This is an absolutely riveting account of one week in May 1902, in the lives of the unfortunate inhabitants of the city of St. Pierre, on the island of Martinique. A page-turning story-telling of the lives of diverse people, from lovers to businessmen, from captains to politicians, from priests to prisoners, all intertwined in this devastating account of one of the most tremendous volcanic eruptions in history.
Mount Pelée—the “bald mountain”—asleep for 51 years, awakens slowly and with warning, but is not taken seriously by most of the people or the politicians. The slow buildup deludes most into believing an eruption couldn’t happen. In a scenario all too familiar in 2020-21, an upcoming political election dwarfs the warnings of impending human tragedy. Keep the people distracted and calm, avert talk of the warnings, use the media to calm hysteria and mislead people is vital to the politicians’ success. The story paints what life was like for the French ex-pats, the island’s black population, and for the role religion and voodoo played in their lives. It is overall a peaceful existence, until doomsday.
The cast of characters are almost too amazing to be real, the story seems to be out of Hollywood; in fact, I’m not sure why a movie has not yet been made of this. The authors immediately involve the reader in the story and the many players, while providing a brief backdrop into the history of the volcano and the politics, while never bogging us down in it. The story moves along, until its dire conclusion. There are heroes and victims, though mostly victims, thirty times the number of Pompeii.
The bizarre coincidences and tragic accidents compound the eruption: a smallpox outbreak happening in the poor quarters; telegraph lines disconnected; and worst of all, a volcanic eruption the day before in neighboring St. Vincent island, tricking ships at sea to interpret Pelée’s smoke and ash as residue from St. Vincent.
The authors have an extensive bibliography, are acclaimed journalists and conducted live interviews as well as quote from sources, so I am not sure why one reviewer claims the stories are not true. My only questions are: why is the title May 7, when the main event was May 8? And they identify Dr. Guillotin as the inventor of the guillotine, which he technically wasn’t. Minor critiques. Overall, a fabulous, compelling and extremely well-written book!
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Thinks-he's-an-expert Bill
A disaster that nobody knows about!
Reviewed in Canada on October 21, 2020
Kindle Customer
Absolutely brilliant!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2018Mr. Christopher D. Jones
Now I know.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 11, 2017