The Johnstown Flood Audiobook

" 1000 little mistakes had to happen for one enormous disaster to happen. This is a detailed account of how that could and did happen in 19th century USA. "

" Fascinating book. Well researched; well written. "

" This is a very interesting true account of a devastating flood in 1889. It is more interesting if you have a tie to the community. "

" BORING !!!!! Maybe because I lived through a less devastating but definitely catastrophic flood here last year........during Hurricane Irene.........maybe too much like a teacher.........but I found this very difficult to get through.........so I skimmed through a lot. I am definitely in the minority though....this is a very highly rated book....so don't go by me. "

" I read this as background for a novel and found it to be even more interesting than the novel itself. "

" This book is really poorly written - McCullough is too focused on minute details, the timeline is disjointed, and there's no map or general overview of the events. But it was interesting to see similarities in how disasters are handled today - the amazing rush of monetary donations, the gross exaggeration of the media, the need to blame foreigners, and the desire of some to say the disaster was caused by God wanting to punish a sinful group of people. "

" everything he writes makes history every bit as interesting as any fiction you will ever read. "

" I enjoyed this book far more than I expected. Even though the outcome is known.....the backstory made it a real page turner "

" Although the history of the flood is significant, the storyteller did not need 200 pages to tell it... maybe 80 pages max. ;-) "

" ken and i listened to it on cd while traveling. I always appreciate David McCullough's research and i like his style or writing (although a bit wordy at times). This was such a sad story of natural disaster that could have been avoided. "

" This was a very great, educational book. Very difficult reading material. But this non-fiction description of the Johnstown flood was interesting. Took a LONG time to read. "

" Am listening to this on my Zune. I love David McCullough and want to read everything he's written. "

" This is McCullough's first historical work, and well worth reading. Very informative. "

" McCullough tells history like a story teller. I love reading his works. "

" great summary of a national tragedy "

" Sorry, but I never got past the first 150 pages or so. Found the extremely detailed descriptions tiresome. "

" trying to read everything by this guy. "

" I was searching for family names as the McGough side of my family lived there. I found some names that might be related. The story was unimaginable but I still had trouble getting through it. Put it down several times, but finally got through it. "

" I got this as a Christmas present from my husband after expressing interest in reading a David McCullough book. I had no idea this flood ever happened. I would definitely recommend this book if you liked Devil in the White City. "

" Fascinating story of one of the biggest natural (or was it) disasters in US history - also happens to be right down the road from where I was born "

" This is an excellent engineering history and a great read into what a disaster was like in the late 1800's. It did get repetitive and I think the author could've relied on less first-hand accounts of the same event and instead pieced things together in a more coherent narrative. "

" This is the story of "The Great Flood" of May 31, 1889 in which the South Fork Dam broke and destroyed the city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. On CD it is read by Edward Hermann who is one of my favorites. David McCullough is thorough with the details as usual. "

" I never thought I could get into a book about a flood, but it was very intense and McCullogh did a fine job! "

" Some parts almost read like an action movie. "

" Parts were interesting, but I felt like I lived the flood over and over again... "

" I have appreciated other historical books by David McCullough and have read a novel set in the time of the Johnstown flood, so this was a book that interested me. It is worth the read. "

" I had to read this for a book club and ended up liking it. Interesting how so many things had to go wrong to cause such a disaster. Wealth of detail. "

" This was an interesting account of an unbelievable historical event. I enjoyed it n part because of the difference in the time period from today; it is phenomenal how disasters are viewed almost instantly today and how they relied completely on the printed word and first hand accounts in 1889. "

" I enjoyed the book but so many names and facts to put together. "

" Non-fiction account of the terrible Johnstown Flood, near Pittsburgh. Since we spend so much time in that area I found it interesting. But, the style is definitely scholarly and not as gripping as some non-fiction can be. So, unless you have some connection with the area or story, skip it. "

" He should have taught me history - I would have really enjoyed it. The book could have been boring, but not the way he writes. "

" The first half of the book was a thrilling account of the town as it was before the flood and the big event. But the second half of the book became a bit too much of an archive of figs. and dates (and names). A little dry. "