A Day Like Any Other: The Great Hamptons Hurricane of 1938
On September 21, 1938, a large hurricane devastated the seaside villages that make up the Hamptons on Long Island. The hurricane shocked the locals and remaining summer visitors, who had no warning of its arrival, and left a large mark on the individuals and communities that survived it. This is their story. Pulling from interviews with survivors and research into the time, Henderson weaves a fictional tale that explores the lives of many residents from before, during, and after the storm. Through this large selection of intertwined stories, we learn about the lives of artists, fisherman, local children, wealthy New Yorkers with summer homes, and the individuals that worked for them. Concise and seemingly abrupt language manages to pack entire, detailed lives into just a few pages, allowing the reader to travel along and meet this diverse cast of characters. The ride is swift, and by the climax there is an entire community you’re rooting for to survive – just as the storm comes crashing in.
