• The Great Hurricane

  • 1938
  • By: Cherie Burns
  • Narrated by: Anna Fields
  • Length: 5 hrs and 49 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (555 ratings)

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The Great Hurricane  By  cover art

The Great Hurricane

By: Cherie Burns
Narrated by: Anna Fields
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Publisher's summary

This is the spellbinding hour-by-hour reconstruction of the most destructive and powerful storm ever to strike New England.

On the night of September 20, 1938, the news on the radio was full of Hitler's pending invasion of Czechoslovakia. Severe weather wasn't mentioned; only light rain was forecast for the following day. In a matter of hours, however, a hurricane of unprecedented force would tear through one of the wealthiest and most populated stretches of coastline in America, obliterating communities from Long Island to Providence, destroying entire fishing fleets from Montauk to Narragansett Bay, and leaving 700 people dead. They never knew what hit them.

Early that morning, several fishermen heading out on calm seas noticed a sudden drop in the barometer and decided to turn back. Hurtling toward them at the unheard-of speed of 67 miles per hour was a fierce storm. It struck Long Island first with the tide at an all-time high under a full, equinox moon. The sea rose out of its shores like a demon, with waves riding a surge of 50 feet that hit the earth so hard they were registered by a seismograph in Alaska. Winds whipped up to 186 miles per hour, trashing boats and smashing homes from West Hampton to Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Using newspaper reports, survivor testimony, and archival sources, Cherie Burns reconstructs this harrowing day and the amazing tales of heroism, survival, and loss that occurred. Those who survived still remember the Great Hurricane as the most terrifying moment of their lives. Burns' masterful storytelling follows the storm's monstrous path and preserves for posterity the way the Great Hurricane changed New England forever.

©2005 Cherie Burns (P)2005 Blackstone Audiobooks
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

  • 2005 Publishers Weekly Listen Up Award, Nonfiction

"From start to finish, this powerful story of nature's fury and human survival pulls the reader in and doesn't let go." (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about The Great Hurricane

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Mesmerizing book!

Well written, thoroughly researched and enjoyable account of the 1938 storm that greatly affected the Eastern coast of the U.S. I listened to this non-stop on a (business) road trip and it kept me captivated, even in the wee hours of the night (during which I usually listen to scifi or mystery or other plot-driven fiction to keep me from drifting.)

Highly recommend for any history aficionados or storm watchers.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

The Devastating Hurricane of 1938


This was a straightforward account of the devastating hurricane that hit New England in 1938. The audiobook was narrated by Anna Fields. I first learned of this event on an excellent History Channel documentary (back when History actually stood for History) and superbly narrated by the late Edward Herrmann. It was a monumental disaster, dwarfing the San Francisco 1906 earthquake and fire and the 1871 Chicago fire, for deaths and destruction. Whole villages and over 275 million trees were uprooted, changing the ecosystem. It was so devastating because there was little to no warning and people believed that hurricanes never came to the area. They were wrong. An interesting account of this natural disaster.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Interesting

This was a sad, but honest, description of a long ago, massively destructive hurricane that demolished families, homes & businesses. It also highlights the many people who helped others to survival.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Captivating Account

This book is not just informative, but captivatingly written and read. Not only were the personal accounts very well done, but the author placed this event clearly in its historical setting and importance to our country.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great Storm Stories

The book is well researched and well presented, with anecdotes of many people and how they fared through this incredible hurricane. The reader handles the material very well. A book like this reads quickly because it's organized in a way that allows the events to tell their own exciting tales. It's also a fascinating reminder of how much day to day life in this country has changed in just a few generations, not all for the better.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Whew

I read this book in the wake of Hrricane Katrina.It is amazing, 67 years apart, mother nature's lessons never change, and are seldom remembered. This was a riveting and awesome account.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Well Done!

This was a well researched and engaging book. I learned alot about an event that is still mentioned in hushed tones where I live. Whenever the weather gets bad, the old timers always say "It was nothing like the one one in '38" Bravo to the author-- I will seek out other books she has written. The reader was very good as well.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Bring your boots and umbrella

Excellent accounts of the 1938 storm. Being from the area of Long Island, New York that was impacted by this storm, I can vouch that what I "read" is a thorough description of the fierce fury brought forth to the land and people in its way. Many personal stories woven into a well managed chronology of the event.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great Reader

This book weaves the reader right onto the communities impacted by this massive storm. Times gone by.
Well worth the listen.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Very Well Done

This is quite interesting. There is history and personal stories of this epic event. the narrator tells the story with appropriate inflection and tone!

I highly recommend this if you like true stories with personal experiences and real emotion.

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1 person found this helpful