Surviving Sandy

Book excerpt: *Winner of four national awards for excellence in book publishing.*Superstorm Sandy was an epic storm, the greatest natural disaster in the Jersey Shore's recorded history. Throughout Southern Ocean County it disrupted lives and rearranged neighborhoods. It was a defining moment and, for many, a hard lesson about complacency, natural forces, and building castles on shifting sand.In this full-color book, readers experience the superstorm from its inception through the devastating impact of its tidal surge on the Long Beach Island area. And, like its survivors, you come away shaken but determined, with a new appreciation for the power of nature and the fragility of things we hold dear.This is the first book with a comprehensive narrative story of the storm -- not just photographs and captions. And although it focuses on the Long Beach Island community, that narrative also represents much of the experience of the entire Jersey Shore. Weather experts explore the incredible meteorology of Hurricane Sandy and its metamorphosis into a hybrid superstorm. Residents and first responders share their personal stories -- their fears, their bravery, their fortitude, and, ultimately, their acceptance.Because so few people actually remained on the front lines, these first-hand stories from inside the storm are an extraordinary look at landfall and human response. Each of us was affected by the tribulations our battered shore endured after landfall. And, in the end, the triumph of our spirit defines us all -- how we picked ourselves up, got to work on recovery, and generously helped others by lending a hand, donating, or offering a shoulder to cry on. The stories in Surviving Sandy help guide us to rebuild stronger -- and smarter.This softcover edition includes 256 color photographs from the height of the storm, the aftermath and the recovery; it includes a Foreword and Introduction from Great Storms of the Jersey Shore authors Margaret Thomas Buchholz and Larry Savadove.Winner of four national awards -- including a Gold Medal (Nature & Environment), and three Silver Medals (Political/Current Events; Cover Design; and Regional) -- in the IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards.