Natural disasters Books
Taylor & Francis Ltd Post-Disaster Reconstruction: Lessons from Aceh
Book SynopsisOn Sunday 26 December 2004, a tsunami of up to 30 metres high hit the northern tip of Sumatera in Indonesia, causing immediate destruction and the deaths of at least 130,000 in Indonesia alone. The scale of the devastation and ensuing human suffering prompted the biggest response endeavour to any natural disaster in history. Post-Disaster Reconstruction will be the first major book that analyses the different perspectives and experiences of the enormous post-tsunami reconstruction effort. It looks specifically at the reconstruction efforts in Aceh, one of the regions most heavily-hit by the tsunami and a province that has until recently suffered nearly three decades of armed conflict. Positioning the reconstruction efforts within Aceh's multi-layered historical, cultural, socio-political and religious contexts, the authors explore diverse experiences and assessments of the reconstruction. It considers the importance of the political and religious settings of the reconstruction, the roles of communities and local non-government organisations and the challenges faced by Indonesian and international agencies. From the in-depth examination of this important case study of disaster reconstruction - significant not only because of the huge scale of the natural disaster and response but also the post-conflict issues - the editors draw together the lessons learned for the future of Aceh and make general recommendations for post-disaster and post-conflict reconstruction-making.Trade Review'Post-Disaster Reconstruction : Lessons from Aceh is a landmark book in drawing together different experiences and insights of the post-conflict, post-tsunami reconstruction efforts in Aceh. It is the most comprehensive account of the voices and forces at work in the rebuilding of Aceh and shows in rich detail the ways in which the complexities and challenges have been addressed.' Irwandi Yusuf, Governor of Aceh (Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam) Indonesia 'This book offers the most wide-ranging and penetrating analysis of the post-tsunami reconstruction in Aceh and it is the best book I have read about post-disaster reconstruction in general. In considering the lessons learned during the reconstruction process, it effectively blends empirical observation and the voices of disaster survivors. This book should be read not only by anyone who is involved in post-disaster reconstruction but also by victims of disaster and others who wish to understand the experience of survivors.' Professor Fuad Abdul Hamied, Deputy Minister for Education, Religion and Civil Service, Coordinating Ministry for People's Welfare, IndonesiaTable of ContentsPreface - Silence can be Deafening and Emptiness can be Blinding Introduction 1. Deconstructing Aceh's Reconstruction Part I: The Context of Reconstruction 2. The Role of Islamic Law (Shari'a) in Post-tsunami Reconstruction 3. Political Reconstruction in Aceh 4. Reconstruction through Participatory Practice? Part II: Case Studies 5. Towards a Model of Constructive Engagement between Aid Deliverers and Recipients in a Disaster Situation: The Case of Lampuuk, Aceh 6. Village Government in Aceh, Three Years after the Tsunami 7. The Voices of International NGO Staff 8. The Role and Experiences of Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstuksi (BRR) 9. Remaking Neighbourhoods in Banda Aceh: Post-tsunami Reconstruction of Everyday Life Conclusion 10. Lessons from Aceh Afterword - Reconstructing the Invisible Landscape
£130.00
C Hurst & Co Publishers Ltd An Imperial Disaster: The Bengal Cyclone of 1876
Book SynopsisThe storm came on the night of 31 October. It was a full moon, and the tides were at their peak; the great rivers of eastern Bengal were flowing high and fast to the sea. In the early hours the inhabitants of the coast and islands were overtaken by an immense wave from the Bay of Bengal -- a wall of water that reached a height of 40 feet in some places. The wave swept away everything in its path, drowning around 215,000 people. At least another 100,000 died in the cholera epidemic and famine that followed. It was the worst calamity of its kind in recorded history. Such events are often described as 'natural disasters'. Kingsbury turns that interpretation on its head, showing that the cyclone of 1876 was not simply a 'natural' event, but one shaped by all-too-human patterns of exploitation and inequality -- by divisions within Bengali society, and the enormous disparities of political and economic power that characterised British rule on the subcontinent. With Bangladesh facing rising sea levels and stronger, more frequent storms, there is every reason to revisit this terrible calamity. An Imperial Disaster is troubling but essential reading: history for an age of climate change.Trade Review'A book which should be widely read... It demystifies the official disclaimer that these are 'natural calamities' for which the administration is not responsible, exposing how the British colonial administration's policies in nineteenth century Bengal destroyed the coastal environment that led to the devastating cyclone of 1876.' -- Sumanta Banerjee'Kingsbury’s book holds lessons from the past for a climate-changed world … meticulously researched … this thoroughly engaging book should be required reading for historians of South Asia, environmental historians and scholars of disaster studies. Written with an acute sensitivity and historically rich, it is a story of the present as much as a story of the past.’ -- Economic & Political Weekly'Kingsbury's book is a searing indictment of the British Raj' -- The Journal of Asian Studies'In the age of the Anthropocene, An Imperial Disaster complicates the distinctions usually made between natural and human disasters. This meticulously researched and lucidly presented account of the late nineteenth century Bengal cyclone, will be as relevant to historians of the Indian subcontinent as it will be to scholars thinking about Hurricane Katrina or the Australian wildfire.' -- Rochona Majumdar'A well-written, very readable book, based on many official records and newspapers. It is full of telling details and anecdotes and emphasises the official failures, neglect, misinformation, damaging ideology, and personal ambition of colonial rule during the 1870s.' -- Peter Robb'Narrated in beautiful prose and based on scrupulous scholarship, with an unerring eye for the apposite quotation, 'An Imperial Disaster' is microhistory at its best. It lays bare the imperial and human context of a natural disaster and reveals, equally shockingly, how no substantive lessons were learnt from it.' -- Dr Chandrika Kaul'Lucidly argued and meticulously referenced... the story of colonial apathy, greedy landlords and the ruthless laissez-faire policy of the state is vividly rendered against a background where thousands perished due to drowning and disease. The study is an important contribution to the economic and environmental history of India.' -- Vinita Damodaran
£23.75
Trolley Books Katrina: Personal Objects
Book SynopsisA catalogue of personal effects of those killled in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 showing the horror of the tragedy via its minutest details.
