowlands of the Florida Keys. The camps were not well constructed, were not well placed and while there was somewhat of a plan for evacuation in case of a hurricane, it was not well thought out and it was, ultimately, not implemented...or at least not on time.

Drye does a good job of giving us the background leading up to the hurricane, both the political situation with the Bonus Army and the new Administration and the background on the Keys and hurricanes there. The story of the hurricane itself is well told and it's told in a manner that allows for someone with very little knowledge of these types of weather patterns to understand what was going down. It would be easy for Drye to point fingers at the FERA officials for the scope of the disaster that lead to the death of 251 of the veteran workers and to an extent he does. But he also makes it clear that there were several breakdowns in the management of the veterans and the camps and that there were certainly people within the FERA and associated agencies who had been urging better planning and a much earlier evacuation than was attempted. Drye also does a good job of showing that even the Conchs (natives of the Keys) were taken surprise by the intensity and power of the storm and there were significant civilian

I think that if there's one knock on the book it's that there's a large cast of characters and they tend to run together. I'm not entirely sure what Drye could have done to differentiate them, but at the very least a list of the "cast of characters" with a describer of who they are would have been helpful. But that's really the only nit I have to pick in a very enjoyable book.

My thanks to Net Galley, the publisher and the author for a preview copy in exchange for my reviews.

My opinion of this story may be biased since I live on the coast and have lived through hurricanes, including Hurricane Alicia, and more recently, Hurricane Ike and Harvey. But, as someone who was born in Galveston, Texas, and who still lives on the Texas gulf coast, I enjoy picking up a book about hurricanes that have hit the coastlines all around America. The hardest part of reading books about devastating events is reading about the aftermath and learning how many people lost their lives. This book was WOW! An eye-opener to the devastation mother nature can bring.

While reading, I felt as though I was in the story, fighting the storm, trying to get out of my coastal home. Attempting to make my way further inland or to the train that so many felt would provide shelter and take them to their haven. The energy this storm brought to the Keys was like no other I have read before. The wind speeds this hurricane produced were terrifying. I pray every summer that Galveston never has to go through something so deadly.

Storm of the Century is a well-researched book that sucks you in with vivid images; it's tragic, powerful, and very well written. The one thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars was keeping up with all the different characters and the multiple storylines taking place at once.

As I was reading about the men on the shore fighting to get out of the storm, or rushing to save their families, the next paragraph would jump to the Dixie cruise ship and go right into the disasters they were facing. I had to take a minute to change direction in my head, remember their situation, and their most recent position. Then the story went back to the men at the shore.

If I had a list of persons before reading, I might have kept up with the changes as quickly as they came. Either way, this book is going on my shelf of favorites in nonfiction. Willie Drye, thank you for your research and story. NetGalley, thank you for providing me with a copy of this novel to read. This story stays with you long after you've finished reading.

I have read short accounts of this hurricane over the years, but it's the first whole book I've found devoted to it. tragic story all round. Being from Ohio, I never really give to much thought to hurricanes (other than the large ones that pass over us and dump torrential rain) It didn't exactly surprise me that the government didn't take blame for this event and the loss of life, it never does. But that the whole grave situation of the deceased should still be ongoing in the 21st century is just appalling. The government and military folks knew better and treated our vets abominably. Sad story. It's like we all know, or should know by now, be prepared to look after yourself and loved ones, no one comes to your aid. Well written book.

Wow - what a read! I felt like I was right there looking at the aftermath. I felt people's sorrow and anguish. What a tragedy! This is an awesome recounting told in such accurate and chilling detail.

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

#StormoftheCenturylabordayhurricane1935 #NetGalley

I enjoyed reading this book. It is a well written book about a storm that happened in the U.S. It is my first book read by this author. I hope to read more books by this author.

With growing worry and concern, I turned the pages of this book. I had read a little bit before about the Labor Day hurricane of 1935 before, so I had a general understanding of what was to come.
HOwever, I learned a new tidbit, which was the Dixie ship trying to go through the hurricane.
I really enjoyed the authors timeline and the build up of why the veterans were in the Florida Keys.
With trepidation, I read about the hurricane hitting the keys.
I had to take several breaks to just digest all of the horror.
After the hurricane the book starts to slow down. It got bogged down in the blame game. I felt that the author could have been a bit more concise and not so lengthy at who was to blame for the high death toll in the Keys.
Overall a great book on the Keys Hurricane of 1935.

Holy cannoli! This actually happened and during war time. This shocked me to the core in some parts, but this was also before more accurate forecasting for hurricanes and other weather. These men really suffered and I felt like I was there with them through all the horror. Highly recommended if you like weather related events that are a part of history.

Thanks to Netgalley, Willie Drye and Lyons Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available: 8/1/19