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Recovering Inequality
- Hurricane Katrina, the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, and the Aftermath of Disaster: Katrina Bookshelf
- Narrated by: Peter Lerman
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
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Recovering Inequality
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Summary
A lethal mix of natural disaster, dangerously flawed construction, and reckless human actions devastated San Francisco in 1906 and New Orleans in 2005. Eighty percent of the built environments of both cities were destroyed in the catastrophes, and the poor, the elderly, and the medically infirm were disproportionately among the thousands who perished. These striking similarities in the impacts of cataclysms separated by a century impelled Steve Kroll-Smith to look for commonalities in how the cities recovered from disaster. In Recovering Inequality, he builds a convincing case that disaster recovery and the reestablishment of social and economic inequality are inseparable.
He demonstrates that disaster and recovery in New Orleans and San Francisco followed a similar pattern. In the immediate aftermath of the flooding and the firestorm, social boundaries were disordered and the communities came together in expressions of unity and support. Kroll-Smith concludes that inexorable market forces ensured that recovery efforts in both cities would reestablish the patterns of inequality that existed before the catastrophes. The major difference he finds between the cities is that, from a market standpoint, New Orleans was expendable, while San Francisco rose from the ashes because it was a hub of commerce.
The book is published by University of Texas Press.
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Critic reviews
“A valuable addition to disaster scholarship.” (Social & Cultural Geography)
“Makes important contributions to the field of disaster social science specifically and sociology more broadly.” (Duane Gill, Oklahoma State University)
“A provocative book that will prompt its readers to think seriously.” (Roundup Magazine)
What listeners say about Recovering Inequality
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Norma Miles
- 01-07-19
With two, the truth begins.
Recovering Inequality is a fascinating sociological comparison of two major U.S. City catastrophes which occured almost exactly one century apart: that of the earthquake and subsequent fires which demolished San Francisco in April, 1906, and the drowning of New Orleans in 2005, following the arrival of Hurricane Katrina. Both have strong similarities with some 80% destruction and disproportionate deaths amongst the elderly, inform and poor, the immediate care that survivors offered to each other regardless of status, and the later attempts to acquire prime real estate for redevelopment at the expense of the previous inhabitants. But the ultimate treatment and future of each city was different. This book explores what happened, using data from first hand witnesses, secondary reports and historical and sociological writings to build a very convincing case for the inevitability of the way things occured both before, during and after both disasters given the socio economic basis of 'interpreting the world in dollars'.
The narration by Peter Lerman could have been smoother but he has a pleasantly authoritative voice, with good intonation and presented the text clearly, without hesitation or interuption. It marked the writing as a nonfictional work rather than imaginative fiction.
My thanks to the rights holder of Recovering Inequality for freely gifting me a complimentary copy, at my request, via Audiobook Boom. To say that I 'enjoyed' the book would be facile, but it was an informative and well presented argument using well documented reports and was very readable. I would recommend it as essential reading to everyone with the slightest interest in history, disaster management, society, or the future of the way of life to come.
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