Sharon Orlopp's Blog - Posts Tagged "nonfiction"
The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin
"Arrogance is a pandemic."
That passage in the book's introduction grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It was referencing weather forecasters during the blizzard on January 12, 1888 where 250 - 500 people perished in Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas.
A big shout out to a Goodread's friend, Debbie, who shared with me that there are two books called The Children's Blizzard.
Melanie Benjamin's book is historical fiction.
David Laskin's book is nonfiction.
I had read Melanie Benjamin's book and Debbie recommended I listen to David Laskin's book on audiotape. I did and it is fabulous!
I gave both the historical fiction and the nonfiction book called The Children's Blizzard five stars. The two books have very different approaches to the same event. I highly recommend both books!
Laskin's book provides terrific context about immigrants from various countries who came to America in search of land and freedom. Over 750,000 immigrants came to the Great Plains in the 1880's. Laskin shares what their life was like in their original country, the immigration experience to the US, and the continual challenges of farming.
Laskin's writing style is memorable...he shares that immigrants were told that they just needed to "tickle the earth with a plough" to farm successfully.
Farmers dealt with blizzards and brutal winters during many of the years prior to the blizzard of 1888. They also dealt with grasshopper/locust plagues from 1873 - 1877 which destroyed their crops and life savings. Throw in famine, poverty, smallpox, and high mortality rates for infants/children and it's clear that grit, resiliency, and perseverance are critical for survival.
Laskin's thorough research and testimonials/memoirs from those who survived the blizzard enable the reader to follow many families' stories through multiple generations.
Laskin utilizes analogies to help understand weather patterns and the violent convergence of weather patterns that created the 1888 blizzard. The day before the blizzard, there were significant drops in barometric pressure coupled with high spikes in temperatures which creates a phenomenon known as a jet streak. Laskin said a jet streak is like a bullet train racing through a moving tunnel. He uses other analogies, such as being dealt a bad hand at a poker table, to describe weather scenarios.
The morning of January 12, 1888 was very different from the day before. Temperatures were 20 - 40 degrees higher than the day before, so many people felt it was a reprieve from typical January weather. Some school children wore lighter coats and didn't bring hats or gloves to school that day.
As a side note, the description of the beautiful January 12th morning was eerily similar to how people in NYC described the morning of 9/11 before planes crashed into the Twin Towers.
The other sub-story is about weather forecasters in 1888. The Army was responsible for weather tracking and notification. There are power plays, relationship issues, communication glitches, and scandals. It reads like a corporate thriller!
The leadership lessons that come to mind while learning about weather forecasters during that era include:
* Do you lead or do you follow?
* When do you follow the rules and when do you break them?
* What is the true meaning of your role and responsibility?
* What do you focus your time on while at work and does it align with your most important role and responsibility?
* Can you see around corners and anticipate what can happen?
* Can you spot patterns and make conclusions?
* Are you a person of action and what is your sense of urgency?
* How do you hold yourself accountable?
These are key leadership lessons that are applicable through all eras.
The one chapter I struggled with were the details about what happens when a person is exposed to high wind/cold and how the body shuts down.
I strongly recommend this book!
That passage in the book's introduction grabbed me and wouldn't let go. It was referencing weather forecasters during the blizzard on January 12, 1888 where 250 - 500 people perished in Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, and the Dakotas.
A big shout out to a Goodread's friend, Debbie, who shared with me that there are two books called The Children's Blizzard.
Melanie Benjamin's book is historical fiction.
David Laskin's book is nonfiction.
I had read Melanie Benjamin's book and Debbie recommended I listen to David Laskin's book on audiotape. I did and it is fabulous!
I gave both the historical fiction and the nonfiction book called The Children's Blizzard five stars. The two books have very different approaches to the same event. I highly recommend both books!
Laskin's book provides terrific context about immigrants from various countries who came to America in search of land and freedom. Over 750,000 immigrants came to the Great Plains in the 1880's. Laskin shares what their life was like in their original country, the immigration experience to the US, and the continual challenges of farming.
Laskin's writing style is memorable...he shares that immigrants were told that they just needed to "tickle the earth with a plough" to farm successfully.
Farmers dealt with blizzards and brutal winters during many of the years prior to the blizzard of 1888. They also dealt with grasshopper/locust plagues from 1873 - 1877 which destroyed their crops and life savings. Throw in famine, poverty, smallpox, and high mortality rates for infants/children and it's clear that grit, resiliency, and perseverance are critical for survival.
Laskin's thorough research and testimonials/memoirs from those who survived the blizzard enable the reader to follow many families' stories through multiple generations.
Laskin utilizes analogies to help understand weather patterns and the violent convergence of weather patterns that created the 1888 blizzard. The day before the blizzard, there were significant drops in barometric pressure coupled with high spikes in temperatures which creates a phenomenon known as a jet streak. Laskin said a jet streak is like a bullet train racing through a moving tunnel. He uses other analogies, such as being dealt a bad hand at a poker table, to describe weather scenarios.
The morning of January 12, 1888 was very different from the day before. Temperatures were 20 - 40 degrees higher than the day before, so many people felt it was a reprieve from typical January weather. Some school children wore lighter coats and didn't bring hats or gloves to school that day.
As a side note, the description of the beautiful January 12th morning was eerily similar to how people in NYC described the morning of 9/11 before planes crashed into the Twin Towers.
The other sub-story is about weather forecasters in 1888. The Army was responsible for weather tracking and notification. There are power plays, relationship issues, communication glitches, and scandals. It reads like a corporate thriller!
The leadership lessons that come to mind while learning about weather forecasters during that era include:
* Do you lead or do you follow?
* When do you follow the rules and when do you break them?
* What is the true meaning of your role and responsibility?
* What do you focus your time on while at work and does it align with your most important role and responsibility?
* Can you see around corners and anticipate what can happen?
* Can you spot patterns and make conclusions?
* Are you a person of action and what is your sense of urgency?
* How do you hold yourself accountable?
These are key leadership lessons that are applicable through all eras.
The one chapter I struggled with were the details about what happens when a person is exposed to high wind/cold and how the body shuts down.
I strongly recommend this book!
