Synopses & Reviews
The inside account of Oklahomas deadliest tornado, by a local writer who became a national correspondent
Oklahomans have long been known for their fatalism and grit, but even old-timers are troubled by the twisters that are devastating the state with increasing frequency. On May 20, 2013, the worst tornado on record landed a direct hit on the small town of Moore, destroying two schools while the children cowered inside.
Oklahoma native Holly Bailey grew up dreaming of becoming a storm chaser. Instead, she became Newsweeks youngest ever White House correspondent, traveling to war zones with Presidents Bush and Obama. When Moore was hit, Bailey went back both as a journalist and a hometown girl, speaking to the teachers who put their lives at risk to save their students, the weathermen more revered than rock stars and more tormented than they let on, and many shell-shocked residents. In The Mercy of the Sky Bailey does for the Oklahoma flatlands what Sebastian Junger did for Gloucester, Massachusetts, in The Perfect Storm, telling a dramatic, page-turning story about a town that must survive the elementsor die.
Synopsis
A gripping, heartbreaking and heartwarming account of the monster tornado that ravaged Moore, Oklahoma in 2013. It will leave you emotionally drained but glad you journeyed into the heart of this extraordinary storm with Bailey as your guide. --Daniel James Brown, #1 NY Times bestselling author of The Boys in the Boat
Winner of the Oklahoma Book Award// Winner of the American Meteorological Society s Louis J. Battan Award
An acclaimed reporter returns to her hometown after the worst twister on record and emerges with a suspenseful story of human courage in the face of natural disaster.
On May 20, 2013, the worst tornado on record landed a direct hit on the town of Moore, on the outskirts of Oklahoma City, levelling neighborhoods, sending farm animals flying, and destroying a school while the children cowered inside. Holly Bailey went back both as a journalist and a hometown girl, speaking to the teachers who put their lives at risk as they struggled to comfort their students; to the mayor and first responders who waded through the debris while the storm still raged; to the scientists and meteorologists who have dedicated their lives to understanding tornadoes but still can t determine when one will land with any degree of certainty and are haunted by every death they might have prevented; to the storm chasers who pursue level 5 twisters with a combination of gadgetry, courage and adrenaline; and to the shell shocked residents of Moore, who rose to the occasion that day with countless acts of selfless courage. An intense and inspiring account of what happened on that fateful day, The Mercy of the Sky Bailey does for the Oklahoma flatlands what Sebastian Junger did for Gloucester, Massachusetts, in The Perfect Storm, telling the dramatic story of a town that must survive the elements or die.
The book is excellent well researched, well told, with a strong narrative that reads like a disaster novel It s difficult to imagine that anyone other than an Okie could tell the story so confidently and so well. The Oklahoman
This gripping book tells the story of one resilient Oklahoma town and the immense killer tornado that ripped through it. Holly Bailey brings together riveting science, human drama, courage, tragedy, and redemption to create a quintessential American story. Powerful and moving. Douglas Presenton, #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of The Monster of Florence
Bailey is a brilliant storyteller. She brings you to the center of the storm and it s terrifying. She makes you feel a community s loss and it s devastating. And she brings you inside people s lives as they heal and it s inspiring. David Greene, host of NPR s Morning Edition
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About the Author
Holly Bailey is a correspondent for Yahoo News, where she has written many prominent national stories. An Oklahoma City native, Bailey now lives in Brooklyn.