January’s Open Book Club Title: Walk Through Fire by Yasmine S. Ali

Categories: Adults, Events, Library News, Open Book Club, Reader Services

Open Book Club meets next on Monday, January 8

10:00 – 11:00am at Morningside Branch Library

5:00 – 6:00pm at Aalfs Downtown Library (free parking in the evening)

**January’s title is Walk Through Fire: The Train Disaster That Changed America by Yasmine S. Ali**

Summary: On the night of February 22, 1978, a devastating freight train derailment drastically altered Waverly, Tennessee, and its place in history. This was one of the worst train explosions of the twentieth century, killing 16 people, injuring hundreds more, and causing millions of dollars in damage.

What could have been dismissed as a single community’s terrible misfortune instead became the catalyst for radical change, including the formation of FEMA, much-needed reforms in emergency response training, and the creation and enforcement of national and state safety regulations. Response to the disaster reshaped American infrastructure and laid the groundwork for the future of emergency management and disaster relief . . . and yet most Americans have never heard of Waverly.

Dr. Yasmine S. Ali, an award-winning medical writer and Waverly native, sets out to change this in WALK THROUGH FIRE, drawing from over a decade of meticulous research and interviews with survivors, first responders, and other firsthand accounts, including those of her own parents, first-generation Americans who were on call at the local hospital that treated the victims. Ali weaves a compelling narrative of small-town tragedy set against the broader backdrop of U.S. railroad history, rural healthcare, and other elements of American infrastructure that played a part in the creation—and the aftermath—of the Disaster.

CLICK HERE to find the book in the Library catalog

Join us the first Monday of the month for lively discussion with fellow reading enthusiasts! Readers gather the first Monday of the month in the morning at the Morningside Branch and in the evening at the Aalfs Downtown Library. Open Book Club is free and open to the public.

**January’s title is Walk Through Fire: The Train Disaster That Changed America by Yasmine S. Ali**

Locations:

Aalfs Downtown Library

Morningside Branch Library

Perry Creek Branch Library

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