£15.30
Springer Coseismic Landslides
£98.99
The University of Chicago Press Building Resilience Social Capital in
Book SynopsisEach year, natural disasters threaten the strength and stability of communities worldwide. This book highlights the critical role of social capital in the ability of a community to withstand disaster and rebuild the infrastructure and ties that are at the foundation of any community.Trade Review"Daniel P. Aldrich has drawn the lens back from the single event to reveal patterns of resilience - and roadblocks to recovery - in four different post-disaster contexts. Building Resilience offers a novel and compelling look at the darker side of social capital as it relates to post-disaster recovery." (Emily Chamlee-Wright, Beloit College)"
£30.00
The University of Chicago Press Fatal Isolation The Devastating Paris Heat Wave
Book SynopsisIn a cemetery on the southern outskirts of Paris lie the bodies of nearly a hundred of what some have called the first casualties of global climate change. This book tells the stories of these victims and the catastrophe that took their lives. It explores the multiple narratives of disaster-the official story of the crisis and its aftermath.Trade Review"Fatal Isolation is a riveting account of the social, cultural, and political forces that made France so vulnerable during the historic 2003 heat wave and a cautionary tale about the dangers of urban life on an overheated planet. Along the way, Keller takes up deep and unsettling questions about what we can and cannot know about the recent past. It's a memorable, haunting book." (Eric Klinenberg, author of Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago)
£31.00
University of Chicago Press Advocacy after Bhopal Environmentalism Disaster
Book SynopsisIn exploring the worldwide political and environmental aftermath of the Bhopal disaster in 1984, this text discusses various differing claims by focusing on the dynamics and paradoxes of advocacy in competing power domains.
£31.35
The University of Chicago Press Dangerous Earth
Book Synopsis
£22.00
McGill-Queen's University Press Dark Days at Noon
Book SynopsisThe catastrophic runaway wildfires advancing through North America and other parts of the world are not unprecedented. Fires loomed large once human activity began to warm the climate in the 1820s, leading to an aggressive firefighting strategy that has left many of the continent's forests too old and vulnerable to the fires that many tree species need to regenerate.Dark Days at Noon provides a broad history of wildfire in North America, from before European contact to the present, in the hopes that we may learn from how we managed fire in the past, and apply those lessons in the future. As people continue to move into forested landscapes to work, play, live, and ignite fires intentionally or unintentionally fire has begun to take its toll, burning entire towns, knocking out utilities, closing roads, and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people. Fire management in North America requires attention and cooperation from both sides of the border, and manyTrade Review"A well-researched and spectacularly illustrated profile of historically significant wildfires in North America between 1780 and 2021. In his conclusion Struzik calls for cultural and political efforts devoted to actively living with wildfire rather than addressing it on an as-needed basis. The book is valuable for comparing the role of, and policies toward, wildfire in the US. Recommended. All readers." Choice“[Dark Days at Noon] is easily one of the most beautiful books on wildfire I have encountered, with dozens of rich illustrations from fire photography to newspaper cartoons, and from archival materials to Struzik’s own travel photography - not simply creating a more engaging reader experience but also providing complementary material that empowers the reader to really understand the subjects Struzik is writing about. It is a book that proves accessible and enjoyable for the casual reader, insightful for the already informed, and highly useful for the experts in the subject—all while finally linking the visual and textual dimensions of fire in a well-deserved way.” H-Environment
£29.45
Indiana University Press We Are All Survivors
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAs catastrophes proliferate around us, We Are All Survivors provides a timely, intimate, and empathetic look at disasters and recovery. Written by a group of outstanding folklorists, most of whom have themselves faced the devastation of traumatic events, this volume explores the role folkloristics has played and can play in disaster stricken communities. We Are All Survivors is a book of thought, methodological skill, and heart. -- Diane Goldstein, Professor Emeritus, Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology, Indiana UniversityTable of ContentsPreface1. Introduction: We Are All Survivors, by Carl Lindahl2. Into the Bullring: The Significance of "Empathy" after the Earthquake, by Yutaka Suga3. Rebuilding and Reconnecting After Disaster: Listening to Older Adults, by Yoko Taniguchi4. The Story of Cultural Assets and their Rescue: A First-Hand Report from Tohoku, by Kōji Katō5. Critical Empathy: A Survivor's Study of Disaster, by Kate Parker Horigan6. Empathy and Speaking Out, by Amy Shuman7. The Intangible Lightness of Heritage, by Michael Dylan Foster8. Documenting Disaster Folklore in the Eye of the Storm: Six Months After María, by Gloria M. Colom BrañaConclusion: The COVID-19 Pandemic and "Folklife's First Responders," by Georgia Ellie Dassler and Kate Parker Horigan
£45.00
Indiana University Press We Are All Survivors
