Every year, flooding wreaks havoc across much of the Midwest. But the floods of 2008 were on a scale unlike anything seen in generations. From Minnesota to Missouri, Illinois to Iowa, the thousand year floods of 2008 - as some climatologists called them - caused tens of billions of dollars of damage. The human stories associated with this epic event that affected the Mississippi River and its tributaries are riveting. The 1,000-Year Flood is a powerful tale of heroism, of heart-wrenching loss, and of hope. Looking at the epic events of the summer of 2008 - and, in particular, at the devastated city of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and its will to rebuild - Stephen Lyons weaves a compelling and inspiring narrative set against the backdrop of a millennium of natural disasters in the region. He asks: What does the flooding mean for residents who face it year after year? Are the affected areas ignored because they're fly-over states?
