After the Fog

by Kathleen Shoop

  · When Smoke Ran Like Water: Tales of Environmental Deception and the Battle Against Pollution, Devra Davis (2002)

  · The Fluoride Deception, Christopher Bryson (2004)

  · Talking Steel Towns: The Men and Women of America’s Steel Valley, Ellie Wymard (2007)

  · Community Health Association: Nursing Technique (1930)

  · The Public Health Nurse Quarterly, Pittsburgh, PA (1931)

  · Nursing Manual: Public Health Nursing Association of Pittsburgh, PA (1941)

  · The Second Five-Year Report on Poliomyelitis in Allegheny County 1945-1949, Inclusive, Wilton H. Robinson, M.D.

  · “Investigation of the Smog Incident in Donora, PA, and Vicinity,” James G. Townsend, MD, FAPHA, presented at American School Health Association and the Engineering, Epidemiology, Industrial Hygiene, and School Health Sections of the APHA, October 28, 1949

  · Deathmap—www.calu.edu/business-community/teaching…donora-digital-collection/_files/deathmap_s.jpg

  · Travel with a Beveridge—scottbeveridge.blogspot.com

  · The New Yorker Digital edition—Annals of Medicine: “The Fog,” Berton Roueche (1950)

  · “Chats with a Public Health Nurse,” Elizabeth H. Roth, Public Health Nursing Association of Pittsburgh—date unknown

  · “For the Care of the Sick,” McKees Rocks Gazette, author unknown, October 1919

  · The Public Health Disparities Geocoding Project Monograph (Reference to Herman Biggs’ quote on public health—Monthly Bulletin, NYC Health Department—1911) http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/thegeocodingproject/webpage/monograph/introduction.htm

  · “Donora Smog of 1948,” Barry Gilbert, EPAalumni.org, April 29, 2009

  · “Splendid Achievement of the Community Nurse, Great Asset to Health of Entire District,” Homestead (Leader?), October 6, 1919

  · “20 Died. The Gov’t. Took Lead. In 1948, a Killer Fog Spurred Air Cleanup,” Jeff Gammage, Philadelphia Inquirer, October 28, 1998

  · “Think You Know: It Takes 1,200 Kinds for the Many uses of Nails,” William P. Vogel, Jr., Popular Science, December, 1947

  · “Ethnographic Survey for Steel Industry Heritage Corporation,” Washington County, PA, Cynthia Kerchmar (1992)

  · Everyday Fashions of the Forties: As Pictured in Sears Catalogs, JoAnne Olian, ed. (1992)

  · The Age of Anxiety, WH Auden (1947)

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you to Dr. Charles Stacey for your guided tours, insider/eye-witness views and kindness in helping usher After the Fog into the light of day. There isn’t a corner or crevice of Donora that doesn’t hold volumes of history and isn’t immensely interesting. Thank you for discussing the practical complexities of trying to illustrate the conflict between parents who were so proud of their work and town, yet wanted so much for their children to go away to college and have a life outside the mills. Also thanks for helping me illuminate the conflict that existed for the sickened people and their desire to keep the mills running, afraid to lose what they worked so hard to gain.

  Thanks to Brian Charlton—your expertise, knowledge about Donora’s past, historical accuracy pointers and the ability to let fiction sit inside a non-fiction event was a fabulous gift to bestow upon me. Thanks also for the use of all the photos and maps of Donora and for insight into its various people and mill-works. The Smog Museum is a powerful testimony to an influential tragedy and a great town.

  Mrs. and Mr. Harry Loftus—thank you for the valuable memories and time you shared with me. Your insights into the “five days of fog,” mill politics and steel production were paramount in creating this novel. Your stories inspired mine—I feel like Kramer on Seinfeld when I say, thanks for the use of your “I walked in front of the car to guide it through the fog,” tale and so many others.

  Thanks to my mom for collecting volumes of nursing reports, handwritten/typed accounts of what community/public health nurses did for a living. What a treasure they are to see. I hope I brought to life the incredible work those women did in a way that honors them. And, thank you for giving me the idea of looking into Donora in the first place. Thanks to my dad for EVERYTHING!

  To Rose Jacobs who has regaled me with mill-town and family lore for as long as I’ve been alive. Thanks for explaining the complex circumstance of being “well-off” in post-war America, but still on the cusp of losing your savings with one bad accident, one lost job, one necessary, large purchase, how having a good meal was good living, not at all what we think of good living today. You would have been an impeccable scientist—attention to detail and relentless hard work live in everything you do. Thanks for all that you’ve instilled in me. You taught me it doesn’t matter what your education level is, make the most of it and aim to be the best you can at what you do.

  For Jane Arthur—the other side of the impressive grandma coin! You taught me that there’s no good reason to be under-educated, not even the Great Depression. If there’s a certain job you want, you find a way to get the skills to do it! You put yourself through college, earned a scholarship and finished at a time it was unusual for women to do so. You were an amazing teacher and an inspiration. The next book’s for you!

  To my sister, Beth—thanks for the epidemiological analysis of After the Fog and for always finding humor in Pittsburgh people. Thanks, too, for your honesty…I know when you finally say something is good that it actually is.

  To Lisa—as usual, I need to thank you for walking this entire book from an idea all the way through publication. I know the last thing you have time for is reading another scene let alone the entire book—yet you do it anyway. Those selfless acts are immeasurable.

  Thanks so much, Catherine Coulter, your feedback and endless author talk has made publishing so much better. Your time, expertise, and endless gestures that demonstrate your enthusiasm for this work are valued beyond any expression offered here. I appreciate everything you’ve done!

