Haiti: After the Earthquake

by Paul Farmer, Meryl Streep (Narrator), Eduardo Ballerini (Narrator)

The celebrated physician and anthropologist offers a vivid on-the-ground account of the relief effort in the aftermath of Haiti's earthquake--and issues a powerful call to action

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Medicine, Audiobook, Medical, Anthropology, Social Justice

Audible Audio

First published July 12, 2011

About the author

Paul Farmer was an American medical anthropologist and physician. He was Professor of Medical Anthropology at Harvard Medical School and Founding Director of Partners In Health. Among his books are Infections and Inequalities: The Modern Plagues (1999), The Uses of Haiti (1994), and AIDS and Accusation: Haiti and the Geography of Blame (1992). Farmer was the recipient of numerous awards, including a MacArthur Foundation "genius" award and the Margaret Mead Award for his contributions to public anthropology.

Farmer was born in the U.S.A. in 1959. He married Didi Bertrand Farmer in 1996 and they had three children. He died in Rwanda in 2022, at the age of 62.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't like this book at all. It isn't at all insightful. The idea that Haiti, an impoverished country, has less than stellar building codes- is not news. The book is mostly dedicated to political rhetoric, and the logistics of planning meetings to discuss what might be done- not what is actually happening on the ground, which as far as I can tell is very little, nor does the book adequately explain why that is the case- expect maybe that everyone is knee deep in planning and consulting and other various bureaucratic exercises yet still failing to implement plans that are anything short of colossal snafus.

They're all so freekin smart and aware of how the problems developed over the last 200 years that they spend all day on hindsight, discussing how Haiti could be made perfect and in how many ways they can complicate the issue instead of actually accomplishing anything. The cholera outbreak was the final straw for me; according to the numbers supplied by the author, on average 3 people per day were dying. They spent THREE WEEKS setting up a CONFERENCE CALL and he's proud of himself for getting EIGHTY world experts on that call- no wonder no decisions were made, no actions taken- no one needs 80 individual opinions on anything ever- , however they did manage to schedule another conference call for a coupe weeks later... Its the height of paternalism and academic self-indulgence. Pile on a little hypocrisy when the author bashes NGOs for coming in with their own plans, rather than joining in the bureaucracy.

The chapter dedicated to the opening ceremony for their hospital, with an AV crew and a movie screen and a slide show, replete with name dropping and helicopter rides for the elites- it made me sick.

It reminds me of having a huge gaping hole in my roof and instead of getting up there with a tarp ASAP and come up with a repair I can afford... spending weeks with a half dozen architects and builders to design and price my dream home (when I know I can't pay for any of it) and debate the benefits of corian over granite in the kitchen. In the mean time the rain is rotting away all of my worldly possessions, meager as they are, and enough mold grows to make me sick- only these clowns did it to an entire country and are proud of themselves.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was part of my preparation for a January trip to Haiti. The first part of the book is Paul Farmer's account of why the devastation in Haiti was so great. Port Au Prince was destroyed by the earthquake because of the inadequate construction of almost all of the buildings and homes. Only a small percentage are built according to acceptable standards. As a comparison, Chile had an 8.8 magnitude earthquake (one of the largest in history) a month later with less then 600 deaths. The death toll in Haiti is estimated to be 300,000. Paul Farmer's message is that nothing will change for the Haitians until the infrastructure and public sector are given priority and developed. This isn't happening even with the billions of dollars "pledged" after the earthquake.

The second part of the book is a collection of essays written by those who were there when it happened and those who came to help. These personal stories were very powerful and my favorite part of the book. I hope to have my own personal story to tell when I return from my trip that will not only impact my life but many others.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best way to read this book:
If you are not familiar with Haitian history, read Chapter 4 first, then jump to the Other Voices Section. After that, go back to beginning and read from Chapter 1 on.
If you are familiar with Haitian history, read the Other Voices Section first, then go to the beginning.

What I learned by reading this book:
NGOs operate a lot like family members when you need help. Some relatives will show up to help and do actually help some, but also decide that your kitchen is not organized right and think you will be so grateful if they reorganize it for you (meaning that you have to fix it after they leave and you will never find your wine bottle stopper ever again because your relative thought it was useless trash and threw it out). Some relatives happily offer to help and tell you that you just need to ask, then when they ask they can't possibly. Some relatives actually show up and help, asking how they can help and listening, without overstepping or adding to your burden.

