Breach of Faith: Hurricane Katrina and the Near Death of a Great American City

"It’s written with this brawling spirit, you feel the frustration on every page. To remind you, 25,000 people weren’t picked up at the Superdome — a place that ran out of food and water two or three days before, and was medically overwhelmed — for five days. Buses didn’t show up at the Convention Centre until day six, where another 20,000 people were and where there were no provisions. That incredible frustration, anger, and confusion is captured in the book. It’s written from the point of view of New Orleanians watching these bankers and CEOs that the mayor appointed after the flood decide whether to rebuild all of the city. For example, they were waiting on the federal government for flood elevation maps, because if you want flood insurance — which you need — they were not going to give it to you unless you abided by the rules. It took them eight months to make that map. Meanwhile, people were trying to live their lives. There were two periods. There was that first week, and then there was the next nine years eleven months. A little over half the book is that first week, and then it starts reporting on the following months. Once the water had receded and the National Guard had taken control, 80 per cent of the city was covered in water, the schools were destroyed, the utilities were destroyed, there was no 911, no police, no business, what do you do? How do you rebuild? Jed starts that story."