The Johnstown Flood.

THE JOHNSTOWN FLOOD. David McCullough. 1968/2005. Read by Nelson Runger. 8 tapes. 11.5 hrs. Recorded Books. 1-4193-4568-0. $89.75. Vinyl; content, reader notes. JSA 

This horrifying tale of the 1889 Johnstown Flood, skillfully written and carefully researched, is presented in chronological order and takes the listener from Memorial Day (the day before the dam burst) to a week or two later, by which time Johnstown had been transformed from a vibrant city to a scene of almost complete devastation. At the time, Johnstown, PA was a thriving industrial city nestled in the Conemaugh Valley, surrounded by scenic mountains that beckoned the hunter and angler. A group of wealthy Pittsburgh businessmen organized the exclusive South Fork Hunting and Fishing Club and built the South Fork Dam 14 miles above the city. On May 31, after a day of torrential rain, the already weakened dam burst and water careened down the valley, destroying everything in its path. The city was caught unawares and more than 2200 people perished.

Runger reports the information much like a radio newscaster, bringing to life the author's descriptions of a five-foot-high wall of water crashing into the town; people pleading for help while floating down the river on rooftops; the desolation left in the flood's aftermath and much, much more. Prof. John E. Boyd, Jenkintown, PA