[Larry Bassett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The focal point of this book is the January 12, 2010 7.0 earthquake that occurred with an epicenter in Port-au-Prince Haiti the country's largest city of 3 million people. A quarter of 1 million people were killed and over 300,000 injured. Well over 1 million were homeless. Two years later there was still rubble and camps of homeless.

The author James Farmer is a doctor Who specializes in infectious disease. He is also one of the founding members of partners in health and international organization that works in Haiti and a number of other countries. One of the other countries is Rwanda and Dr. farmers work in Haiti and Rwanda provide interesting comparisons.

I have an interest in Haiti that has only developed recently. I have an online relationship with a young Haitian whom I met on Facebook. Junior has given me a face in Haiti to help me begin to understand the history of that country. I have recently read some books about Frederick Douglass the American slave who escaped in the early 1800s and made a name for himself giving lectures about slavery in the US and Great Britain. Mr. Douglas spent some time in Haiti at the end of the 1800s as the US envoy. Former President Clinton was the envoy to Haiti and Dr. Farmer served with him. Clinton and the Clinton foundation have played a significant role in Haiti.

The first two thirds of the book is by James farmer. The rest of the book is a series of essays by a variety of people who were in Haiti at the time of and just after the earthquake. The chaos caused by the earthquake but also by the interactions of The hundreds of aid givers who were already in Haiti and who came after the hurricane are described in detail.

One of the points emphasized by the book is that Haiti since becoming independent in 1804 has been a troubled land which very often has not been allowed to chart its own destiny. The people of Haiti very seldom had much control over the aid that came into the country and the outside experts who determined her future.

[Terri]

I am actually currently reading this, but having spent 4 months as a disaster relief worker in Haiti and having been in the center of the cholera outbreak, this book speaks so much to my experience in Haiti it already puts me in tears. Real review to follow.

[Merete Oakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Paul Farmer and I find it fascinating to read this book as an insight to his thought process. Yeah he does a lot of name dropping of political figures, but as an influential public health person, doesn't that make sense? So many times Farmer reminds the reader that the effort to rebuild Haiti is a community effort, and he actually makes a change to include more community members. I think its easy to learn about a situation like this and just judge the person for the mistakes they made in a crisis. But we collectively need to move away from that and towards applauding what they did do well and analyzing how changes can be made moving forwards. Disaster relief is a messy field often dealing with people going through tremendous trauma. This is displayed here, but also the amazing resilience of a community getting back together after the earthquake is heartwarming. Obviously the book is biased because Farmer, a white American, cannot be a complete expert for a situation that he could only be an aid in. But, his including of multiple personal anecdotes from various Haitians following Farmers 200ish pages allows for other voices to be heard. Farmer knew he would get more readers than most of those individuals on his own, and finds a way to include them. That being said, it did get repetitive at the end which I didn't love. Overall, this is a great read. I definitely see it as part of a collection rather than on its own. Like maybe a collection for somebody hoping to get into disaster relief work. As always, I love Paul Farmer.

[Florence Millo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I had read this book from back to front. Paul Farmer writes the first 2/3 of the book and it is like plowing through 200 pages of acknowledgements and personal itinerary. Everybody gets acknowledged and their role documented and every meeting duly noted. By contrast, the last 1/3 of the book is first person accounts which are riveting. If you read this book, start at the back.

[Joan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr Paul Farmer is a modern day saint, in my books. However he wrote this book to get to market in a hurry while the topic was timely and it is annoyingly repetitive, needlessly long. The information could have been stated in half the space. In spite of this I will support him and others who fight the politics of poverty.

