What Stands in a Storm Audiobook By Kim Cross cover art

What Stands in a Storm

Three Days in the Worst Superstorm to Hit the South's Tornado Alley

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What Stands in a Storm

By: Kim Cross
Narrated by: Tracy Brunjes
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April 27, 2011, marked the climax of a superstorm that saw a record 358 tornadoes rip through 21 states in 3 days, 7 hours, and 18 minutes. It was the deadliest day of the biggest tornado outbreak in recorded history, which saw 348 people killed, entire neighborhoods erased, and $11 billion in damage. But from the terrible destruction emerged everyday heroes, neighbors, and strangers who rescued each other from hell on earth.

With powerful emotion and gripping detail, Kim Cross weaves together the heart-wrenching stories of several characters - including three college students, a celebrity weatherman, and a team of hard-hit rescuers - to create a nail-biting chronicle in the Tornado Alley of America. No, it's not Oklahoma or Kansas; it's Alabama, where there are more tornado fatalities than anywhere in the US, where the trees and hills obscure the storms until they're bearing down upon you. For some it's a story of survival, and for others it's the story of their last hours.

©2015 Kim Cross (P)2015 Tantor Americas Disaster Relief Environment Natural Disasters Nature & Ecology Outdoors & Nature Science Social Sciences State & Local United States Weather Funny Survival

Critic reviews

"Horrifying depictions of the monster storms and gut-wrenching scenes of loss make other accounts of Tuscaloosa's tragic tornados." ( Publishers Weekly)
Compelling Personal Stories • Meticulous Research • Emotional Narration • Resilient Community Portrayal
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Wonderful information about how the storm formed and how it changed people's lives. a lot of research was obviously put into this. great read.

both heart breaking and heart warming

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What Stands in a Storm is a play-by-play breakdown of the worst super tornado outbreak to date. The author brings you close to the inner circle of victims, the details of major tornados, and the meteorologists who document their terrible toll.

Gripping and Unblinking

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I loved not only the scientific aspect of this telling of the tornado outbreak but how people’s stories were told and the work put into everything. Very good read.

Heartfelt and respectful

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good book. keeps your attention and makes you care about the people who had to endure this tragedy. Absolutely worth reading.

True story of Tornado tragedy.

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this was a fantastic retelling of tragic events that sometimes made me cry,laugh,and ponder what could/should have been different. the narrator did fabulous. I'm really happy to have found this book. the first person accounts and retelling really made the book.

wonderful

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Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

For the content of the book yes, but due to the narration, no.

As a native Birminghamian, and witness to the devastation of April 27th, I would recommend this book to both residents of Alabama and others across the nation. While most of us who live here already know many of these stories (or ones just like them), as well as are directly connected to people affected by this more greatly than ourselves, this was a fantastic depiction of our resilient state, our courageous people and the fine men and women who work tirelessly to aid others.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed the honesty of this book. I respect the meticulous research and development that went into creating this story. It is a testament to the dedication of the author to the memory of those lost and the accuracy in which their stories deserved to be told.

What didn’t you like about Tracy Brunjes’s performance?

As a native Alabamian, I found her narration particularly offensive. The choice to portray the voices of Alabamians with a fake, and often times mockish seeming Southern accent was an extremely poor judgement. Not all Alabamians even speak with that thick of an accent. It seemed more like she was making fun of the Southern people rather than trying to tell the story in our voices. This narration was very distasteful and overall ruined the enjoyment of the book for me. It is of my opinion that this book should be re-recorded with a different narrator, or to correct the parts where she speaks in an Alabamian character's "voice".

There really isn't even enough room here to properly describe the feeling of anger I had while listening to the narration of this book when the narrator chose to speak in "accent". Degrading is the only word I can even find.

Extremely Offensive Narration

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I imagine it’s hard to write a full book about a tornado outbreak but I sensed the author was reaching for material to add to this story. It was probably 20% too long.

A little too long. Sort of scattered.

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Kim Cross does a fantastic job gathering information to piece together a heart-wrenching tale of the 2011 Tornado Outbreak. The stories are moving, the tornadoes and damage is scientifically fascinating and the loss of life will move you to tears.

BUT. The narrator, Tracy Brunjes, does a disgraceful and disrespectful narration of the lives and stories lost and touched by this natural disaster. Faked southern accents will make you cringe. She also makes errors or stumbles when reading. It could have been fixed by a re-recording of those instances.

I beg Audible to have this re-read and uploaded to honor the victims and Kim's writing.

Incredibly written. Disgracefully narrated.

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Author did extensive interviews to depict the tragedies associated with tornadoes. Writing style was overly metaphorical and a bit too syrupy for my tastes.

Personal accounts

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I liked the thread of faith that ran through the book, which is deeply ingrained in those living in this part of the country, and how the author doesn't shy away from tackling tough questions or depicting the faith that carried many of the victims and survivors through their experiences. A moving and compassionate look at this terrible disaster.

A hopeful look at a terrible disaster

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