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewAs catastrophes proliferate around us, We Are All Survivors provides a timely, intimate, and empathetic look at disasters and recovery. Written by a group of outstanding folklorists, most of whom have themselves faced the devastation of traumatic events, this volume explores the role folkloristics has played and can play in disaster stricken communities. We Are All Survivors is a book of thought, methodological skill, and heart. -- Diane Goldstein, Professor Emeritus, Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology, Indiana UniversityTable of ContentsPreface1. Introduction: We Are All Survivors, by Carl Lindahl2. Into the Bullring: The Significance of "Empathy" after the Earthquake, by Yutaka Suga3. Rebuilding and Reconnecting After Disaster: Listening to Older Adults, by Yoko Taniguchi4. The Story of Cultural Assets and their Rescue: A First-Hand Report from Tohoku, by Kōji Katō5. Critical Empathy: A Survivor's Study of Disaster, by Kate Parker Horigan6. Empathy and Speaking Out, by Amy Shuman7. The Intangible Lightness of Heritage, by Michael Dylan Foster8. Documenting Disaster Folklore in the Eye of the Storm: Six Months After María, by Gloria M. Colom BrañaConclusion: The COVID-19 Pandemic and "Folklife's First Responders," by Georgia Ellie Dassler and Kate Parker Horigan
£17.99
University of Washington Press Fire on the Rim
Trade Review"Stephen J. Pyne is to fire what Theodore White was to American politics, an insider who can explain how his subject works and affects our lives. . . . In Fire on the Rim Pyne has compressed accounts of the 15 summers he spent as an eager firefighter [on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon]. He begins as a single man, enjoying the heady freedom of his summertime release from college, and ends when he is married and a father, a veteran fighting his last gritty battle against the flames before regretfully packing up like a successful professional athlete who has stayed two or three seasons too long. . . . This book, full of human detail, brings us to the front lines, and we learn what fires mean to the fire—crew foreman (an empire to rule over, if only for a summer) and to the individual firefighter (not the least is plenty of overtime if the struggle against a minor blaze can be stretched out). . . . The author reminds us of the natural rhythms of these vast wild preserves that thwart any of man’s efforts to shape them." * New York Times Book Review *“Forest fires are both the subject and the main characters in this mesmerizing account by a MacArthur Prize—winning professor who spent 15 summers as a ‘Longshot’ firefighter. The result is a heady combination of poetic prose, analytic language (trees are ‘large fuels’), and ecological polemic directed at the bureaucratic infighting that afflicts the two great administrators of the nation’s wilderness—the Park Service and the National Forest Service. . . . This rewarding book should add a ‘large fuel’ of its own to the debate over our endangered wilderness. * Kirkus *
£29.66
WW Norton & Co The Dynamics of Disaster
Book SynopsisNatural disasters bedevil our planet, and each appears to be a unique event. Leading geologist Susan W. Kieffer shows how all disasters are connected.Trade Review"Anyone interested in the processes that underlie catastrophic events within Earth will welcome this book, part riveting and all informative." -- Nature"This book ought to be placed in the hands of politicians, engineers, insurance assessors and, frankly, anyone who sees sense in understanding the processes and systems that guide our planet." -- Geographical Magazine"...the clarity of Kieffer's writing, coupled with her careful choice of supporting graphics, makes the content engaging and accessible to a wide readership." -- Times Higher Education"...brisk and lucid presentation..." -- The Times Literary Supplement"Kieffer takes a novel approach that involves thinking about natural catastrophes in terms of changes to 'systems' that otherwise present no threat." -- BBC Focus"...Kieffer...uses her deep expertise in the physics of geological processes to give an unconventional and insightful treatment of natural hazards..." -- Physics World
£12.34
WW Norton & Co Fire in Paradise
Book SynopsisThe harrowing story of the most destructive American wildfire in a century.Trade Review"[Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano's] account, based on interviews with residents, firefighters and academics, is horrendous, especially the section ‘Hell’, describing the fire minute by searing minute. It confirms how humans, not nature, are responsible for disasters..." -- Andrew Robinson: Five of the Week's Best Science Picks - Nature
£12.34
John Wiley & Sons Inc Floods
Book SynopsisIn developed countries, the pervasive view of floods is that science and technology have largely brought these unpredictable disasters under safe control. This book shows that this is simply not so, and that floods are anything but controlled.Trade Review"...the book represents a comprehensive view of flood hazard,vulnerability and mitigation which will form an invaluable guidefor undergraduate teaching...", , , Earth Surface Processes &Landforms, Volume 24, Number 6#"...a broad and very readabletext.....", , , Transactions of the Institute of BritishGeographers#Table of ContentsTHE FLOOD HAZARD IN CONTEXT. Floods: Physical Events and Natural Hazards. Impacts and Interpretations of Flood Hazard. PROCESSES OF FLOODING. River Floods: Geophysical Processes. River Floods: Spatial Characteristics. Coastal Floods. Flood Estimation. RESPONSES TO THE FLOOD HAZARD. Flood Defence. Flood Forecasting and Warning. Mitigating and Managing Flood Losses. Outlook. Appendix. References. Index.
£188.06
LUP - University of Michigan Press The Era of Great Disasters
Book SynopsisExamines modern disaster response in Japan, from the changing earthquake preparations and regulations, to immediate emergency procedures from the national, prefectural, and city levels, and finally the evolving efforts of rebuilding and preparing for the next great disaster in the hopes of minimizing their tragic effects.