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Incredibly dry and hard to concentrate on the audio version, even when Meryl Streep was narrating. I wish I could have felt more engaged because it’s such a fascinating topic.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s crazy to me that the tremendous human suffering that followed Haiti’s earthquake happened while I was in high school, and yet I was only vaguely aware of it. This is an interesting book because it was published so soon after the earthquake, still early in the recovery process. Like any Paul Farmer book, I appreciate his frank analysis. He discusses how the global disaster response community, like the global health experts, has been socialized for scarcity. If anyone knows that the “global resource pie” is not as small or rigid as it is often portrayed, it’s Farmer and PIH. In discussing Haiti’s recovery path, Farmer asks whether long-term health and development challenges can be addressed—including building an education system, clean water, roads, and food security, rather than just short-term, “cost-effective” band-aids. His answer: “of course we can, with innovation and resolve and a bolder vision than has been registered in decades.” It may seem hopeless at times, but knowing the history of Partners In Health and all they’ve been able to accomplish regarding the global shift towards treatment for MDRTB and AIDS patients, it really is possible to have hope.

Of course, understanding the history of Haiti and its oppression is critical to understanding why the earthquake was so devastating. Paul Farmer and Evan Lyon (in an essay included in the Other Voices section) are clear about the fact that the devastating catastrophe that Haiti experienced was an unnatural disaster, triggered by a natural event (the 7.0 earthquake), but made what it was because of “an absolutely unnatural vulnerability created in Haiti by centuries of political, economic, environmental, and social forces” (Lyon, p. 325). Or, as Farmer often refers to it with medical terminology, it was an acute-on-chronic crisis. They also make a compelling case for why a much, much higher percentage of global aid following the earthquake (what was actually dispersed, rather than just pledged) needed to be directed to the public sector, rather than primarily to a haphazard collection of uncoordinated NGOs. PIH is all about public-private partnerships, but they understand that there are certain human rights (i.e. health care) that can only be conferred by the public sector.

Overall, it was an interesting read, though I probably would've only given it 3 stars until I got to the "Other Voices" sections. I really appreciated these essays and perspectives, especially Didi Bertrand Farmer’s.

It has been amazing to see that the Mirebalais hospital was completed and opened in 2013, but I would really be interested in a 10-year update or Afterword added to this book, to hear Farmer’s and others’ analysis on how recovery from the earthquake and cholera epidemic has continued. But, if you aren’t specifically interested in the Haiti earthquake and are looking to learn more about PIH’s global health work in general, definitely start with “Pathologies of Power” (2005) or “Reimagining Global Health” (2013). This second one actually has a section on the Haiti earthquake as well.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I have admired Paul Farmer and his global health work since I learned about him in "Mountains Beyond Mountains." This book encompasses the history of Haiti, the effects of the 2010 earthquake, the humanitarian work there, and their plan on how to "build back better." He truly has a wealth of knowledge on Haiti and a better way to help (like...include Haitians in the plan, because they actually know what is best for their country, woman should play a major role in the reconstruction, and the actions should encourage self-sufficiency), as well as a deep love for the people and country. The last third of the book includes "other voices," which are perspectives from a variety of Haitians on the earthquake and subsequent needs. The perspective, information, and work is so important, but it didn't always keep my interest.

-"Dad, can we not talk about cholera at the dinner table?"..."No, not yet." - Paul's "sorrow bordered on obsession," which he couldn't help but take home to the dinner table.
-"Doing good is never simple." - Speaking of the unintended negative consequences of some charitable aid."
-I admired Bill Clinton's humility and repentant response when he took responsibility for the consequences of the food aid that he sent to Haiti, that prevented their country from growing their own food.
-"We never consider a single effort to be a drop in the bucket or energy wasted..." - speaking of their small efforts among overwhelming need

[Veda Sunkara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well contextualized account of the impacts of the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti - Paul Farmer’s humility made his account accessible but at the same time his connections / positivity about some surrounding systems of power (the Clinton administration, and as individuals) made me feel frustrated.

