Dr. Skilton's Talk: When History & Fiction Collide: George R. Stewart's Storm in Context

The History Department is very proud to present Dr. Skilton's talk.

Dr. Liz Skilton is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She received PhD (2013) and MA (2010) in History from Tulane University, and a BA (2007) in History and Sociology from Case Western Reserve University. Her research focuses on the history of disaster, particularly the effects of hurricanes and other natural disasters in Louisiana. Her current book project, Tempest: Hurricanes & American Culture, reviews the history of the hurricane naming system.

When History & Fiction Collide: George R. Stewart's Storm in Context

Ever wondered how hurricanes got their names? The question comes up each hurricane season without fail, yet its answer remains one of the best kept secrets of meteorological history. This talk reviews the history of the man credited with inspiring the naming system -- English professor and author, George R. Stewart -- and the saga of the book that started it all. A collision of fact and fiction, Stewart's great American novel "Storm" shaped history.

Acknowledgements & Credits:

Support for the research presented in this talk was provided by funding from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's Summer Faculty Research Grant, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of History, Geography & Philosophy. In addition, the presenter would like to thank Neal Dorst of the NOAA Hurricane Research Division who assisted with initial research on the history of hurricane naming, Princeton University's Rare Books & Special Collections Department at Firestone Library, and Roxcy O'Neal Bolton.  All image and video clips were intended for use for educational purposes only.