"Fabulous. I am amazed at the quality of writing—it often left me breathless—and the depth of analysis. This penetrating and engaging book is essential for understanding the many catastrophes that stem from ignoring nature in our quest for economic growth."
Charles Perrow, Professor Emeritus, Yale and author of "Normal Accidents"
"This brilliant work demonstrates once again that most 'natural' disasters are in fact man-made, and therefore preventable and correctable. Bravo!"
James F. Short, Professor Emeritus, Washington State University
"The best account yet of why the levees failed. The authors also warn of more disasters to come if politicians and government agencies continue to promote huge engineering projects along unstable coastlines."
Bruce Babbitt, former secretary of the Interior
"This masterpiece of scholarship breaks through a clutter of explanations of Hurricane Katrina...Freudenburg and his colleagues ground their analysis in an enduring sociological concept of the 'growth machine'... to advance their argument of humans' biting nature...Essential...Highly recommended."
Choice
"From backgrounds primarily in sociology or environmental studies, the authors do an excellent job explaining their treatise, providing a comprehensive background on the hurricane itself—how and why it formed, the physical processes at work, and how once the storm passed the disaster started. Discussing deeper stories not widely reported in the media, they highlight the heroics of the 'Cajun Flotilla' and other inventive survivors, and create a backdrop for a better understanding of the human cost associated with the storm and subsequent tragedy."
Environmental Health Perspectives