Reading this has made me think about 1) how uncommon a disaster of this scale was when it occurred compared to our ability to normalize loss now and 2) how important it is to increase individual and community adaptive capacity and resilience in both in advance of and after disasters. We have so many lessons to learn from, so many examples of successes and failures, and yet it is so clear we are not learning and will continue to neglect colonially underdeveloped countries and allow them to suffer the worst effects of climate disasters. This also made me think a lot about Walter Rodney and his discussions of the importance of self sufficiency as opposed to the extractive world economy - and that the Haitian people also recognized and fought for that and were still so criminally tied to streams of aid that didn’t reach the needs of the people. And that all these systems of reliance do are weaken the people and prevent them from being resilient in the first place, and then subsequently keep them reliant and unable to recover

[Mugdha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got me interested in public health and I think I liked it just as much as when I first read it nearly 15 years ago. It was interesting to read about some of the international aid and development coordination required for this response in a time where USAID and other agencies that do this work are actively being attacked in the US. I think some of the critical reviews fail to recognize that at least some of the bureaucracy is NEEDED. You cannot solve problems of this magnitude without including every sector, governments, and many others in the planning and execution. Yes, NGOs can fill a temporary void in healthcare, construction, etc., but they cannot help re-establish actual structure when everything's been destroyed and in-country decision-makers are dead. To diminish what Farmer appropriately highlights as an extremely complex response with many competing priorities with "ugh bureaucracy. at least the NGOs are doing something." misses the point entirely.

[Elise · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to fulfill a challenge in the Book Riot 2020 Read Harder Challenge. This was just ok. It was written with a heavy epidemiological perspective, which makes sense given the author is a medical doctor and global health expert. But I was hoping for more accounts of experiences on the ground and life in Haiti, and less perspectives on how global health initiatives are put in place. There was a lot of discussion about how professionals secure funding for disaster relief. This felt repetitive after a while, though I understand its importance. I probably wouldn’t recommend this unless the reader had a strong interest in public and global health policy.

[Erin Cowen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Devastating. The extent of human suffering that Haitians went through and will continue to go through is beyond my comprehension. This book offered the historical context that made Haiti’s capital so vulnerable to the 2010 earthquake. Farmer is an excellent writer, but this book was a little disorganized (makes sense, he was trying to get it to press asap) and was more focused on political logistics than on the ground action (which also makes sense, as we learn that humanitarian aid often gets tied up in bureaucratic bottlenecks). It made me tear up four times.

“hope is not a plan. But hope is, in this line of work, a necessary ingredient”

[Laurie Verwey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a hard read for several reasons! Highly insightful, explained in great detail, as well as showcasing the true Haitian spirit and tenacity. Having numerous colleagues write their own experiences in helping Haiti recover and rebuild after an earthquake gave a deeper understanding of exactly what all was involved in making that happen. Although wordy in some areas and filled with heartbreaking accounts of the disaster statistics, it made this reader more empathetic and sympathetic to the crisis Haiti faced and continues to rebuild from.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Much important information; but much of it belabored. This book could have been 1/4 to 1/3 shorter.

[Stelleri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific. I'm going to teach with it.

[Patti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be heartbreaking and inspiring and informing in that it tackled the questions so many have of why after all the aid and money sent to Haiti after the earthquake, conditions are still terrible. I appreciated the fact that it was written in real time as events were happening and gave such a sense of the difficulties of coordinating the good will of so many people and organizations.

"It was, for all of us, an entirely unprecedented circumstance. We were never sure what to do and were left with doubts about 'disaster-relief expertise,' even when those we encountered proclaimed surety. We wanted to be rescued by expertise, but we never were- this was the long, hard lesson of the quake."

I learned one of the main movers and shakers who was able to cut through red tape and think creatively about the recovery effort was Bill Clinton.

"Again, this idea was hardly innovative-integrated rural development is one of the great cliches in such circles-but implementation itself was innovation. "GSD" as Clinton liked to say: get stuff done."

As other reviewers have stated, Paul Farmer's description of the recovery efforts in Rwanda were fascinating. He states that Rwanda's progress can be looked at as a beacon of hope, but many of the challenges are also very different. Didi Bertrand Farmer's essay describes the central role women have played in Rwanda's progress.

"As of 1994, 70 percent of Rwanda's population was female. It was largely on the backs of these women-victims of rape and physical violence, wives abandoned by husbands imprisoned or fleeing imprisonment, women who had lost family members, friends, neighbors, lovers, children - that Rwanda was rebuilt. And as Paul often likes to say, it was built back better. In Haiti, we often wax poetic about the role of women as the centerpost of the nation, but Rwanda has actually put this idea into practice, with an emphasis on female leadership, economic empowerment, and education."