£23.70
Princeton University Press Volcanoes in Human History The FarReaching
Book SynopsisTells the story of nine volcanic events, explaining the related geology for the general reader and exploring the ways in which the earth's volcanism has affected human history. This book describes how volcanic activity has had long-lasting effects on societies, cultures, and the environment.Trade Review"Does the world need another book about volcanic eruptions and the havoc they wreak? The answer, for this book, is an emphatic 'yes,' especially for the general reader. [B]esides being interesting to read, Volcanoes in Human History clearly demonstrates that volcanism, and geology as a whole, should not be of concern only to geologists and that history is important."--Sally Newcomb, Isis "The authors have applied their geologic knowledge and experience, along with solid research, to produce an accessible book on volcanoes."--Library Journal "In clear prose aimed to include general readers, the authors make the case for the social consequences set in motion by large volcanic eruptions as both wide-ranging and long-lived."--Choice "A detailed and vivid account of the fiery relationship between the Earth and its surface dwellers."--The GuardianTable of ContentsForeword by Robert D. Ballard ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xv Table of Conversion xvii Chapter 1: Volcanism: Origins and Consequences 1 SIDEBAR: DATING OF VOLCANIC EVENTS Chapter 2: The Hawaiian Islands and the Legacy of Pelee the Fire Goddess 22 Chapter 3: The Bronze Age Eruption of Thera: Destroyer of Atlantis and Minoan Crete? 47 Chapter 4: The Eruption of Vesuvius in 79 C.E.: Cultural Reverberations through the Ages 74 Chapter 5: Iceland: Coming Apart at the Seams 108 Chapter 6: The Eruption of Tambora in 1815 and "the Year without a Summer" 138 SIDEBAR: MOUNT TOBA: BIGGER THAN TAMBORA Chapter 7: Krakatu, 1883: Devastation, Death, and Ecologic Revival 157 SIDEBAR: THE GHOSTS OF MERAPI Chapter 8: The 1902 Eruption of Mount Pelee: A Geological Catastrophe with Political Overtones 186 SIDEBAR: MOUNT PELEE AND THE PANAMA CANAL Chapter 9: Tristan da Cunba in 1961: Exile to the Twentieth Century 209 Chapter 10: Mount St. Helens in 1980: Catastrophe in the Cascades 228 Afterword 250 Glossary 251 Notes and References 261 Selected Bibliography 279 Index 281
£28.80
Princeton University Press Sea of Storms
Book SynopsisThe diverse cultures of the Caribbean have been shaped as much by hurricanes as they have by diplomacy, commerce, or the legacy of colonial rule. In this panoramic work of social history, Stuart Schwartz examines how Caribbean societies have responded to the dangers of hurricanes, and how these destructive storms have influenced the region's historTrade ReviewWinner of the 2015 Gustav Ranis International Book Prize, MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, Yale University Honorable Mention for the 2015 ASLI Choice Award in History, Atmospheric Science Librarians International Honorable Mention for the 2016 Marysa Navarro Best Book Prize, New England Council on Latin American Studies (NECLAS) Shortlisted for the 2015 Cundill Prize in Historical Literature, McGill University "[A] deeply scholarly work. It is also engaging to read."--J. R. McNeill, Wall Street Journal "[F]inely researched ... [a] fascinating story."--Adrian Barnett, New Scientist "[A] remarkable book."--James Attlee, Independent "[A] fascinating, extremely well-researched book."--Philip Hoare, Times Higher Education "The author weaves a tapestry that traces the emergence of a collective awareness of this hazard during colonization of the Americas, and considers the consequences of storm damage and catastrophes for politics, economics, geography, and life in general in the modernization of both island and continental nations of the realm."--Choice "Schwartz's book offers a refreshing perspective and is an important contribution to the study of the region's hazards and societies."--Johannes Bohle, H-Soz-u-Kult "Schwartz's versatility as a historian is on full display in this erudite, accessible, and ultimately essential book."--Kris Lane, Reviews in American History "A master synthesizer... Schwartz ... does a herculean job of studying the impact that hurricaneshave had on the Greater Caribbean since the days of Columbus to Katrina."--Douglas Brinkley, Environmental History "Sea of Storms provides the most comprehensive synthesis of the history of hurricanes to date, not just for the Caribbean but for the extended realm of the greater Caribbean."--Liz Skilton, Journal of American History "Sea of Storms is a book of Braudelian ambition by a master of the trade. The story is as engrossing as it is momentous."--Jordan E. Lauhon, Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Schwartz synthesizes the stormy Caribbean's commonalities, continuities, and ruptures with an often brilliant concision and illuminating eye."--Shawn W. Miller, American Historical Review "Sea of Storms is the product of decades of original research, a synthesis of the knowledge of hurricanes and their effects, a handbook for students and established scholars hoping to craft their own studies on hurricanes, and a summary of the multidisciplinary literature to date. It is exemplary scholarship and is indispensable for anyone who hopes to learn more about historic hurricanes or intends to employ disasters as theoretical models in their own work."--Sherry Johnson, Journal of Historical Geography "A magisterial work that is at once a history of the impact of a recurring natural phenomenon in a vulnerable geographical zone, and a social, political, and economic history of the Caribbean area from the time of early European settlement to the twentieth century... A superb book, rich in detail yet clear in its argument. Schwartz's vast research and knowledge of Latin American history have allowed him to integrate cultural history, popular music, art, and poetry into the story. Sea of Storms joins new work on the social and political implications of natural phenomena, but it also serves as a fine synthetic history of the Caribbean region."--Ann Zulawski, The AmericasTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xxiii Chapter 1. Storms and Gods in a Spanish Sea 1 Chapter 2. Melancholy Occasions: Hurricanes in a Colonial World 33 Chapter 3. War, Reform, and Disaster 70 Chapter 4. Calamity, Slavery, Community, and Revolution 110 Chapter 5. Freedom, Sovereignty, and Disasters 145 Chapter 6. Nature and Politics at the Century's Turn 192 Chapter 7. Memories of Disaster in a Decade of Storms 226 Chapter 8. Public Storms, Communal Action, and Private Grief 272 Chapter 9. Ancient Storms in a New Century 319 Abbreviations 339 Notes 341 Bibliography of Works Consulted 393 Index 427
