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Dark Tide: The Great Boston Molasses Flood of 1919. By Stephen Puleo. Boston, MÍA: Beacon Press, 2004. 273 pages. $13.00 (paperback).
The most inspiring quality of Stephen Puleo's book Dark Tide, is evidence of his intensive research apparent throughout the entire text. Carefully-chosen details reveal the influence of national events on the citizens of Boston as well as the horrors and long-term impact surrounding the molasses flood found in the community during the years 1915 through 1927. Puleo incorporates personal sentiments of those affected by the flood through direct quotes and story-telling strategies, propelling the reader quickly to the end of the book. While there are no endnotes, several pages of bibliographic essays provide the reader with more sources to pursue about various topics presented.
The horrific nature of the flood comes to life in Puleo's book, silencing the giggles and comments that suggest a "molasses flood" was a silly or comic event. Puleo follows several key people who were part of the flood - Arthur Jell, responsible for the tank holding the molasses, William Connor, a firefighter trapped by the flood, Martin Clougherty, a bartender who lost family members to the flood, Hugh Ogden, who found the company liable for the disaster, and Charles Choate, Jr., who defended United States Industrial Alcohol (USIA) from charges of negligence. The personalities and motivations of these and other individuals become readily apparent in Púleos explanations of the importance of anarchists and the need for...