Stronger Than The Storm: Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina

by Shelley McKechnie (editor)

132 pages, Paperback

Published February 18, 2025

Reviews

[Pruett · Rating 3 out of 5]

All the proceeds from this book go to support survivors of Hurricane Helene, which ravaged my hometown of Asheville, NC. Stronger than the Storm is a collection of artwork and writing all about it, good, bad, and ugly.

There’s a lot of vulnerability and rawness on display in the work McKechnie collected, purposefully given a deadline closely following the storm in an attempt to capture the feeling of artwork-as-escape/release/salve/salvation many of the region’s creatives expressed.

That means that a lot of the work IS raw, unpolished, not entirely rounded out. It felt like reading our city’s streets three months after the storm: the roads are cleared and most shops are back open, but look, there, a heap of rocks! In the trees, a pennant of plastic! Little things, small imperfections or indulgences which do, nonetheless, express exactly what it was to wade through the destruction of Helene and its floods.

Like all anthologies, some pieces will work for you better than others. The highlights for me were:
• “When it Comes to You” by Brian Railsback
• “The Stormy Clouds of Helene” by Cynthia Llanes
• “Helene (True Love Endures Everything)” by Chrys Corn Goodman
• “My Palette Before and After” by Gail S. Drozd
• “Summer Bouquet” by Linda Girardi
• “Ridgelines Rise” by Erin Kellem
• “Thirst” by Rebecca Beck

But my absolute favorite was Jeanne Charters’ funny, wry, exclamation point inflected piece, “Helene: This Lady Was No Saint!”

To anyone reading this book, thank you for supporting the revitalization of our region; from ashes back to Asheville.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing collection of personal essay & reflections, poetry, and art from creatives impacted by Hurricane Helene in WNC. This small collection captures the experiences of many and is both touching, eye opening, and filled with emotion and remembrance in the best of ways. Proud to stand with WNC and its recovery efforts.

[Jim Huggler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book of peons, shorts, and art. Our daughter and her friends helped provide relief to these towns, we visited a couple earlier this month. Reading the book gave me a glimpse into the tragedy but also reaffirmed my faith in the human spirit. Thank you for sharing these stories.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've followed the story of WNC since Helene ripped through and forever changed this region that's so close to home. Finding this work, which directly benefits recovery efforts, was a happy moment for me and I enjoyed reading the stories within and seeing the art that came from such a tragedy.

like any anthology, some works stood out more than others. Overall, I do wish more diverse perspectives had been included, like those who are still unhoused nearly a full year after this storm. Fortunately it seems that most of the contributors were spared the worst Helene brought to the region.

This collection was a wonderful example of how tragedy and loss and destruction can spark beauty in various art forms. Even though this offers a small glimpse into the lives of those in WNC, I believe it's an important read for those wanting to know more about this continuing disaster.