£31.50
Princeton University Press Sea of Storms A History of Hurricanes in the
Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2015 Gustav Ranis International Book Prize, MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies, Yale University Honorable Mention for the 2015 ASLI Choice Award in History, Atmospheric Science Librarians International Honorable Mention for the 2016 Marysa Navarro Best Book Prize, New England Council on Latin American Studies (NECLAS) Shortlisted for the 2015 Cundill Prize in Historical Literature, McGill University "[A] deeply scholarly work. It is also engaging to read."--J. R. McNeill, Wall Street Journal "[F]inely researched ... [a] fascinating story."--Adrian Barnett, New Scientist "[A] remarkable book."--James Attlee, Independent "[A] fascinating, extremely well-researched book."--Philip Hoare, Times Higher Education "The author weaves a tapestry that traces the emergence of a collective awareness of this hazard during colonization of the Americas, and considers the consequences of storm damage and catastrophes for politics, economics, geography, and life in general in the modernization of both island and continental nations of the realm."--Choice "Schwartz's book offers a refreshing perspective and is an important contribution to the study of the region's hazards and societies."--Johannes Bohle, H-Soz-u-Kult "Schwartz's versatility as a historian is on full display in this erudite, accessible, and ultimately essential book."--Kris Lane, Reviews in American History "A master synthesizer... Schwartz ... does a herculean job of studying the impact that hurricaneshave had on the Greater Caribbean since the days of Columbus to Katrina."--Douglas Brinkley, Environmental History "Sea of Storms provides the most comprehensive synthesis of the history of hurricanes to date, not just for the Caribbean but for the extended realm of the greater Caribbean."--Liz Skilton, Journal of American History "Sea of Storms is a book of Braudelian ambition by a master of the trade. The story is as engrossing as it is momentous."--Jordan E. Lauhon, Journal of Interdisciplinary History "Schwartz synthesizes the stormy Caribbean's commonalities, continuities, and ruptures with an often brilliant concision and illuminating eye."--Shawn W. Miller, American Historical Review "Sea of Storms is the product of decades of original research, a synthesis of the knowledge of hurricanes and their effects, a handbook for students and established scholars hoping to craft their own studies on hurricanes, and a summary of the multidisciplinary literature to date. It is exemplary scholarship and is indispensable for anyone who hopes to learn more about historic hurricanes or intends to employ disasters as theoretical models in their own work."--Sherry Johnson, Journal of Historical Geography "A magisterial work that is at once a history of the impact of a recurring natural phenomenon in a vulnerable geographical zone, and a social, political, and economic history of the Caribbean area from the time of early European settlement to the twentieth century... A superb book, rich in detail yet clear in its argument. Schwartz's vast research and knowledge of Latin American history have allowed him to integrate cultural history, popular music, art, and poetry into the story. Sea of Storms joins new work on the social and political implications of natural phenomena, but it also serves as a fine synthetic history of the Caribbean region."--Ann Zulawski, The AmericasTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xxiii Chapter 1. Storms and Gods in a Spanish Sea 1 Chapter 2. Melancholy Occasions: Hurricanes in a Colonial World 33 Chapter 3. War, Reform, and Disaster 70 Chapter 4. Calamity, Slavery, Community, and Revolution 110 Chapter 5. Freedom, Sovereignty, and Disasters 145 Chapter 6. Nature and Politics at the Century's Turn 192 Chapter 7. Memories of Disaster in a Decade of Storms 226 Chapter 8. Public Storms, Communal Action, and Private Grief 272 Chapter 9. Ancient Storms in a New Century 319 Abbreviations 339 Notes 341 Bibliography of Works Consulted 393 Index 427
£25.20
University of Nebraska Press Governing Affect
Book SynopsisPresents an ethnographic study of the aftermaths of four natural disasters: southern Honduras after Hurricane Mitch; New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina; Chiapas, Mexico, after the Grijalva River landslide; and southern Illinois following the Mississippi River flood. Governing Affect brings policy and politics into dialogue with human emotion.Trade Review"This is an excellent book, and a must read for those interested in the anthropology of disaster or theories of affect. Barrios's focus on social and environmental justice, partnered with his offhand, vernacular definitions and ethnographic presentations of concepts such as neoliberalism, modernity, postcolonialism, and disaster ethics, among other key concepts in anthropology, also makes the book a useful text for many upper division undergraduate courses or any graduate seminar in disaster studies or environmental justice."—Elizabeth Marino, Journal of Anthropological Research"Governing Affect: Neoliberalism and Disaster Reconstruction and Disaster Upon Disaster, two books by Roberto E. Barrios, Anthropology, are showcased on a “new reads” list by the University of Colorado’s Natural Hazards Center. The center, a leading National Science Foundation-designated information clearing house, compiles this list to highlight cutting-edge research that bridges the gap between academics and practitioners focused on disaster risk reduction."