Sinking of the Eastland: America's Forgotten Tragedy

In his first non-fiction book, mystery writer Bonansinga (Walking Dead , Stan Lee's The Devil's Quintet, etc.) captures the raw emotion in a story full of greed, courage, and overwhelming grief. The victims were anticipating a day of eating, drinking, and dancing. Dressed in their finest, the passengers swarmed onto the ship. Gazing at the huge, sturdy looking, freshly painted vessel, most took it on faith that they were in good hands. Unbeknownst to them, the Eastland had been beset by serious problems from its launch. The ship was hard to control and prone to listing even under normal conditions, though its various owners had covered up this fact. As the disaster unfolded, the best and worst of human nature was immediately on display. Men shoved women and children out of the way in desperate attempts to escape. From shore, passersby risked their lives to save the fortunate few. In pure Chicago style, the disaster's aftermath was marked by political infighting and petty corruption. For all the loss of life and the implications to public safely, this incident is little known today; Bonansinga's powerful book returns it to the record. Photos in center section.