In the Path of Destruction

Eyewitness Chronicles of Mount St. Helens

By: Richard Waitt

Narrated by: Andy Waits

"The air had no oxygen, like being trapped underwater...I was being cremated, the pain unbearable." - Jim Scymanky

"I was on my knees, my back to the hot wind. It blew me along, lifting my rear so I was up on my hands...It was hot but I didn't feel burned - until I felt my ears curl." - Mike Hubbard

A napping volcano blinked awake in March 1980. Two months later, the mountain roared. Author Richard Waitt was one of the first to arrive following the mountain's early rumblings. A geologist with intimate knowledge of Mount St. Helens, Waitt delivers a detailed and accurate chronicle of events. His eruption story unfolds through unforgettable, riveting narratives - the heart of a masterful chronology that also delivers engrossing science, history, and journalism.

The original book was published by Washington State University Press.

©2014 Board of Regents of Washington State University (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Raw power & fury of mother nature unleashed on an populous who never realized how bad it could get.

This book was good and exciting although it could've been easier to follow with a map pdf attachment and list of names of victims and others. Narrator was good. Some of the firsthand accounts were a little hard to follow and to figure out who the peple doing the talking were. Very interesting and sad book.

Enjoyable, but hard to follow on audio

I'm enjoying this book, but it is hard to follow on audio. I am fascinated by the details, but really need a map in front of me to fully understand the stories in the book. Every eyewitness story is identified by location in relation to the mountain, frequently with road numbers. I don't know if the paper version had a map and photos, but if it did, it would be nice to have access to them.

That being said, it's a gripping story and I'm not sorry that I'm spending so much time listening to it (at 1.2x speed, which helps!).

stream of data

at times, the quick and short succession of first hand accounts got confusing, but attribute that to narration vs actually reading them(also listen at 1.25 speed). if you are looking for a pure data stream, this is the one to listen to. a great deal of effort was made to chronicle the stories of survivors, and I applaud the author.

Amazing compilation of First Person Accounts

I recently visited Mount St Helens for the first time, and was left with a desire to know the stories of the people who lived through the eruption at close quarters as well as those who didn't escape.

This is exactly what I was looking for when I started looking for a audiobook to listen to about the eruption of Mount St Helens. I actually lived through these events as a child living in the Yakima Valley at the time. I had a general knowledge of the events, but this book really lays it out in detail, from the people on the scene at the time. The narrator does a great job of conveying the mood, and has a great storytelling voice. I plan on listening to this many times over the years.

What an adventure!

I've had this book almost a year now. I enjoy it so much! The specific narration of dates, times and locations took a little bit to get used to, but didn't take away from the story. I learn something new every time I listen to this book!

I was born in 1980, and have always been fascinated with the Mount Saint Helen's story. This book brings to life all the stories my Mom told me as a kid.

Excellent and informative book

Thank you for this great listen. I was only 7 years old when the mountain erupted, but I do remember it well. My mom, sister and I were listening about it on the radio and my dad was out mowing the lawn. We called him inside to listen just as big flakes of ash started to fall. Excellent book. I’m intrigued by the eruption and this book gave me a lot more insight.

Awful language, story drags with itrelevant detail

Could have done without this one, and regret my purchase. Too much offensive language without constructive purpose. By the 6th chapter, I was tired of the book.