Dark Wind: A True Account of Hurricane Gloria's Assault on Fire Island

by John Jiler

An account of Hurricane Gloria's 1985 ravaging of New York's Fire Island features interviews with survivors and a detailed history of this unique island environment

260 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1993

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75/5

This was ostensibly about Hurricane Gloria, but really more a work of literary nonfiction about the collection of characters living in Fire Island in the '80s. There are some compelling parts. The author does an interesting thing that I can't tell if I loved or hated where he depicts scenes from the perspective of animals. Ultimately what let me down here was 1. The fact that Gloria ended up doing truly nothing and 2. The author's repeated fixation on the sexuality of those on the island. Of course, gay culture is part and parcel of Fire Island, but the constant reference to it was exhausting. Enough about people thinking AIDs is God's moral judgment! Just totally took away from the book. Short enough where I don't regret having read it.

[Carolann Lally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Living through hurricane Gloria and Sandy and now Henri, I really appreciated the honest and at times humorous account of pre Gloria and post Gloria as well as the terror in between. A must read for anyone who lives not only on the shores of Long Island or Fire Island, but anywhere near water. Never underestimate the power of wind, and water, aka Mother Nature.

[Sandra Strange]

This disaster story of the hurricane Gloria's devastation of Fire Island, off the shores of Long Island, isn't recommended because the author concentrates on the sexual proclivities of a couple of actual inhabitants who suffered through the storm, one of whom represents the conclave of homosexuals on the island. unpleasant and rather crude, so I ended up skimming/scanning after the first 50 pages.