Path of Destruction: the Devastation of New Orleans and the Coming Age of Superstorms

by Mark Schleifstein, Mark Schleifstein

At 5:02 A.M. on August 29, 2005, Power Went Out in the Superdome . Not long after, wind ripped giant white rubber sheets off the roof and sent huge shards of debris flying toward Uptown. Rivulets of rainwater began finding their way down through the ceiling, dripping and pouring into the stands, the mezzanine, and the football field. Without ventilation, the air began to get gamy with the smell of sweat and garbage. The bathrooms stopped working. Many people slept; others waited, mostly in silence.

Genres: History, Science, Environment

384 pages, Hardcover

First published August 16, 2006

Reviews

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good summary of how we got here and where we are headed, in terms of hurricanes (and other climate change issues). The book describes how New Orleans was protected from floods and hurricanes from way back up to the present, including details on how plans went wrong again and again. Predicting hurricanes and their effects on cities is still as much art as science, but some things have been known for quite some time. But the willingness to do all that is needed was not there and still isn't.

Even though I watched the reports on the news, like everyone else, in 2005, I relived some of the horror stories through this book, so it isn't all fun reading. Not much fun at all, but it is clearly written and has a lot to say.

One of the messages I got from the book was a bit between the lines: positions of great importance during emergencies should come with requirements that the person in the job has the right qualifications. Many of those in FEMA and the Corps of Engineers and Homeland Security were not prepared for the challenges they faced. Some stepped up but many did not and could not.

Another issue is one that is common for Americans: as soon as the main crisis has passed we are onto something else. We need to stay focused.

[Deb Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of historical research went into this book. I was aware of the horrific damage Katrina inflicted, but I was unaware of the mountain of red tape and jockeying for authority that caused a delay in response. Between the National Guard, FEMA, Homeland Security, the Bush administration, LA governor and mayor, it was the bureaucracy that got in the way of saving lives. Ultimately, the White House failed miserably when it came to saving New Orleans. This is an informative book.

[Marisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has a solid history of hurricanes before Katrina, as well as the attempts at hurricane/flood mitigation.

[Trish Clay · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, co-authored with Mark Schlefstein, is about much more than the events of Hurricane Katrina itself. It delves back into the history and pre-history of the New Orleans area as it relates to hurricanes and their impacts. We learn of the Native Americans and the successive waves of settlers and how each coped with periodic flooding and disaster. The book then examines the more immediate history and politics of pre-Katrina New Orleans and how they led to the levee failures and debacle of the crowded Superdome. Much of this section is based on an award winning series in the New Orleans Times Picayune (newspaper)that predicted all of the failures, from the levees to the Superdome, years before Katrina actually hit. Finally, the actual landfall of Katrina and the subsequent collapse of civil society is examined. A thoughtful book, the authors' placement of the hurricane within a historic and holistic context makes this ultimately a much more satisfying read than many of the Katrina books that came out sooner but covered only the immediate aftermath.

[Jessica Welch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fairly good timeline of the Katrina disaster. I especially liked the history given of New Orleans and the Corps and what led to Katrina being so devastating. Most of it was not information I had heard. It was a bit hard following the different characters (remembering who was who) and I think more could have been done to aid the reader. At the same time I think that these first hand experiences were what made the book so real. I admit though, the only time I cried was when the authors described a rescue attempt of a dog that bit the rescuers so they had to just let him go. While a lot of the book tried to remain neutral, these are just the facts, there were some scathing bits towards the end. I don't disagree with the comments made by the authors but I felt that it damaged their argument a bit. Finally, would have liked more info regarding the super storms. A one chapter or mismatched information was quite anticlimatic.

[Mark Schleifstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I co-authored it, so I'm biased.
However, our book provides readers with an understanding of the historical, geological and scientific background that places the Hurricane Katrina disaster into perspective. It's an easy read, contains a chunk of the tick-tock of the disaster itself, and quite a bit more. It's already being used in a number of college classrooms for students studying both environmental sciences and emergency preparedness.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting synopsis of one of the most significant events of our time - Katrina's destruction of New Orleans. I've read other books about this so a lot of this information I already knew, but it still never ceases to amaze me of the level of incompetence in the government and sheer lack of concern about what was happening to a key American city.

[Pauline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book one of my binge for reading books about the weather is out of the way I've been in and out of this book for quite some time. And I finally read it in its entirety. Now I'm going to go on to reading about something else, and I'll probably come back to another weather. Related book in a couple of weeks.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story of the events, socially, politically, and environmentally, that would lead to Hurricane Katrina. Wonderful aspects of the tragedy that occurred when the storm hit, but also great insight into the problems with water management that plagued New Orleans since its existence.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved this book, though I thought the first half was very politically-heavy. I expected more science. The second half through the end was pretty fantastic. As a whole, it was a devastating look into the reaction to natural disaster in modern America.

[Dean · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katrina was a bad muther!

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

really good book with more insight into Katrina at New Orleans as well as the future of superstorms due to global warming and the steps needed to take care of locations such at that.

[Aljan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of a slow starter but worth the time.