Cover detail, "Ship Ablaze" by Edward T. O'Donnell
Ship Ablaze Story aired: Friday, September 05, 2003
The idea that what happened in New York City on September 11, 2001 could ever be forgotten seems inconceivable.
However, 99 years ago this summer, a catastrophe in New York City also seemed so profound and so terrible that it seemed impossible anyone would ever forget it, but nearly everyone has.
On June 15, 1904, 1,000 New Yorkers died when the steamboat General Slocum went down in flames. The finger pointing began soon after, a tangle of recriminations and the question "how could this have happened?" that is reminiscent of the aftermath of 9/11 that we're still living.
Edward O'Donnell revives the memory of this tragedy in his new book "Ship Ablaze," and joins Here and Now to talk about the book.