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Farmer calls the situation in Haiti an "acute-on-chronic' event. In the years before the earthquake of 2010, Haiti had become a 'Republic of NGOs'. After the quake, the dysfunctional system of humanitarian aid has become yet another obstacle to Haiti's recovery and sovereignty.
The chronic condition: Haiti is a nation with a weak government, where infrastructure is practically non-existent, where the gap between rich and poor is so large that the majority are voiceless and they know it. Only the elites can access education, health care, the necessities of life. No environmental protection, no fiscal policy---the list of ills is absolutely disheartening.
The acute event, the earthquake of 2010, brought almost total devastation.
The first 7 chapters of the book explain how Haiti got this way. Ch. 8 draws on the paradigm for post-genocide Rwanda's reconstruction to make the case that nation-building in Haiti by Haitians is possible, given the right leadership. One year post quake, the trauma vultures, the political posers, the bureaucrats have gone elsewhere, and the avalanche of pledges has vaporized. Some genuine help remains. Some projects are near completion. But the government, essential to a coherent effort, is on life-support.
The reason for this book is to advance a "process of discernment" to arrive at a plan that can actually be implemented.
My respect for Paul Farmer is the reason I read the book. It felt like a chore, in some ways. In the end, his guarded hope is palpable. The final 120 or so pages are essays by various persons who were involved in the aftermath of the quake. They grab you in a way that you hope with Farmer that Haiti will, against the odds, be 'built back better'.

[Wendy Hall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not at all what I was looking for about the impact of the earthquake in Haiti. Perhaps I am just too simple-minded, but I was wanting to read about the changed lives, the individuals and families and how the earthquake impacted them. I was looking for personal accounts of hardship and restoration. I was ready for my heart to be broken and open to the ongoing plight of the people of Haiti. Instead, this was a politically-focused book. The entire first half was about the author's follow-up experience - all about the UN, the calls from former President Clinton, the committees he was on, the hospital structure, etc. The second half of the book was when I thought I might find what I wanted - it was called "Other Voices" and were essays written by others close to the Haiti situation. Still not full of personal stories. In fact, I thought I had found one essay like that, as the author states that she was charged with telling the stories of those who cannot tell their stories - those whose voices were silenced the day of the earthquake. Instead, the essay explained how she interviewed people, set up focus groups, etc. Not one personal story! Haven saw this book at the library and said, "Mom, you have to read this book!" I wish she had been right.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Farmer didn't ask for a single donation here, but I immediately gave money to Partners in Health (http://www.pih.org/) after reading this book. The work detailing aid efforts and obstacles, successes and trials covers Haiti from storm-sodden to earthquake-racked. I have been a fan of Farmer's generosity and energy since reading Mountains beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World. The analogies and relationship to Rwanda were particularly telling. The book is in two parts: Farmer's descriptions and prescriptions, followed by first-person narratives by witnesses and victims.

Some may expect much from the advertised Meryl Streep narration, but she only narrates a handful of the final chapters. This is a big help to uneven narration. One particularly good final chapter (not narrated by Streep) is the testament of a swept-up journalist who ends up failing to start his own medical transportation service but succeeds and getting a donor to fund this important need.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have always respected Paul Farmer and his tireless, selfless medical work in Haiti since I first read about him in Tracy Kidder’s book, Mountains Beyond Mountains. So I was thrilled to receive an audio version of Haiti After the Earthquake by Paul Farmer from the publisher.

I have now learned, after listening to fourteen hours (yes, that’s fourteen hours!) of these CDs that just because you are a wonderful human being, you are not necessarily a wonderful writer. I learned more about Haiti that I ever wanted to know. I learned more about humanitarian efforts to improve an impoverished country than I ever wanted to know. It took everything I had in me to put that next CD into the player and listen for another hour. I felt like I’d signed up for a marathon when I’d meant to sign up for a quick run around the park.

I will say that I found the short pieces at the end of the set of CDs to be a refreshing change. These pieces were compelling and personal. In fact, if you are interested in Haiti, I’d advise you to skip to the end and listen to the short pieces only.

