Joel Cobbs. Atlanta, Georgia: JNCobbs, 2016. 251 pp. (Paperback).
Who can forget the massive tornado outbreak of April 27, 2011? Large numbers of us lost power and phone communication, and many even lost loved ones on that day. This book is a fictionalized account that covers the outbreak from Madison County to Tuscaloosa and points between.
The Alabama Baptist reader who was in the state at the time will recognize places and scenarios from the book, and memories of that day will likely be triggered. The book traces several people and families from just before the tornadoes hit to the horrible aftermath, especially in Tuscaloosa.
The book is well written but perhaps a little too busy, switching from one scenario to another every few pages. Cobbs did put the person or family’s name as a chapter title whenever the focus switched, but there were too many switches for me to keep up with. I kept losing people.
In the end, just as in the actual tornado, there is hope and a sense that life goes on.
Reviewed by Martine Bates Fairbanks, Ed.D.
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