Gone at 3:17: The Untold Story of the Worst School Disaster in American History
"The 1937 New London explosion was a great American tragedy that once again demonstrates the courage, basic decency, and resiliency of American citizens.Gone at 3:17will bring tears to your eyes, followed by a sense of pride, as you read this well-documented, absorbing, and poignant story."—Dr. Cyril Wecht, past president of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences and the American College of Legal Medicine"Based on scores of interviews and an intimate understanding of a community torn by tragedy,Gone at 3:17is the definitive study of the 1937 New London school explosion. This engrossing narrative of sorrow and survival burrows deep inside one of the greatest disasters in American history. Readers will come to view the Depression-era residents of Rusk County as neighbors and friends."—David Welky, author ofThe Thousand-Year Flood: The Ohio-Mississippi Disaster of 1937"Using recollections of survivors, witnesses, and journalists to tell this painful story in excruciatingly vivid detail, Brown and Wereschagin allow us to get to know the children, their parents, and their teachers. The story needs to be a part of our national legacy because there are lessons still to be learned."—Ellie Goldberg, educator and creator of the Lessons of the 1937 Texas School Explosion campaign to promote awareness of chemical hazards in schools"I have finished my first reading, but it will not be my last. I commend the authors on an excellent book that will help many people continue to work through the horror of it all."—Ben Meador of Dallas and witness to the New London School explosion that claimed his brother’s life"Gone at 3:17is the most compelling nonfiction I’ve read sinceIn Cold Blood. The detail is incredible. The story line is gripping. The writing is stellar. The chapter on the explosion will make you cry."—Brad Bumsted, state capitol reporter for thePittsburgh Tribune-Review"Brown and Wereschagin fully understand that to richly describe, one must first vigorously report. This mesmerizing book reads like a novel not only because of their lucid prose but also as the result of their painstaking research and respect for the truth.Gone at 3:17serves as a stunningly gracious tribute to the victims and survivors."—Chuck Plunkett, politics editor,Denver Post"Gone at 3:17is a book that hits home, especially for anyone who has held his or her child moments after birth. It makes you realize nobody controls the future."—Rob Pratte, talk-show host, KDKA radio, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania