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More copies of this ISBNThis title in other editionseBook editionsA Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disasterby Rebecca Solnit
Staff Pick
If, like me, you've ever wondered how people can possibly survive the mental ordeal of a catastrophe like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina, A Paradise Built in Hell will pique your curiosity — and reward it with a riveting examination of what happens to ordinary people in the aftermath of extraordinary disasters. Review-A-Day"How were such changes made possible? "Revolution has a different legacy here," Solnit suggests, "and the idea of radical change a different currency. It is as though they had an ability to recognize that disaster utopia, name it, connect it to other experiences, and make something of it. In other places, the unnamed qualities of a richer civic life and deeper ties often slip away for lack of a language and framework to prize them." Brian Sholis, The Brooklyn Rail (read the entire Brooklyn Rail review) Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments:A startling investigation of what people do in disasters and why it matters Why is it that in the aftermath of a disaster — whether man-made or natural — people suddenly become altruistic, resourceful, and brave? What makes the newfound communities and purpose many find in the ruins and crises after disaster so joyous? And what does this joy reveal about ordinarily unmet social desires and possibilities? In A Paradise Built in Hell, award-winning author Rebecca Solnit explores these phenomena, looking at major calamities from the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco through the 1917 explosion that tore up Halifax, Nova Scotia, the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. She examines how disaster throws people into a temporary utopia of changed states of mind and social possibilities, as well as looking at the cost of the widespread myths and rarer real cases of social deterioration during crisis. This is a timely and important book from an acclaimed author whose work consistently locates unseen patterns and meanings in broad cultural histories. Review:"Natural and man-made disasters can be 'utopias' that showcase human solidarity and point the way to a freer society, according this stimulating contrarian study. Solnit (River of Shadows) reproves civil defense planners, media alarmists and Hollywood directors who insist that disasters produce terrified mobs prone to looting, murder and cannibalism unless controlled by armed force and government expertise. Surveying disasters from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake to 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, she shows that the typical response to calamity is spontaneous altruism, self-organization and mutual aid, with neighbors and strangers calmly rescuing, feeding and housing each other. Indeed, the main problem in such emergencies, she contends, is the 'elite panic' of officials who clamp down with National Guardsmen and stifling regulations. Solnit falters when she generalizes her populist brief into an anarchist critique of everyday society that lapses into fuzzy what-ifs and uplifting volunteer testimonials. Still, this vividly written, cogently argued book makes a compelling — and timely — case for the ability of ordinary people to collectively surmount the direst of challenges. (Sept.)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.) Review:"Solnit demonstrat[es] that disasters give rise to small, temporary utopias in which the best of human nature emerges and a remarkable spirit of generosity and cooperation takes over." Washington Post Review:"Through forays into philosophy, religion, Hollywood, carnivals, and revolutions...Solnit forges a fresh vision of our capacity for rising from the rubble to cast off dismal societies and create paradise." Booklist Synopsis:Why is it that in the aftermath of a disaster, people suddenly become altruistic, resourceful, and brave? Award-winning author Solnit explores this phenomena, looking at major calamities from the past 100 years.
About the AuthorRebecca Solnit is an award-winning writer, historian, and activist. Her books include A Book of Migrations, Hollow City: The Siege of San Francisco and the Crisis of American Urbanism, River of Shadows, and Hope in the Dark: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities. She is a contributing editor to Harper's and a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times and the London Review of Books. What Our Readers Are SayingAdd a comment for a chance to win!Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
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Related SubjectsHistory and Social Science » Sociology » General
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