Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War by Katz, Catherine Grace
Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War by Katz, Catherine Grace

Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War

The gripping, definitive history of the Hindenburg disaster, the rise of the Nazis, and the road to...
$45.60 USD
$45.60 USD
Please hurry! Only 1368 left in stock
Author: Catherine Grace Katz
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Subtotal: $45.60
Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War by Katz, Catherine Grace

Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War

$45.60
Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War by Katz, Catherine Grace

Shadow Before the Flame: The Hindenburg Disaster and the Prelude to War

$45.60
Author: Catherine Grace Katz
Format: Hardcover
Language: English
Description
The gripping, definitive history of the Hindenburg disaster, the rise of the Nazis, and the road to World War II as never before told

On the evening of May 6, 1937, the majestic German zeppelin Hindenburg arrived before cheering crowds in Lakehurst, New Jersey, when suddenly, a titanic inferno lit up the sky. Thirty-four seconds later, the greatest airship ever to take flight was gone, destroyed in a ferocious blaze and eternally seared into historical memory.

Acclaimed historian Catherine Grace Katz unites groundbreaking research with thrilling narrative that situates this famous disaster squarely on the collision course between the decade's two prevailing currents. The Hindenburg began as a symbol of hope and progress, a gleaming technological marvel in the nascent age of aviation. But soon, the airship of dreams became a propaganda tool powering the rising Nazi regime. In this sweeping drama, Katz illustrates the story of the Hindenburg through the captivating passengers and crew caught in the grip of fate: an adventurous heiress, a renowned vaudeville star, a Chicago industrialist with German Jewish roots, an esteemed zeppelin captain, and a young cabin boy on his first voyage to the United States. Meanwhile, on the ground, two intrepid journalists' reporting on the Hindenburg fundamentally changed breaking news, paving the way for modern media.

In this rigorously researched, ticking-clock account, Shadow Before the Flame offers a portrait of an era when illusions of peace, fueled by the hubris of invention, hovered in suspended time as the clouds of an inevitable war loomed on the horizon. Above all, it is a story of humanity and of lives forever changed by a moment that served as a harbinger for the global conflagration yet to come.

Author: Catherine Grace Katz
Publisher: Viking
Published: 09/22/2026
Pages: 496
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.49lbs
Size: 9.19h x 6.21w x 1.66d
ISBN: 9780593832189


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 08/01/2026
Library Journal 07/17/2026 pg. 1
Booklist 08/01/2026
Publishers Weekly 08/24/2026

About the Author
Catherine Grace Katz is a writer and historian from Winnetka, IL and the author of the acclaimed history, The Daughters of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War. She received degrees in History from Harvard and Christ's College, University of Cambridge, and a JD from Harvard Law School. Alongside her work as an historian, Catherine is an associate at an international law firm in Washington, D.C.
Shipping & Return

Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We'll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the "Complete Orders" link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We'll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we've received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Review