Daughters of Disaster

Daughters of Disaster by Carol Albrecht Dare. Set in a fictional Nebraska town and in France during the Great War, Daughters of Disaster follows Red Cross nurses as they travel to assist victims of catastrophes: In San Francisco during the earthquake and fire of 1906; In Ohio during the Dayton flood of 1913; In Omaha during the tornado of 1913. The darkest hours for Diane come with the Great War. In France the nurses deal with shocking casualties. Only the few parties at a friend’s house in Paris provide relief from the long ghastly days. There the nurses find old friends from Plainville, Nebraska. Scott Morris tells the others about his unusual colored regiment, noted for its regimental band. The band performs frequently for the enthusiastic French. At Scott’s urging, the nurses manage to attend a performance. Diane admires Scott’s dedication and agrees to meet him for another performance shortly before a German attempt to capture Paris. Later, when Scott’s regiment goes into battle, she worries about his safety and the safety of her brother, who trains for the air war.