Rating: 
Summary: A good summary of a terrible storm.
Review: Akin is a survivor of the Tri State tornado. He was only 2 at the time, but his experiences resulted in him taking a lifelong interest in geography and weather. This book sets out to explain this March, 1925 tornado and its devastating effect on cities and communities in the three states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.
I found this book entertaining and informative about tornadoes and this particular disaster. This is a summary read, since the book only explains the disaster and how tornadoes form. I think Akin does a great job in detailing tornadoes and the 1925 Tri State tornado. I have not seen any other books about this particular disaster, so I am unsure why some of the previous reviewers have been harsh on this particular book. I found this a great and interesting read. At a little over 150 pages, a good reader can read this entire book in five or six hours.
Rating:
Summary: A good summary of a terrible storm.
Review: Akin is a survivor of the Tri State tornado. He was only 2 at the time, but his experiences resulted in him taking a lifelong interest in geography and weather. This book sets out to explain this March, 1925 tornado and its devastating effect on cities and communities in the three states of Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.
I found this book entertaining and informative about tornadoes and this particular disaster. This is a summary read, since the book only explains the disaster and how tornadoes form. I think Akin does a great job in detailing tornadoes and the 1925 Tri State tornado. I have not seen any other books about this particular disaster, so I am unsure why some of the previous reviewers have been harsh on this particular book. I found this a great and interesting read. At a little over 150 pages, a good reader can read this entire book in five or six hours.
Rating: 
Summary: Truly the Perfect Storm
Review: Although author Wallace Akin describes the Tri-State Tornado as "the forgotten storm," that title is a bit of a misnomer. Meteorologists and those like myself who are interested in severe weather have never forgotten this tremendous, seemingly unique convulsion of nature. And, having happened in 1925, the Tri-State Tornado is still just within living memory.Akin does a workmanlike job of tracing the path of this enormous tornado and telling the stories of the people and towns affected along the way. He himself is a survivor of the storm although, being two years old at the time, he has no conscious memories of the disaster. His recollections of the aftermath and growing up in the area in the 1920s and 30s are a useful and often moving addition to the book. One place the book is thin is in covering the scientific mystery of this storm. Was it truly one tornado or a family? What caused it to remain so powerful for such a long period? Why does it appear that the tornado was near the front of the storm - a very unusual position? Akin does not discuss these questions in depth, unfortunately, for the Tri-State Tornado is a meteorological puzzle that continues to inspire research and debate (and, of course, the inevitable, if usually unspoken question - was this a "hundred year" storm? A "thousand year" storm? Could it happen again this year, or next?). Another reviewer has argued that Akin has recycled material previously available. This is true (and what author does not recycle material? That is, after all, what research involves), but most of the books that have been published on the Tri-State Tornado have been out of print and hard to obtain for some time. Akin's book is a very readable addition to the literature on this horrible storm.
Rating:
Summary: Truly the Perfect Storm
Review: Although author Wallace Akin describes the Tri-State Tornado as "the forgotten storm," that title is a bit of a misnomer. Meteorologists and those like myself who are interested in severe weather have never forgotten this tremendous, seemingly unique convulsion of nature. And, having happened in 1925, the Tri-State Tornado is still just within living memory. Akin does a workmanlike job of tracing the path of this enormous tornado and telling the stories of the people and towns affected along the way. He himself is a survivor of the storm although, being two years old at the time, he has no conscious memories of the disaster. His recollections of the aftermath and growing up in the area in the 1920s and 30s are a useful and often moving addition to the book. One place the book is thin is in covering the scientific mystery of this storm. Was it truly one tornado or a family? What caused it to remain so powerful for such a long period? Why does it appear that the tornado was near the front of the storm - a very unusual position? Akin does not discuss these questions in depth, unfortunately, for the Tri-State Tornado is a meteorological puzzle that continues to inspire research and debate (and, of course, the inevitable, if usually unspoken question - was this a "hundred year" storm? A "thousand year" storm? Could it happen again this year, or next?). Another reviewer has argued that Akin has recycled material previously available. This is true (and what author does not recycle material? That is, after all, what research involves), but most of the books that have been published on the Tri-State Tornado have been out of print and hard to obtain for some time. Akin's book is a very readable addition to the literature on this horrible storm.
Rating:
Summary: Giant tornado, great heroism, enormous tragedy.
Review: Although I fear the wrath of nature, I have found myself wanting to read another book on weather since I devoured Isaac's Storm two or three years ago. Although not as comprehensive as I would have liked it to be, this book still drew enough of my attention that I finished it in only two days. The Forgotten Storm details the path of an F5 tornado that devasted a 219 mile stretch of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana in 1925. It contains general information on tornados in general, and on what kind of weather forces created such a monstrously huge storm. Although the author's family lived in one the towns demolished in the tornado, he admirably manages to avoid an egocentric viewpoint by telling not only his own story, but that of a myriad of people in the towns and rural areas whose lives were also affected. This book is not only an exploration in weather, but effectively and gently unfurls stories of heroism, bravery, and tragedy.
