William Hazelgrove to Document Historic Camp Mystic Flood in New Bloomsbury Book

Award-winning author and historian William Elliott Hazelgrove has secured a publishing agreement with Bloomsbury Publishing to produce a comprehensive nonfiction work documenting the catastrophic Camp Mystic flood, an event that stands as one of the most devastating and poorly understood natural disasters in American history. The book will examine the tragic flood that overwhelmed the popular Texas summer camp, permanently transforming the lives of campers, their families, and the surrounding Hill Country community through its sudden and destructive force.

Hazelgrove described the Camp Mystic flood as "a once-in-a-century event that unfolded in moments yet left generations changed," emphasizing that his forthcoming work will illuminate "the voices, the heroism, the heartbreak, and the lessons history nearly forgot." The author plans to draw from extensive survivor testimonies, archival materials, government documentation, and fresh investigative reporting to construct a complete narrative of the disaster's human impact, extraordinary rescue efforts, and environmental circumstances.

The publication represents significant historical documentation of an event that continues to resonate through affected communities decades later. Hazelgrove brings substantial credentials to the project as the author of more than twenty books, including critically acclaimed narrative nonfiction works such as Evil on the Roof of the World, Dead Air: The Night Orson Welles Terrified America, and Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson. His previous works have earned recognition through starred reviews in Publisher Weekly and Kirkus, along with numerous literary awards and selections.

Hazelgrove's research and writing have been featured across major media platforms including The New York Times, NPR, CBS, PBS, and his upcoming projects include Dead Air: The Night Orson Welles Terrified America and Hemingway's Attic: Hell and Glory in Cuba and the Writing of The Old Man and the Sea. The author previously served as the Ernest Hemingway Writer in Residence, working from the attic of Hemingway's birthplace, and his current project Madam President: The Secret Presidency of Edith Wilson is in development. Additional information about the author's work is available at https://www.williamhazelgrove.com.

The Camp Mystic book project holds importance for both historical preservation and public understanding of disaster response and community resilience. By documenting this largely forgotten tragedy, the work will contribute to broader conversations about natural disaster preparedness, the psychological impact of traumatic events on communities, and how such events shape regional identity and memory. The scheduled 2027 publication through Bloomsbury ensures this significant piece of American history will receive the comprehensive treatment it warrants, potentially influencing both academic discourse and public awareness of similar natural disaster risks.