By Edward Hirst
Rowan Public Library
“The howling winds, the rushing tide and the awful sea which swept over the beach and thundered like a thousand pieces of artillery made a picture which was at once appalling and terrible and the like of which Dante’s ‘Inferno’ could scarcely equal.”
These are the words of a weather observer during the passage of the Great Hurricane of 1899 at Cape Hatteras. After a month when news sources have been buzzing with weekly tropical storms forming in the Atlantic Ocean, Rowan Public Library offers a rich resource of books that may help understand how these storms are formed and the history behind them.
“North Carolina’s Hurricane History,” by Jay Barnes, chronicles the stories behind more then 50 hurricanes that have reshaped the geography of the Outer Banks and ravaged coastal communities.
Because of its location and the way the eastern part of the state juts into the Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes, which strike, on average every three to four years.
Sometimes though, three or four storms can strike within a single season. The most infamous period of North Carolina’s hurricane history began in the 1950s when nine storms struck ó six in two years ó and earned the state the unwanted title of “hurricane alley.”
“Divine Wind: The History and Science of Hurricanes,” by Kerry Emanuel, who is a professor at MIT, discusses hurricane formation, the uncertainty of predicting how a hurricane will behave, and the risks associated with building along tropical coastlines. Hurricanes are presented in verse, art, history and science.
“Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle Over Global Warming,” by Chris Mooney, is an amazing account of global warming and the effect it has on hurricane formation. The book compares the current debate between scientists Bill Gray and Kerry Emmanuel to the conflicts between William Redfield and James Espy in the 19th century over the nature and causes of hurricanes.”Living by the Rules of the Sea,” by David Bush ó This book provides a precious amount of information on hurricanes and the property losses caused by them. It also explains the geology of barrier islands and how storms and sea combine forces to alter their topography.
“Hurricane Watch: Forecasting the Deadliest Storms on Earth,” by Dr. Bob Sheets and Jack Williams begins with an account of the first recorded hurricane forecast by Christopher Columbus. It then proceeds through chronological order of how the veil of ignorance of these mighty storms have been lifted over the years.”Hemingway’s Hurricane: The Great Florida Keys Storm of 1935,” by Phil Scott, is an account of the effect of a category five hurricane had when it struck over Labor Day weekend in 1935. The author details the many bureaucratic blunders by the government and the courage of the survivors during a storm that killed more than 700 World War I veterans helping to build the Overseas Highway to Key West.
“Hurricanes: Earth’s Mightiest Storms,” by Patricia Lauber begins her book with the storm that formed off the coast of Africa in 1938 and slammed into Long Island. No one knew it was on its way because of the lack of early warning systems. This is a great book for children and adults.
Computer classes: Headquarters ó Monday, 7 p.m., Creating Presentations with PowerPoint; Thursday, 2:30 p.m., Creating Web Pages Part 2.
South ó Monday, 7 p.m., Digital Photography, Part 1.
Classes are free. Sessions are about 90 minutes long. Class size is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Children’s Program: September-November ó Weekly Story Time. Headquarters ó Tuesday, 10 a.m., Toddlers and Moms (18-24 months); 11 a.m., Toddlers and Moms (24-36 months); Wednesday, 11 a.m., Tiny Tots and Moms (infants-18 months); Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Three through Five; 4 p.m., Noodlehead Story Times (4-8 years). South óMonday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool Time (3-5 years); 4 p.m., Noodlehead (4-8 years); Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Toddlers and Twos (18-35 months); Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Baby Time (babies and toddlers); East ó Tuesday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool (2-5 years); 4 p.m., Noodlehead, (4-8 years); Wednesday, 10:30 a.m., Preschool (2-5 years); Thursday, 11 a.m. Baby Time (6 months-2 years).
Teen program: East ó Thursday, 5:30-7 p.m., Teens Locker Madness.
Tuesday Movies in September ó Featuring leading ladies. All movies are rated G, PG or PG-13. Some movies inappropriate for younger audiences. Children should be accompanied by an adult. Free popcorn and lemonade. Tuesday, “Suddenly Last Summer”; Sept. 30, “Stardust.”
Displays: Headquarters ó Hispanic Coalition by DAR; South ó Hispanic Heritage by Hispanic Coalition; East ó art by Colleen Walton.Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.