HC Professor Publishes Book on New York's Biggest Disaster Prior to Sept. 11O'Donnell Recreates the Tragedy of the 1904 General Slocum FireEdward T. O'Donnell, of the history department, recently published a new book titled Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum (Broadway Books, 2003). Named a "Sizzlin' Read" for summer by USA Today, Ship Ablaze tells the story of New York's deadliest tragedy prior to Sept. 11.On June 15, 1904, over 1,000 of New York's Lower East Side residents perished, when a fire on the General Slocum forced the passengers into the water. The only book available on this chapter in the city's history, Ship Ablaze draws on first hand accounts to examine why the death toll was so high, how the city responded and why this event failed to achieve the infamy of the Titanic's 1912 demise or the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. Ninety-nine years after the tragedy, Ship Ablaze turns the disaster of the General Slocum into "more than just a historical event," notes Publishers Weekly. "It's a fascinating window into an era, a community and the lives of ordinary people." O'Donnell earned his B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and his Ph.D. in American history from Columbia University. The author of 1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish-American History (Broadway Books, 2002), he is currently completing a social biography of Henry George due out later this year. O'Donnell lives with his wife and their four daughters in Holden, Mass. For additional information on the General Slocum disaster and Ship Ablaze, visit www.general-slocum.com |
June 20, 2003|nm