{"product_id":"the-johnstown-girls-9780822964407","title":"The Johnstown Girls","description":"Ellen Emerson may be the last living survivor of the Johnstown flood. She was only four years old on May 31, 1889, when twenty million tons of water decimated her hometown of Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Thousands perished in what was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history at the time. As we witness in The Johnstown Girls, the flood not only changed the course of history, but also the individual lives of those who survived it. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA century later, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporters Ben Bragdon and Nina Collins set out to interview 103-year-old Ellen for Ben's feature article on the flood. When asked the secret to her longevity, Ellen simply attributes it to \"restlessness.\" As we see, that restlessness is fueled by Ellen's innate belief that her twin sister Mary, who went missing in the flood, is somehow still alive. Her story intrigues Ben, but it haunts Nina, who is determined to help Ellen find her missing half. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eNovelist Kathleen George masterfully blends a history of the Johnstown flood into her heartrending tale of twin sisters who have never known the truth about that fateful day in 1889--a day that would send their lives hurtling down different paths. The Johnstown Girls is a remarkable story of perseverance, hard work, and never giving up hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. It's also a tribute to the determination and indomitable spirit of the people of Johnstown through one hundred years, three generations, and three different floods.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKathleen George\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Johnstown Girls\u003c\/i\u003e, a novel about the famous Johnstown flood. She has also written seven mysteries set in Pittsburgh: \u003ci\u003eA Measure of Blood, Simple, The Odds, \u003c\/i\u003e which was nominated for the Edgar(R) Award from the Mystery Writers of America, \u003ci\u003eHideout, Afterimage, Fallen, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTaken.\u003c\/i\u003e George is also the author of the short story collection \u003ci\u003eThe Man in the Buick\u003c\/i\u003e and editor of another collection, \u003ci\u003ePittsburgh Noir.\u003c\/i\u003e She is a professor of theater arts and creative writing at the University of Pittsburgh.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"University of Pittsburgh Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51734943334674,"sku":"9780822964407","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_12346099-4b8e-4aea-85de-95af12c3c1f6.jpg?v=1763491941","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-johnstown-girls-9780822964407","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}