About This Book:
The strange, true tale of a Louisiana lake that vanished—taking with it every fish below and every boat and barge above—told in a gripping and accessible graphic format.
Home to catfish and crawdads, shrimp and spoonbills, even a gator or two, Lake Peigneur—pronounced “your pain,” only backward—bustles also with human life. Each day, the bean-shaped freshwater lake and its shores hum with folks going about their work: a devoted gardener’s apprentice and his dogs, fishermen, oilmen drilling at Well P-20, and the fifty-one miners employed by the Diamond Crystal Salt Mines. For most, November 20, 1980, began as “just another day on the lake.” But as the lake itself reflects, humans had, over time, left behind a honeycomb of salt highways deep beneath its surface, and water and salt mix all too well. Bracing, suspenseful, and packed with dramatic illustrations and dense end matter, this story of a catastrophic accident—narrated with the homespun voice of a “tall” tale, but true nonetheless—will amaze science and history buffs alike.
*Review Contributed By Rachel Feeck, Staff Reviewer*
Harrowing Escape from an Overlooked Natural Disaster
A compelling account of an overlooked natural disaster, with suspense to thrill and lessons to learn for readers of all ages. In 1980, Lake Peigneur is a hub of activity, but what starts as an ordinary day for fishermen, oil drillers, salt miners, and lounging locals becomes a vortex of chaos and horror as the lake itself starts to swallow things up.
It’s absolutely wild that this entire lake disappeared only fifty years ago and people hardly talked about it. This full color graphic novel gives a detailed, factual, yet suspenseful account of that fateful day, rotating between the different groups looking to make a sudden escape. Historical context and technical information set the scene, with explanations of the mining operation and how the lakefront mansion came to be. And fear not, luckily, everyone made it out alive.
The entire story is fast-paced and thoroughly researched, with an extended author’s note expanding on the aftermath of the disaster (lawsuits, rebuilding, etc), lessons learned, what few facts were bent to serve the story, and more.
Overall, the events at Lake Peigneur illustrate the mysterious and dangerous power of nature, the importance of understanding the environment, and the heroism of ordinary men faced with extraordinary events.