—SIUC News“Seamlessly weaving together poststructural theory, political economy, ethnography, and personal narrative, Roberto Barrios opens new terrain for understanding why disaster reconstruction so often falls short in addressing the needs of disaster victims by failing to recognize the power of affect.”—Anthony Oliver-Smith, author of The Martyred City: Death and Rebirth in the Andes “A major contribution to disaster scholarship . . . [and] provocative enough to provide an interesting classroom debate.”—William L. Waugh Jr., coeditor of Emergency Management: Principles and Practice for Local Government, 2nd edition “In crystal clear, step-by-step prose, illuminated by four heart-wrenching examples, Roberto Barrios strips bare the ways pre- and postdisaster agencies and development schemes ignore the crucial importance of a vulnerable or devastated people’s well-being.”—Susanna M. Hoffman, coeditor of The Angry Earth: Disaster in Anthropological PerspectiveTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments Author’s Note Introduction: Affect and Emotions in Disaster Reconstruction 1. Powerful Feelings: Emotions and Governmentality in Disaster Research 2. Hallarse: Defining Recovery in Affective Terms 3. Feelings of Inequity: Gender and the Postcolonial Modernity of Disaster Reconstruction 4. The Marero: Terror and Disgust in the Aftermath of Mitch 5. Ecologies of Affect and Affective Regimes: The Neoliberal Reconstruction of New Orleans 6. How to Care? The Contested Affects of Disaster Recovery in the Lower Ninth Ward 7. Criollos, Creoles, and the Mobile Taquerias: Latinophobia in Post-Katrina New Orleans 8. To Love a Small Town: The Political Ecology of Affect in the Middle Mississippi 9. Rebuilding It Better: The Ethical Challenges of Disaster Recovery 10. The Anthropology of Affect and Disasters: From Critique to Practice References Index
£48.60
The University of Arizona Press California A Fire Survey To the Last Smoke
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Duke University Press Rivers by Design
Book SynopsisTraces the emergence of the mammoth US flood management system, which is overseen by the federal government but implemented in conjunction with state governments and local contractors and levee districts. This book shows how the system initially developed as a response to the demands of farmers and business elite in outlying territories.Trade Review“Bold in its interpretation, sweeping in its scope, and judicious in its style, Rivers by Design argues convincingly that federal flood control policy, which culminated in the Flood Control Act of 1936, ended comprehensive resource planning at the federal level. This is an exciting and original study.”—Donald J. Pisani, author of Water and American Government: The Reclamation Bureau, National Water Policy, and the West, 1902–1935“Karen M. O’Neill has produced a tour de force—a carefully researched and clearly written analysis of the tangled emergence of the U.S. flood-control system. Her powerful wake-up call to us all is how the federal government, through the Army Corps of Engineers, reengineered the nation’s rivers to promote local economic development at the expense of—rather than with a sensitivity to—environmental values.”—Norris Hundley Jr., author of The Great Thirst: Californians and Water–A History“Masterfully weaving historical details, Karen M. O’Neill traces the unanticipated expansion of the federal government’s role in ‘controlling’ the Mississippi and Sacramento rivers. In this era of rising hurricane-induced floodwaters, she offers deep insight into the tensions between local and national agencies, and between the state and private interests.”—Allan Schnaiberg, coauthor of Urban Recycling and the Search for Sustainable Community DevelopmentTable of ContentsTables and Maps ix Preface xi Acknowledgments xxi I. Rivers and State Authority 1 1. Infrastructure Builds the State 3 2. The Founding Principles of River Development 13 II. Regional Competition and the Rise of the Flood Control Campaign 27 3. The Mississippi River: Becoming the Nation’s River 31 4. The Mississippi River: Resentment Leading to Civil War 43 5. The Mississippi River: Postwar Reunification, Postwar Aid 56 6. The Sacramento River: Miners versus Farmers 68 7. The Sacramento River: Capitalists Unify for Development 80 III. Redesigning Rivers in the National Interest 97 8. Federal Aid for the Mississippi and Sacramento Rivers 99 9. The Fully Designed River 128 10. A Nationwide Program for Flood Control 150 11. Rivers by Design 179 Appendix 1. Mississippi Valley River Improvement Conventions 187 Appendix 2. Mississippi River Levee Association, Executive Committee 197 Notes 199 Bibliography 243 Index 265
£25.19
University of Pittsburgh Press Slick Policy
Book SynopsisIn January 1969, the blowout on an offshore oil platform off the coast of Santa Barbara, California, and the resulting oil spill proved to be a transformative event in pollution control and the nascent environmental activism movement.Trade ReviewA history of the Santa Barbara Oil Spill of 1969 and its impact is an important addition to the historiography of American environmentalism. Spezio has done a good job of providing a close history of the spill while effectively contextualizing a number of issues including: offshore oil drilling, pollution technology, and water law. This volume will be of great interest to environmental historians and general readers interested in environmental politics and policy."" - Robert D. Lifset, University of Oklahoma
£38.95
University of Hawai'i Press Fukushima Fiction The Literary Landscape of
Book SynopsisIntroduces readers to the literary works that have emerged out of Japan's triple disaster, now known as 3/11. The book provides a nuanced picture of the varied literary responses to this ongoing tragedy, focusing on serious fiction, the one area of Japanese cultural production that has consistently addressed the disaster and its aftermath.
£60.00
University of Hawai'i Press Fukushima Fiction
Book SynopsisIntroduces readers to the powerful literary works that have emerged out of Japan's triple disaster, now known as 3/11. The book provides a nuanced picture of the literary responses to this ongoing tragedy, focusing on serious fiction, the one area of Japanese cultural production that has consistently addressed the disaster and its aftermath.
