As a student of history and also a firefighter, I had heard of this disaster but knew nothing about it. O'Donnell does an excellent job describing the time period, the community, and the impact of the disaster itself. The hundreds of dead children and the defective life preservers will make the strongest stomach wince, yet O'Donnell write very tastefully and professionally. The book sometimes seems quite graphic, but there really is no light hearted way to tell of this horrible event.I really could not put this book down. The chapters were the perfect length; long enought to give a great amount of information, yet short enough to keep the story rolling. Oddly enough, I read it exactly 100 years after the burning of the General Slocum. Kudos to Mr. O'Donnell for finally bringing this event into the light. Also check the Slocum website for more info, pictures, etc.