Hemingway has produced an incredible account of not only what it's like to be in the center of a horrific storm but also what life was like in south Jackson in the 1960s. She makes you feel as if you were there and knew all the principal characters who were living their regular lives when the weather changed everything. Her personal connection to the story is evident throughout her honest, unflinching look at that day in 1966. After reading the book, I have a new respect for and understanding of tornadoes and their effect on their victims. I look forward to reading it a second time to soak it all in again.