Isaac's Storm: A Time, And The Deadliest Hurricane In History By Erik Larson

Isaac’s Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History by Erik Larson are based on a true story about tragedy. This book discusses the fate of people’s lives left in the hands of Mother Nature. It shares the start of Isaacs’s life as a scientist and how he, like many at the time, believed in technology and science over nature. It is hard to say what kind of changes Isaac went through. A man who loved studying weather and climate, only to watch as weather tore his family apart. This story will reflect urbanization in Galveston around the time of the storm. It will show us how pride and too much confidence in technology cost the people of Galveston many lives lost and countless damaged done to their town. Poor judgement and lack

It thrived with racial and ethnic harmony. Galveston was ahead of Houston and growing quickly in technology and education. It boasted Texas first post office, telephone, and medical college. This was a time of great technological advances and "people seemed to believe that technology had stripped hurricanes of their power to kill" (p. 272). With new technology you will feel like you have the best resources. Since they were new and top notch, you are also going to feel power and this was the start to their spiral towards pride. It was also the start to quick urbanization. Galveston’s economy had a flow of money with its booming cotton export trade. Galveston grew and expanded in its race to become the most important deep-water port in Texas. This port also helps with any goods that needed to be imported or exported from Texas. This included cotton, sugar, molasses, and even cattle. This reflects the quick growth rate for the people of Galveston along with their new technology and growing

Erik Larson’s approach is how pride is responsible in the lack of readiness for the hurricane rather than an unforeseen tragedy that hit Galveston. The people in Galveston believed in technology and also failed to see the power of Mother Nature. This pride is also responsible for a number of mistakes and problems within the Weather Bureau. Willis L. Moore, Chief of the Weather Bureau, believed tension within his bureau was good for the system. Things Moore said was “with pride" (p. 73). Moore put his efforts into raising the reputation of the Weather Bureau rather than accurate forecasting. He put aside the weather predictions from other people (like the Cubans weather forecast) and agencies. Moore did not want the Bureau's reputation along with his own, to be damaged by the panic that could follow calling weaker storms a "hurricane." He also maintained strict control of the term "hurricane." Pride convinced Moore that a false warning of a hurricane was worse to his own reputation than no warning at all. Even after the disaster of 1900, Moore did not want to forecast