Book 76 -- Dark Tide
Book 76 Dark Tide
Attendees:
Jami Walsh
Nick Conti
Carol Contil
Em Haley
Sarah Jay
Kids:
Theo Conti
Giana Conti
Sleeper Haley
Thomas Jay
Caitlin Marr
Enjoyment:
Nick: -- really liked it
Jami: -- really liked
Carol: -- loved it
Em -- didn’t finish, but liked what she read
Sarah-- didn’t finish, but liked what she read
What surprised you most about the story of the molasses flood?
S: so far not much
C: the physical destruction and the way that it happened.
J: found the surrounding history of the tank and how it influenced it’s collapse interesting.
What did you think about the way this historic event was presented? How did the focus on individual characters and their unique experiences help tell the story?
N: made the story more appealing.
J: made it more human
S: could have been more like the discussion of the challenger disaster
E: it made it more alive
Dark Tide is written in a narrative style, through the eyes of characters. How does this style compare with other works of history you’ve read? Does the narrative style enhance or hinder your understanding of the history and the time period?
C: thinks he did a great job of putting the puzzle pieces together of the story. Had a good flow.
N: He didn’t reveal the tank breaks even though you knew it. And you can follow through the timeline in a logical fashion.
C&J: He builds the suspense.
S: the narrative style
Were all sides of the issue presented fairly? Did the author give proper consideration to all possible reasons for the tank’s collapse?
Yes definitely.
C: Used testimony from the trial to illustrate that it couldn’t be the result of an explosion.
N: didn’t let his reader think too long along the line of a terrorist attack.
C: set it up so you might think that it was a terrorist at first, but then walked you through why it wasn’t.
If a similar disaster were to happen today, how do you think the lawsuits, trial, courtroom proceedings, and public reaction would differ from what happened in Dark Tide?
N: 30 Million wouldn’t be the final awarded price.
C: you would have mental anguish and people’s lives are worth more
Discussed how litigious our society is. Discussed how awards have been on the rise.
Did you agree with Hugh Ogden’s ruling that USIA was liable for the disaster?
Hell yes.
Do you think society today is more - or less - sympathetic to big corporations like USIA?
Less sympathetic.
The book paints a vivid picture of Boston’s North End and its immigrant population, and discusses how social attitudes toward Italians helped USIA erect the molasses tank with little resistance. Can you imagine a similar scenario today?
J: any place you have a large immigrant population
S: any place you have an undervalued population
Dark Tide looks at major historical issues of the day through the prism of the molasses flood: the anarchist movement, immigration, World War I, etc. How much did you know about these topics? Did the book help you learn - or learn more - about these issues? Talk about these issues in the context of the time period and the flood story.
N &J : knew none. Learned a lot.
S: learning a lot about Boston’s history.
General Discussion:
C: Mocked Amy for making fun of her for being so into the book and then being into the book.
Upcoming Book:
November/December Book: Winter’s Bone
January’s Book: Bethany’s Choice
Next Meeting:
January 8, 2011, Jami’s condo
Attendees:
Jami Walsh
Nick Conti
Carol Contil
Em Haley
Sarah Jay
Kids:
Theo Conti
Giana Conti
Sleeper Haley
Thomas Jay
Caitlin Marr
Enjoyment:
Nick: -- really liked it
Jami: -- really liked
Carol: -- loved it
Em -- didn’t finish, but liked what she read
Sarah-- didn’t finish, but liked what she read
What surprised you most about the story of the molasses flood?
S: so far not much
C: the physical destruction and the way that it happened.
J: found the surrounding history of the tank and how it influenced it’s collapse interesting.
What did you think about the way this historic event was presented? How did the focus on individual characters and their unique experiences help tell the story?
N: made the story more appealing.
J: made it more human
S: could have been more like the discussion of the challenger disaster
E: it made it more alive
Dark Tide is written in a narrative style, through the eyes of characters. How does this style compare with other works of history you’ve read? Does the narrative style enhance or hinder your understanding of the history and the time period?
C: thinks he did a great job of putting the puzzle pieces together of the story. Had a good flow.
N: He didn’t reveal the tank breaks even though you knew it. And you can follow through the timeline in a logical fashion.
C&J: He builds the suspense.
S: the narrative style
Were all sides of the issue presented fairly? Did the author give proper consideration to all possible reasons for the tank’s collapse?
Yes definitely.
C: Used testimony from the trial to illustrate that it couldn’t be the result of an explosion.
N: didn’t let his reader think too long along the line of a terrorist attack.
C: set it up so you might think that it was a terrorist at first, but then walked you through why it wasn’t.
If a similar disaster were to happen today, how do you think the lawsuits, trial, courtroom proceedings, and public reaction would differ from what happened in Dark Tide?
N: 30 Million wouldn’t be the final awarded price.
C: you would have mental anguish and people’s lives are worth more
Discussed how litigious our society is. Discussed how awards have been on the rise.
Did you agree with Hugh Ogden’s ruling that USIA was liable for the disaster?
Hell yes.
Do you think society today is more - or less - sympathetic to big corporations like USIA?
Less sympathetic.
The book paints a vivid picture of Boston’s North End and its immigrant population, and discusses how social attitudes toward Italians helped USIA erect the molasses tank with little resistance. Can you imagine a similar scenario today?
J: any place you have a large immigrant population
S: any place you have an undervalued population
Dark Tide looks at major historical issues of the day through the prism of the molasses flood: the anarchist movement, immigration, World War I, etc. How much did you know about these topics? Did the book help you learn - or learn more - about these issues? Talk about these issues in the context of the time period and the flood story.
N &J : knew none. Learned a lot.
S: learning a lot about Boston’s history.
General Discussion:
C: Mocked Amy for making fun of her for being so into the book and then being into the book.
Upcoming Book:
November/December Book: Winter’s Bone
January’s Book: Bethany’s Choice
Next Meeting:
January 8, 2011, Jami’s condo