Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in AmericaOxford University Press, USA, 20 jul 2006 - 309 pagina's As the waters of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain began to pour into New Orleans, people began asking the big question--could any of this have been avoided? How much of the damage from Hurricane Katrina was bad luck, and how much was poor city planning?Steinberg's Acts of God is a provocative history of natural disasters in the United States. This revised edition features a new chapter analyzing the failed response to Hurricane Katrina, a disaster Steinberg warned could happen when the book first was published. Focusing on America's worst natural disasters, Steinberg argues that it is wrong to see these tragedies as random outbursts of nature's violence or expressions of divine judgment. He reveals how the decisions of business leaders and government officials have paved the way for the greater losses of life and property, especially among those least able to withstand such blows--America's poor, elderly, and minorities. Seeing nature or God as the primary culprit, Steinberg explains, has helped to hide the fact that some Americans are simply better able to protect themselves from the violence of nature than others.In the face of revelations about how the federal government mishandled the Katrina calamity, this book is a must-read before further wind and water sweep away more lives. Acts of God is a call to action that needs desperately to be heard. |
Inhoudsopgave
Last Call for Judgment Day | xxv |
Disaster as Archetype | 21 |
DoItYourself Deathscape | 43 |
Body Counting | 65 |
Building for Apocalypse | 75 |
Uncle Sam Floodplain Recidivist | 93 |
The Perils of Private Property | 113 |
The Neurotic Life of Weather Control | 123 |
Forecasting at the Fair Weather Service | 145 |
Who Pays? | 169 |
The Drowning of America | 193 |
Notes | 209 |
Bibliography | 273 |
Index | 289 |
Overige edities - Alles bekijken
Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America Ted Steinberg Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2000 |
Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America Ted Steinberg Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2006 |
Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America Ted Steinberg Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2000 |
Veelvoorkomende woorden en zinsdelen
2d sess agency American blacks building calamity California catastrophe caused century Charles County Charleston city's cloud seeding Coast coastal Committee Print Cong Congressional corps damage deaths decade destruction Disaster Relief earthquake economic emergency Engineers event explained farmers Federal Disaster federal government FEMA fire flash flood flood insurance floodplain forces forecast funds Hazards human Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Camille Hurricane Donna ibid Island John Katrina killed land levee lives major Manufactured Housing Miami Beach miles million Mississippi Missouri mobile home National Weather Service natural disaster NEXRAD NOAA Orleans percent political poor preparedness Press problem quake Quoted radar Rapid City Report residents response risk River San Francisco Schleusener Science seismic Sept SLPD South Carolina storm Telephone interview tornado U.S. Congress U.S. Geological Survey United Univ Urban warning Washington Weather Modification wind York
Verwijzingen naar dit boek
Handbook of Disaster Research Havidan Rodriguez,Enrico L. Quarantelli,Russell Dynes Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2007 |
Earth Repair: A Transatlantic History of Environmental Restoration Marcus Hall Gedeeltelijke weergave - 2005 |