Tornado Warning

The Extraordinary Women of Joplin

By: Tamara Hart Heiner

Narrated by: Jennifer Gilmour

Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

The true story about seven ordinary women and one extraordinary event....

Summer is coming, and the residents in Joplin, Missouri, anticipate the rush of freedom and activities that will follow: graduation, summer classes, vacations, overflowing gardens, family time, and plenty of photo opportunities.

What they don't anticipate is the mile-wide tornado that will devastate the town on May 22, 2011, in the middle of dinner preparations, visits to friends and family, and graduation ceremonies. The tornado kills over a hundred in the deadliest tornado disaster in the modern era and leaves thousands more homeless.

In the face of this tragedy, seven women must gather their courage and hold their families together. Each will make different choices to protect loved ones and strangers and recover from the winds of destruction.

©2014 Tamara Hart Heiner (P)2017 Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

A great story of brave women

This is a great listen with a great Narrator and inspiring characters it is touching to spend time through the magic of Audio with
the various women in this Book.

Truth is stranger then fiction and that simple fact is reality when you have finished this Book.



This book was given to me for free at my request and I provided this voluntary review.

An Important Story To Tell For Joplin

Audiobook: Tornado Warning (The Extraordinary Women of Joplin)
I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. I listened to this in two sittings and it was hard to turn off at night. The stories of these incredible women and not to forget all the amazing people that helped was heart-wrenching and heart-warming at the same time and the loss this town suffered was deeply saddening. I remember this well as I lived not too far away in Kansas at the time. A few years before that in 2008 my town had an EF4 tornado that ripped through but luckily no lives were lost unlike in Joplin.

What I liked best about this audiobook was the stories of the women and what they were doing before, during, and after the tornado. I can't really say I liked anything least because the stats and all the preparedness in the world can't compare to when and if this ever happens. And sadly there are still folks out there that panic and don't know where to go or what to do. The information is priceless and needs repeating until more lives get saved.

Narration: Jennifer Gilmour did an outstanding job reading this audiobook. She showed compassion in her voice and just overall gave the story a great balance. She has an absolutely wonderful voice.

I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

A compelling memoir

This book is organized into chapters based on time, starting at about 8 hours before the tornado struck. Within each chapter, one section per family describes the activities for each of the families. This is probably the best approach to telling these stories, but it does present a bit of a challenge to keep the families straight as the narrative hops from family to family in each chapter. Context helps, but it might have been beneficial if I had taken a few notes in the beginning. Overall, this is a very compelling memoir.

Jennifer Gilmour's performance is competent. She doesn't give individual speakers distinctive voices during dialog, but it isn't necessary. It's always clear who is speaking.

I can envision myself listening to this audiobook again and taking a few notes as I listen.

NOTE: I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Tornado Warning

Tornado Warning The Extraordinary Women of Joplin
: Tamara Hart Heiner

The stories of seven women and their families as the day leading up, the tornado strike, and the aftermath that they dealt with. I remember hearing about the tornado and watching news coverage. As a Kansan, I know we sometimes don't take warnings as seriously as we should. The women featured in his book are a lot stronger than me. I am privileged to know some of the volunteers that went to help in Joplin. They said the destruction was worse than anyone could imagine. Thank you for sharing these stories.



The narration was well done. Jennifer Gilmour brought the whole frightening thing to life, as if the listener was right there as it happened.



I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

Heart Breaking

This book was definitely worth the read. I, myself, work in Emergency Management so I think adding the information at the end for what to have ready to go is spot on. This book was an emotional roller coaster but it was good!

Excellent info at the end.

In November, 2011, an EF3 tornado hit less than three miles from our home. I am an avid weather nerd, and as such, I had raised my kids (then 11 and 13) to react immediately to my order to go to shelter. This is imperative, as my kids are both special needs. The moment I said. “Basement!” They went; no arguing, no gathering of treasures. My older son carried his shoes with him and put them on after he was in the crawl space under the stairs. I had to then see that my mom got my dad, who had severe dementia, into a bathroom upstairs, since he could no longer use the stairs safely. Finally, I stood at the back door and waited for my husband. He was the stubborn one who refused to leave our mobile home until the last minute. I heard the tornado as I waited for him, and it 100% sounded like a distant freight train. When it was all over, a lady and her little grand baby just 2.8, miles away...were dead. My husband no longer argues with me when I say it’s time to move to my mom’s house for shelter. Mobile homes are NOT SAFE! I don’t care if they’re tied down. That’s more for show than anything else.

interesting book, anle narrator Enjoyed

Joplin hit by large tornado. This is the story of one family that made it through. unscathed.

fantastic real life story

Plenty of heart pounding intense action as witnessed by the people of Joplin. I loved the individual stories that blended together to create an overall picture of this devastating tornado. I also enjoyed the reader:) I highly recommend this audio book! Happy listening!

True story of some of the Joplin tornado survivors

In 2011 tornadoes almost wiped Joplin Missori off the map. Many houses and businesses were flattened. Many lives were lost. This book is tge stories of just a few of the suevivors. They tell you about their day before the storm, during the storm, and even weeks after tgecstorm. The story itself ischeart wrenching but yet uplifting.

WOW - A TRUE TESTAMENT OF COURAGE & STRENGTH

What a powerful book. It's hard to imagine this happening, really happening, in my town, any town for that matter. The strength and courage displayed by these women, these families, is mind-blowing in the face of such danger, terror and devastation. Seeing something this on TV is awful enough, but living it... man, I can't even imagine. I enjoyed hearing their stories, and felt the heartbreak through their words. This is a very powerful story, and I'd wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone :)
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.