[Laura Andersen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I lived in Haiti for a year in 1990. If England is the home of my heart, Haiti is the home of my soul. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health writes a brilliant book about not only the earthquake that killed more than a quarter million people, but provides pertinent background and serious ideas about rebuilding. Recommended for those interested in global health and growth.

[Thart2002 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Have you ever been to a party and been stuck by the guy that takes a long story and makes it longer? That is what I felt like when I was reading this book. Though filled with lots of interesting information about Haiti it was just too detailed for me. After struggling through it for about a week I gave myself permission to just put it down. I will have to look for a different book on Haiti, culture, economy, etc that doesn't make me just want to skim it.

[Paulcbry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haiti was hit by a devastating earthquake in early 2010. The author tells the story of the quake and its aftermath primarily with respect to Haiti's medical community (he is a doctor). I found the prose rather ponderous and try as I might I could not finish the book. I do admire the author for his dedication and professionalism however.

[Lorette · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are so many reasons to admire Paul Farmer. But somebody else should do the writing/editing. Including other voices was a smart decision for this book, which frankly read like a therapeutic diary. This happened then this happened then this......

[Isaac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't think it's really possible to comprehend the scope of a disaster that took the lives of over 220,000 people. The numbers just don't have meaning, whether in terms of earthquake magnitude, human lives, injuries, infrastructure costs, relief monies donated, etc. I was hoping that Farmer's book would help me grasp what it was like trying to rebuild Haiti after the 2010 earthquake as well as giving some context for the scope of the disaster. This book did both of those things, but I did not find it ultimately satisfying. Obviously, Farmer is telling his own story, but it felt too much like the promotion of his own organization and its connections.

The book also feels dated, though I'm sure it was very timely when written. The hopeful thread of rebuilding better that Clinton championed, as repeated frequently in the book, rings somewhat hollow now with the recent assassination of Haiti's president, the terrible rise in kidnappings leading to level 4 State Department travel warnings, the aftermath of another earthquake, and the seemingly intractable issues from Haiti's past still unresolved. If there's one thing that's clear, it is that the 2010 earthquake was a grievous tragedy that Haiti may never recover from without a change in the way international aid operates in the country. So many missed opportunities, hasty promises, and well-intentioned but misdirected offers of assistance.

The advice of other reviewers to read the "Voices" section first and prioritize the 4th chapter on Haiti's history is sound. Could be a lot shorter and easier to read.

[Sara Espinosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

My non-fiction pick for the year was unintentional. I remember buying this book at a warehouse book sale mistakenly thinking it was a fiction book. It sat on my bookshelf for years until for some reason I was drawn to it, a few days before the first presidential debate of 2024, when Haiti would once again become a topic of conversation, and unfortunately, of ridicule. I remember watching from the safety of my home the aftermath of the earthquake in 2010 and how detached I felt from it, maybe from being young but also the lack of connection I had to the country. This book helped me understand the vicious cycle of the aid machine, the need for international collaboration beyond foreing aid, the principles of global health and more importantly, the role that history and socioeconomic factors play during a natural disaster. Although tragic and subjective to luck, the earthquake was a random event that unfortunately showcased to the world how Haiti has always drawn the short end of the stick. From the colonial era to present day, the nation has suffered at the hands of the world's major powers under the guise of "cooperation," leading them nowhere but their own demise. I only wished this book was organized chronologically and that the testimonials were spread out throughout the chapters, but it's a great overview at what happens when we don't look past our own noses when trying to solve a problem.

[Natú · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full of harrowing and humanizing tales surrounding the impact of structural underdevelopment on the Haitian people following the 2010 earthquake. The late Dr. Farmer's dedication to improving public health from its socioeconomic roots is clearly genuine and admirable, as is his refusal to scapegoat Haitians or Haitian governance for the scope of the disaster and failures of reconstruction.

Farmer points out the historical burden of Haitian reparations to France, European and American economic warfare against the Republic, and even more recent issues like neoliberal trade policies. However, he never quite escapes his status quo mindset, or questions whether Haiti's position within the global economic system and the shortcomings of aid there might not be merely the result of historical factors, but in fact, a reality actively enforced by predatory actors who benefit from Haiti's poverty and the suffering of its people.