  To Jan and Bob Shoop for so generously giving my book to everyone who would take it. Thank you for your kind words about the work I did and for inviting me to a Kerr Memorial Museum Book Club meeting to discuss The Last Letter. I appreciate it so much.

  Thanks to Barbara DeSantis—your editing insights were perfect. How could I not see the problem with the birthmark scene? And Magdalena’s revelation and…and…and…on and on…Thank you!

  To Julie Metz and Monica Gurevich—your covers are beautiful and I’m so fortunate to have your work envelop mine!

  Thank you, Martha Alderson, your gentle plot consultations helped shape this book.

  Sue McClafferty—your guidance and suggestions are forged into every word of After the Fog.

  Crystal Patriarche—thank you for all the promotional work—you certainly helped push The Last Letter out of my friend bubble and into Kindle Bestsellerdom! Thanks for your fabulous work on After the Fog.

  Kim Cecere—thank you also for your PR work! I’m so lucky to have you working with me.

  Stephanie Elliot, my first editor—thank you for all the heartfelt recommendations and generous marketing you did for The Last Letter. I learned so much from you and you always left me laughing.

  To Melissa Foster and World Literary Café. Thank you for bringing me into the world of social networking. I still stink at it, but it’s great to have people like you cheering me on. Melissa, your enthusiasm and kindness are stunning and I value our friendship so much.

  Madhu Wangu—thank you for your insights into Rose and her life…I still chuckle at your feedback regarding naked Unk.

  Cindy Closkey and everyone at Big Big Design. Your website work is beautiful and functional—I wish my entire life worked like Kshoop.com!

  MJ Rose—You are so giving with all that you know about writing, marketing and promotion. I couldn’t have sold so well without you. Thank you for your sharp honesty…it’s a little painful, but it’s priceless.

  Thanks to Steve Windwalker at kindlenationdaily.com— Those kindle ads are gold! Worth every penny and more. Your advi
ce and sense of humor made my foray into self-publishing as profitable as I dreamed it could be.

  Catherine Coulter, Michele Harden, Jen Muir, Gwen Sullivan, Mary Kay Pronio, Megan Farrell, Emily Markel, and Gretchen Kurzawa—thank you for endless reading, plotting, feedback, support, celebrating and pushing the book to everyone you know. Your excitement has made the success meaningful. I’m so glad to call you all my friends.

  Thanks to Tony Harden for hauling a stash of The Last Letter along with golf clubs and lacrosse gear and passing the books out to all who wanted to read!

  Mike Kurzawa—thanks to you for tracking down the official weather condition report for the Month of October 1948 in Donora, PA. I might still be looking for it if you hadn’t found it!

  To Amanda Allis—thank you for reading a draft of After the Fog and for being enthusiastic about both books. Your insights helped a ton and the updates on friends reading The Last Letter were precious to me.

  Thanks to Jen Gold—your creativity inspires me.

  Thank you Linda Adzima! Your encouragement and love of Rose was just what I needed!

  To Maura, thank you for buying The Last Letter for everyone you thought would read it! I appreciate that so much. Next up: Parking Lot 13: Essays and Stories including: When Your Extended Family Can’t Get Where They’re Supposed to be Going, How to Exit a Police Cruiser as Though You do it Everyday, and Deliver the Heimlich or Answer the Phone? Knowing When to Do Which. That’s for Bob.

  To Wendy Curtis—you have been such a fantastic reader over the years. Thank you for bringing my work to your book club—that meant the world to me.

  For Sara Claire Bulger for having a sense of humor about my using a derivation of your name for “Sara Clara from the South.” You are nothing like her, but somehow the name fit!

  Marcia Lehman—my first fan! I’ll never forget your email saying how interested you were in reading The Last Letter and then the email saying how much you loved it. Thank you. The way you spread the word about the book was a true gift I can never repay.

  Thanks to my family—in-laws and blood—you have all simply floored me with the way you’ve helped me with writing and pushing my work. I am humbled by your love. Thanks to all the children in the family…you are what makes life good.

  Thanks to the teachers, administrators and students at MACS—the world is better because of all of you. Thanks for sharing your lives and classrooms with me—I truly learn something new every time I’m there. Go Pitt! That’s for you, Mr. Scoumis. Next year’s our year…

  To the following book clubs, organizations, and businesses—I thank you for your interest and for having me talk about my work or carry it in your local store. It’s an unbelievable experience to hear your thoughts, to have conversations that bring characters and events from the books to life as though their fictional world somehow matters:

  Food, Friends, and Books Book Club

  Kerr Memorial Museum Book Club

  Anne Buechli’s Book Club

  Goldenrods Book Club

  Shaler-North Hills Library

  Oakmont Carnegie Library

  DAR—KushKushKee Trail Chapter

  The Cooper-Siegel Community Library, Fox Chapel, Friday morning Book Club

  Mystery Lovers Bookshop—Oakmont, PA

  Mae’s Hallmark—Oakmont, PA

  If I’ve forgotten anyone please remind me! I’ll correct the omission with the next book. I am so lucky to have so many people with expertise and enthusiasm who see the value in my work and who work so hard to tell others about it. Thank you!

  For Beth and Jake—you astound me every day. Jake, your writing and movies are horrifically fantastic and Beth your stories are beautiful and clever.

  Bill, thank you for all the rest of the stuff that isn’t mentioned here! I appreciate every single thing you do.