The Johnstown Flood
by David McCullough
The Johnstown Flood by David McCullough holds a highly rated rating of 4.11 out of 5, based on 11.7K reader ratings. First published in 1968. The book spans 302 pages.
About The Johnstown Flood
At the end of the last century, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, was a booming coal-and-steel town filled with hardworking families striving for a piece of the nation's burgeoning industrial prosperity. In the mountains above Johnstown, an old earth dam had been hastily rebuilt to create a lake for an exclusive summer resort patronized by the tycoons of that same industrial prosperity, among them Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Andrew Mellon. Despite repeated warnings of possible danger, nothing was done about the dam. Then came May 31, 1889, when the dam burst, sending a wall of water thundering down the mountain, smashing through Johnstown, and killing more than 2,000 people. It was a tragedy that became a national scandal. Graced by David McCullough's remarkable gift for writing richly textured, sympathetic social history, The Johnstown Flood is an absorbing, classic portrait of life in nineteenth-century America, of overweening confidence, of energy, and of tragedy. It also offers a powerful historical lesson for our century and all times: the danger of assuming that because people are in positions of responsibility they are necessarily behaving responsibly.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | David McCullough |
| Published | 1968 |
| Pages | 302 |
| Genres | History, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science, Biography & Memoir |
| Average Rating | 4.11 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 11,691 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is The Johnstown Flood?
The Johnstown Flood is categorized as History, Non-Fiction, Historical Fiction, Science. Its primary genre classification is Historical Fiction.
Is The Johnstown Flood worth reading?
Based on 11.7K reader ratings, The Johnstown Flood has an average score of 4.11 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."
How many pages is The Johnstown Flood?
The Johnstown Flood has 302 pages.
Who wrote The Johnstown Flood?
The Johnstown Flood was written by David McCullough. It was first published in 1968.
What is the ISBN for The Johnstown Flood?
The ISBN-13 for The Johnstown Flood is 9780844662920.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