£23.96
University of Hawai'i Press Seismic Japan
Book SynopsisThe Ansei Edo earthquake shook the shogunâs capital during a year of special religious significance and at a time of particularly vigorous seismic activity. In his investigation of the science, politics, and lore of seismic events in Japan, Gregory Smits examines this earthquake in a broad historical context.
£22.36
Edward Elgar Publishing Handbook on Humanitarian Crises
£205.00
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Coastal Storms
Book SynopsisA comprehensive introduction to coastal storms and their associated impacts Coastal Storms offers students and professionals in the field a comprehensive overview and groundbreaking text that is specifically devoted to the analysis of coastal storms. Based on the most recent knowledge and contributions from leading researchers, the text examines coastal storms' processes and characteristics, the main hazards (such as overwash, inundation and flooding, erosion, structures overtopping), and how to monitor and model storms. The authors include information on the most advanced innovations in forecasting, prediction, and early warning, which serves as a foundation for accurate risk evaluation and developing adequate coastal indicators and management options. In addition, structural overtopping and damage are explained, taking into account the involved hydrodynamic and morphodynamic processes. The monitoring methods of coastal storms are analyzed based on recenTable of ContentsList of Contributors xi Series Foreword xv Introduction xvii Acknowledgments xix 1 Coastal Storm Definition 1Mitchell Harley 1.1 Introduction 1 1.1.1 The challenge of defining coastal storms 4 1.1.2 A general coastal storm definition 7 1.1.3 Approaches to assessing coastal storminess 8 1.2 Synoptic systems and coastal storms 9 1.2.1 Tropical cyclones 9 1.2.2 Extra-tropical cyclones 10 1.2.3 Storm surge 11 1.3 Statistical approaches to identifying coastal storms 12 1.3.1 Coastal storm events from wave time-series 12 1.3.2 Coastal storm events from water-level time-series 15 1.3.3 Indicators of coastal storm severity 16 1.4 Conclusion 18 References 19 2 Hydrodynamics Under Storm Conditions 23Xavier Bertin, Maitane Olabarrieta and Robert McCall 2.1 General introduction 23 2.2 Storm surges 23 2.2.1 Introduction 23 2.2.2 Governing equations 24 2.3 Hydrodynamics of the surf zone during storms 31 2.3.1 Introduction 31 2.3.2 Longshore currents 31 2.3.3 Bed return flows 32 2.3.4 Infragravity waves 33 2.3.5 Swash zone dynamics 35 2.4 Conclusions and future challenges 38 Acknowledgements 38 References 39 3 Sediment Transport Under Storm Conditions on Sandy Beaches 45Troels Aagaard and Aart Kroon 3.1 Introduction 45 3.2 Morphological consequences of coastal storms 46 3.3 Sediment transport processes during storms 48 3.4 Observations of sediment transport on the upper shoreface during storm events 53 3.5 Observations of sediment transport on the lower shoreface during storm events 58 3.6 Conclusions 60 Acknowledgements 60 References 60 4 Examples of Storm Impacts on Barrier Islands 65Nathaniel Plant, Kara Doran and Hilary Stockdon 4.1 Introduction 65 4.2 Barrier island response to storms 66 4.3 Quantifying the changes due to specific storms 70 4.4 Resilience 75 4.5 Summary 76 Acknowledgements 77 References 77 5 Storm Impacts on the Morphology and Sedimentology of Open-coast Tidal Flats 81Ping Wang and Jun Cheng 5.1 Introduction 81 5.2 Sedimentologic characteristics 83 5.3 Erosion-deposition processes and morphodynamics of open-coast tidal flat 88 5.4 Conclusions 96 References 96 6 Storm Impacts on Cliffed Coastlines 99Sue Brooks and Tom Spencer 6.1 Introduction 99 6.2 Methodologies and their application 104 6.3 Storminess and the cliff record 106 6.4 Case study: Soft rock cliff geology and responses to storms 110 6.5 Modelling shoreline retreat for cliffed coasts and the incorporation of storminess 115 6.6 Future storm impacts on clifflines under accelerated sea-level rise and changing storminess 117 6.7 Conclusions 119 Acknowledgements 119 References 119 7 Storms in Coral Reefs 127Ana Vila-Concejo and Paul Kench 7.1 Introduction 127 7.2 Geomorphic units of reefs 129 7.2.1 Reefs as ecomorphodynamic structures 130 7.2.2 Unique interactions of storm waves with coral reefs 132 7.3 Storms on the forereef: Role of spurs and grooves 134 7.3.1 Destructive effects of storms in the forereef and spur and groove 135 7.3.2 Constructive effects of storms in the forereef 136 7.4 Storms on the reef flats: Development of rubble flats and rubble spits 136 7.4.1 Waves on the reef flats 136 7.4.2 Destructive effects of storms on reef flats 136 7.4.3 Constructive effects of storms on reef flats 137 7.5 Storms on the backreef: Sand aprons, reef islands and beaches 139 7.5.1 Sand aprons 139 7.5.2 Reef islands 139 7.6 Conclusion 145 Acknowledgements 145 References 145 8 Storm Clustering and Beach Response 151Nadia Senechal, Bruno Castelle and Karin R. Bryan 8.1 Introduction 151 8.2 Storm clustering: Genesis and definitions 153 8.2.1 Genesis 153 8.2.2 Definitions 154 8.3 Approaches used to assess storm clustering impact on coasts 156 8.3.1 Data collection 156 8.3.2 Numerical models 157 8.4 Beach response to