The Great Deluge: A Book Review
Posted: Tuesday, June 27, 2006
by Jean Horst
The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Tulane University History Professor Douglas Brinkley is a no-holds-barred, stark look at the week of August 27 – September 3, 2005 when Hurricane Katrina roared ashore devastating the upper Gulf Coast of the United States and causing massive flooding in the city of New Orleans. It is not for the faint of heart.
Brinkley is unflinching in his goal of uncovering not only exactly what happened, but also why it happened. Why in spite of all the predictions of massive destruction made by the Weather Channel and the National Weather Services’ best meteorologists, were there so few who were prepared on the ground? Even more troublesome why did it take so long to marshal the proper resources to rectify the situation AFTER the storm passed?
Brinkley digs deep and he digs hard. He is unsparing of political parties and government officials on every level. The failures after Katrina were multiple, multi-layered, and far reaching. It’s very hard to find the good guys but not at all difficult to find ones to blame. He also looks hard to find those who were heroic & self-sacrificing in the face of enormous difficulty. Woven amongst the historical and much documented details are the stories of individuals who lived those first horrific days all along the hurricane’s path and in flooded out New Orleans. Told in documentary style, those stories nevertheless are gut wrenching and deeply moving.
Brinkley gives excellent historical background on the levy system and politics of New Orleans and Louisiana. His footnotes are extensive. He also spotlights many other historical details in his quest to explain how, in a country as great as the United States, with such a history of philanthropy in disasters all over the world, things could go so horribly wrong in our own backyard.
I was riveted when I didn’t really want to be. The story of human failure and suffering that just wouldn’t quit was something I really wanted to stop reading about, but just couldn’t. Well-written, gripping, and sad, this is not a tale for the queasy, but is a must-read for those who believe that history and human nature are repetitive & in order to grow, we must first know where we’ve failed.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)Jean, this is a good review of his book. I heard Douglas Brinkley often on television in months and perhaps longer after Katrina. He truly loves New Orleans and felt the events deeply, being at home there. Great job! It reminds me to read that book!You know, Jane, it's been two years since I read this book and I am still talking about it whenever the subject of hurricane Katrina comes up. In Texas (and the rest of the gulf coast/east coast) it's hurricane season once again but it doesn't seem like two years has made much difference in the preparedness level of the government... it's sad. Once again, each person has to make sure that they and their loved ones are prepared for any kind of natural disaster. You just don't know if your tax dollars are going to work for you.
I wish there were more book reviews on Search Wrap. Books are expensive, and time is too short for anyone to read everything, so a good book review helps one pick what books to read and what books to pass on, and I would much prefer that the reviewer be someone I know or am familiar with, than by some professional who may be nothing like me, and have none of the values I have. What a service to know which books to consider and which to ignore.Good thought, Tex. I keep thinking I'll write more reviews of books I read, but never seem to just sit down and do it. I love to read and if I'm not careful, it takes over my life. Currently, my favorite author is Donald Miller. He's written Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God Knows What and several others. We do have one author on the site, Norm Goldman, who pretty much only writes book reviews and does author interviews. Thanks for taking the time to read my stuff! I really enjoy your articles. I'm glad you are a part of SearchWarp.
P.S. I notice that you said "Search Wrap". I don't know if it was a typo or not, but just in case, it's "Search Warp". Thanks again for reading.I suppose it is my dylexia at work. Yes, it is Warp and no it wasn't a typo. I have this bad habit of reading the first letter and just making up the word I think it might be.
My favorite writers are mostly poets right now: Ted Kooser, Billy Collins, Stephen Dunn.
Peace: tex
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