{"product_id":"the-tornado-83-von-john-edward-weems","title":"The Tornado, 83","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Tornado\u003c\/i\u003e gives account of one of the world's most terrifying natural disasters. Twisters have left their wake of freakish consequences throughout the United States and the world, and \u003ci\u003eThe Tornado\u003c\/i\u003e vividly describes some of the most bizarre from around the country--houseboats sailing through the air; cars flown to a landing half a cornfield away; an entire house lifted and demolished, leaving only a divan holding the uninjured family. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e The most detailed description of a tornado and the violence it can bring comes from the author's focus on the tragedy of one American town in 1953. John Edward Weems was an eyewitness reporter of a funnel that hit Waco, Texas, on May 11 of that year. In gripping narrative, he portrays the events of that day: a man clinging to a guard rail while a mailbox, plate glass, bricks, and assorted debris whizzed past his head; automobiles rolling end on end down the street; buildings falling like blocks knocked down by an angry child; a movie theater crumbling on the terrified patrons. When the storm had passed, 114 people were dead and hundreds injured; property damage ran in the tens of millions of dollars. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Research in news reports, government weather documents, and books flesh out this account, which Pulitzer-prize winner Annie Dillard called \"wonderfully exciting. It is full of people, and the thousands of details that make up their lives--and deaths. [It is] a story of enormous power.\" John Banta, writing in the \u003ci\u003eWaco Tribune-Herald\u003c\/i\u003e, described it as \"a gripping story of human drama and tragedy.\" \u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e said, \". . . the events still chill face to face with a power that defies reason.\" \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Royalties from the sale of \u003ci\u003eThe Tornado\u003c\/i\u003e will benefit the book fund of the Waco-McLennan County Public Library. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"aw-variant-hidden-subtitle-div\" id=\"aw-variant-subtitle-9780890964606\"\u003e\u003ch3\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Autorenwelt Shop","offers":[{"title":"Softcover - 9780890964606","offer_id":58006818193733,"sku":"9780890964606","price":12.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0940\/0622\/files\/acd934cb-edc3-4678-a877-d5e8dafa930d.jpg?v=1779250199","url":"https:\/\/shop.autorenwelt.de\/en\/products\/the-tornado-83-von-john-edward-weems","provider":"Autorenwelt Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}