{"product_id":"9781937484057","title":"The Wreck of the Columbia: A Broken Boat, a Town's Sorrow and the End of the Steamboat Era on the Illinois River","description":"\u003ci\u003ePart of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library research collection, Springfield\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the night of July 5, 1918, a steamboat named \u003ci\u003eColumbia,\u003c\/i\u003e returning from a moonlight excursion, collapsed and sank in the middle of the Illinois River. Of the nearly 500 passengers on board that night, most were from the town of Pekin. Eighty-seven people lost their lives in the disaster. The rest were left to tell their stories of fortitude and survival. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe worst maritime accident in the history of the Illinois River, the wreck of the \u003ci\u003eColumbia\u003c\/i\u003e is a mostly forgotten tragedy today. Ken Zurski's gripping account follows the compelling true story from the moment the captain sensed a problem, to the horror of the cries and screams in the night, to the courageous actions of the rescue and recovery workers, and ultimately to the pursuit by law enforcement officials to find truth and justice. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOne town in particular found itself reeling from a sudden and devastating loss of life, an immense communal grief, and a frustrating search for answers that never truly came.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003ci\u003eTHE WRECK OF THE COLUMBIA\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDeWayne Bartels, \u003ci\u003eEast Peoria Times-Courier:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e Ken Zurski captured the scene, the people and the events surrounding the wreck of the Columbia in a captivating and readable style. This book was hard to put down.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeoria Journal Star\u003c\/i\u003e and PJStar.com\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A stirring account of the tragedy.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"An authoritative source on the wreck.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A solid job of stringing together narrative accounts of that fatal night.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Plenty of fascinating personal vignettes.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Both instructive and entertaining.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e50+ News and Views\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Grabs the reader by the life jacket and sweeps them along as the horrific night unfolds.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Played in my head almost as if I were witnessing the events and hearing the conversations.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"Spot on...historical perfection.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A literary buffet...Fascinating tidbits of facts and information.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A hit!\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eEast Peoria-Times Observer\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A captivating and readable style. This book was hard to put down.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A broad-ranging and probing look at the disaster, vividly bringing it back to life.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\"A great read!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Amika Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47040377159920,"sku":"9781937484057","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781937484057_p0.jpg?v=1763663994","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781937484057","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}