Rating:
Summary: An appalling disaster remembered
Review: It has been extremely difficult to obtain a quality book on this massive weather event, and the present text solves that dilemma. I would have preferred a few more pictures from areas other than Murphysboro, Illinois, and the discussion of meteorological factors was somewhat attenuated. These quibbles aside, the book is a feeling, sensitive chronology of the most terrible tornadic event ever to strike the United States. The stories of human suffering and courage in the face of this awesome convulsion of nature will sometimes reach to your marrow. I liked the organization of the book, beginning with a few general introductory remarks, and then tracing the course of the tornado during its three and one half hour passage from Missouri to Indiana, narrating the horror of its fury at each point. The author's own experiences in the storm. and its effects on his family and town, added flesh to the book, but did not overwhelm it. I liked that. I note that some reviewers have complained that the author has simply recycled old news accounts, but what better way to show how the neighboring towns, and the outside world, viewed this stupendous catastrophe? I believe any readers interested in regional history of the Midwest in the early part of the last century, weather buffs, and many persons who simply enjoy a gripping account of man being outmatched by the elements will enjoy this book.
Rating:
Summary: An appalling disaster remembered
Review: It has been extremely difficult to obtain a quality book on this massive weather event, and the present text solves that dilemma. I would have preferred a few more pictures from areas other than Murphysboro, Illinois, and the discussion of meteorological factors was somewhat attenuated. These quibbles aside, the book is a feeling, sensitive chronology of the most terrible tornadic event ever to strike the United States. The stories of human suffering and courage in the face of this awesome convulsion of nature will sometimes reach to your marrow. I liked the organization of the book, beginning with a few general introductory remarks, and then tracing the course of the tornado during its three and one half hour passage from Missouri to Indiana, narrating the horror of its fury at each point. The author's own experiences in the storm. and its effects on his family and town, added flesh to the book, but did not overwhelm it. I liked that. I note that some reviewers have complained that the author has simply recycled old news accounts, but what better way to show how the neighboring towns, and the outside world, viewed this stupendous catastrophe? I believe any readers interested in regional history of the Midwest in the early part of the last century, weather buffs, and many persons who simply enjoy a gripping account of man being outmatched by the elements will enjoy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Exactly "Forgotten"
Review: The title of "The Forgotten Storm" is a bit misleading as any weather buff will tell you. Nobody (amature or professional) with a passion for meterology is unaware of the 1925 Tornado's impressive resume as the deadliest twister in U.S. history. It is "forgotten" only in the sense that because there are no survivng photographs, it tends not to get mentioned whenever tornados are featured on weather-related television programs. That said, author Wallace Akin, who was a child when the storm virtually destroted Murpheyboro, Illinois, has documented the accounts of that harrowing day for history. Akin faithfully recalls the events as they happened, throwing in a helpful amount of weather-related science to help the less informed reader. Akin tracks the storms progress from touchdown as it crossed parts of three states, spreading destruction and misery in its wake. The book's main drawback is Akin's limited abilities as a storyteller. The first hand accounts in the book are mostly matter-of-fact, and rarely come alive for the reader. Combined with the fact that the book is barely 150 pages of large type narrative in length, and it feels like a pretty slight effort. The overall impression you get as a reader is that the story would have made a better long magazine article that a full length book.
Rating:
Summary: Not Exactly "Forgotten"
Review: The title of "The Forgotten Storm" is a bit misleading as any weather buff will tell you. Nobody (amature or professional) with a passion for meterology is unaware of the 1925 Tornado's impressive resume as the deadliest twister in U.S. history. It is "forgotten" only in the sense that because there are no survivng photographs, it tends not to get mentioned whenever tornados are featured on weather-related television programs. That said, author Wallace Akin, who was a child when the storm virtually destroted Murpheyboro, Illinois, has documented the accounts of that harrowing day for history. Akin faithfully recalls the events as they happened, throwing in a helpful amount of weather-related science to help the less informed reader. Akin tracks the storms progress from touchdown as it crossed parts of three states, spreading destruction and misery in its wake. The book's main drawback is Akin's limited abilities as a storyteller. The first hand accounts in the book are mostly matter-of-fact, and rarely come alive for the reader. Combined with the fact that the book is barely 150 pages of large type narrative in length, and it feels like a pretty slight effort. The overall impression you get as a reader is that the story would have made a better long magazine article that a full length book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Forgotten Storm... simply forget it!
Review: This book is nothing more than a rehash of already available literature which has been available for years in other publications.
I have researched this tornadic event for over twenty years and I found this book to be typical among written accounts. The meteorological information included at times contradicts passages in other portions of the book. Most of the physical evidence was gleaned from papers written over 20 years ago, some much older than that. The idea that this storm was sustained somehow by it's close association with a synoptic scale low pressure system has no basis in fact. There is no law in physics that support this theory. The idea presented in this book that this tornado "picked up" water from the Mississippi River and "carried" it several miles to be pushed down a city street as a wall of water is simply absurd.
The author would have been much better served using survivor stories and portraying the human side of this great tragedy as opposed to proposing his case as to what actually caused and then sustained this storm on it's record path. The facts simply do not add up and this book adds to the mass of confusing information being passed off as truth concerning this greatest of natural disasters.
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