When the River Rose: Stories of a Vermont Town's Flood, Recovery, and Rebirth

by David Goodman

On August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene hit Vermont with unprecedented fury. Around the state, some 3,500 homes suffered damage, and more than 1400 households were displaced either temporarily or permanently. Waterbury, population 5,000, took one of the hardest blows of any town in Vermont. Entire neighborhoods were inundated, and two mobile homes parks were completely destroyed. All told, 222 homes and businesses in and around town were seriously damaged. When the River Rose tells the inspiring story of how Waterbury confronted disaster and found hope amid the ruins. The stories included in this collection are emblematic of the strength, resilience and generosity that Vermonters have shown in response to this calamity. At times poignant, funny, and uplifting, the people of Waterbury tell in their own words how neighbors helped neighbors to recover - together. All proceeds from the sale of When the River Rose benefit ReBuild Waterbury, a local program whose mission is to help individuals and families in the Waterbury area who are in need of assistance to rebuild their homes from the disaster-caused effects of Tropical Storm Irene. When the River Rose was published by the Children's Literacy Foundation (CLiF), non-profit based in Waterbury Center. CLiF has supported and inspired more than 125,000 low-income, at-risk, and rural young readers and writers across Vermont and New Hampshire since its founding in 1998.

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

David Goodman is an award-winning investigative journalist, author of seven books (including three NY Times bestsellers), and a contributing writer for Mother Jones. His most recent book, co-authored with his sister Amy Goodman (host of Democracy Now!), is Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary Heroes in Extraordinary Times (Hyperion, paperback 2009), which profiles the movers and movements that have defended democracy in the U.S. and helped bring about the current historic electoral changes. David and Amy Goodman's first book, The Exception to the Rulers, was named by Publishers Weekly as one of the Top 50 Nonfiction Books of 2004, and Booksense chose it as the top nonfiction book of the 2004 election season.

David Goodman's articles have appeared in the Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Outside, The Nation, and many other publications. He has been featured on numerous radio and television news shows, including Democracy Now!, Fresh Air, CNN, and the PBS Lehrer News Hour. His reporting is included in the American Empire Project book, In the Name of Democracy (Metropolitan, 2005) and No Easy Victories: African Liberation and American Activists over a Half Century, 1950-2000 (Africa World Press, 2007).

David lives with his wife, Sue Minter, and their two children in Vermont."