storm cluster 159 8.4.1 Bar dynamics under storm clustering 159 8.4.2 Morphological feedback 160 8.4.3 The dynamic equilibrium concept 162 8.4.4 Water level 164 8.4.5 Recovery periods 165 8.5 Conclusions 167 References 167 9 Overwash Processes: Lessons from Fieldwork and Laboratory Experiments 175Ana Matias and Gerhard Masselink 9.1 Introduction 175 9.1.1 Overwash definition 175 9.1.2 Occurrence of overwash 177 9.1.3 Relevance of overwash 180 9.2 Methods to study overwash processes 180 9.2.1 Fieldwork measurements 180 9.2.2 Laboratory experiments 181 9.3 Hydrodynamic processes during overwash 183 9.3.1 Oceanographic conditions 183 9.3.2 Hydraulics of overwash flows 183 9.4 Morpho-sedimentary dynamics by overwash processes 185 9.4.1 Morphological changes induced by overwash 185 9.4.2 Morphodynamic processes during overwash 187 9.5 Conclusion 189 Acknowledgements 190 References 190 10 Modeling the Morphological Impacts of Coastal Storms 195Ap van Dongeren, Dano Roelvink, Robert McCall, Kees Nederhoff and Arnold van Rooijen 10.1 Introduction 195 10.1.1 Empirical models 196 10.1.2 Process-based models 197 10.1.3 Process-model applications 201 10.1.4 Operational models 209 10.2 Outlook 209 Acknowledgements 210 References 210 11 Preparing for the Impact of Coastal Storms: A Coastal Manager-oriented Approach 217José Jiménez, Clara Armaroli and Eva Bosom 11.1 Introduction 217 11.2 Coastal vulnerability assessment framework 219 11.2.1 General framework 219 11.2.2 How to characterize storm-induced hazards 219 11.2.3 How to measure the vulnerability 221 11.2.4 How to select the probability to be analyzed 222 11.2.5 The Catalonia coastal vulnerability assessment framework 223 11.3 Coastal early warning systems 227 11.3.1 Generalities 227 11.3.2 Coastal EWSs 228 11.3.3 The Emilia-Romagna coastal early warning system 228 11.4 Conclusion 234 Acknowledgements 235 References 235 12 Assessing Storm Erosion Hazards 241Roshanka Ranasinghe and David Callaghan 12.1 Introduction 241 12.2 The diagnostic conundrum 242 12.3 Quantifying storm erosion volumes for coastal management/planning 243 12.3.1 Coastal profile model application with Extrapolated Wave Exceedance Characteristics (EWEC) 243 12.3.2 Coastal profile model application with the Synthetic Design Storm (SDS) approach 245 12.3.3 The Joint Probability Method (JPM) approach 246 12.3.4 Corbella and Stretch (CS) approach 248 12.4 Application of storm erosion volume estimates in coastal management/planning 250 12.5 Conclusions and recommendations 251 Acknowledgments 254 References 254 Conclusions and Future Perspectives 257 Index 259
£92.66
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Extreme Events
Book SynopsisThe monograph covers the fundamentals and the consequences of extreme geophysical phenomena like asteroid impacts, climatic change, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, flooding, and space weather. This monograph also addresses their associated, local and worldwide socio-economic impacts. The understanding and modeling of these phenomena is critical to the development of timely worldwide strategies for the prediction of natural and anthropogenic extreme events, in order to mitigate their adverse consequences. This monograph is unique in as much as it is dedicated to recent theoretical, numerical and empirical developments that aim to improve: (i) the understanding, modeling and prediction of extreme events in the geosciences, and, (ii) the quantitative evaluation of their economic consequences. The emphasis is on coupled, integrative assessment of the physical phenomena and their socio-economic impacts. With its overarching theme, <Table of ContentsContributors vii Preface xi Acknowledgments xiii 1 IntroductionMario Chavez, Michael Ghil, and Jaime Urrutia]Fucugauchi 1 Part I: Fundamentals and Theory 7 2 Applications of Extreme Value Theory to Environmental Data AnalysisGwladys Toulemonde, Pierre Ribereau, and Philippe Naveau 9 3 Dynamical Systems Approach to Extreme EventsCatherine Nicolis and Gregoire Nicolis 23 4 Skill of Data]based Predictions versus Dynamical Models: A Case Study on Extreme Temperature AnomaliesStefan Siegert, Jochen Bröcker, and Holger Kantz 35 5 Detecting and Anticipating Climate Tipping PointsTimothy M Lenton and Valerie N Livina 51 6 Understanding ENSO Variability and Its Extrema: A Delay Differential Equation ApproachMichael Ghil and Ilya Zaliapin 63 Part II: Extreme Events in Earth’s Space Environment 79 7 Drivers of Extreme Space Weather Events: Fast Coronal Mass EjectionsAlexander Ruzmaikin, Joan Feynman, and Stilian Stoev 81 8 Chicxulub Asteroid Impact: An Extreme Event at the Cretaceous/Paleogene BoundaryJaime Urrutia]Fucugauchi and Ligia Pérez]Cruz 93 Part III: Climate and Weather Extremes 113 9 Weather and Climatic Drivers of Extreme Flooding Events over the Midwest of the United StatesAndrew W Robertson, Yochanan Kushnir, Upmanu Lall, and Jennifer Nakamura 115 10 Analysis of the Hazards and Vulnerability of the Cancun Beach System: The Case of Hurricane WilmaEdgar Mendoza, Rodolfo Silva, Cecilia Enriquez]Ortiz, Ismael Mariño]Tapia, and Angélica Felix 125 11 Observations and Modeling of Environmental and Human Damage Caused by the 2004 Indian Ocean TsunamiKazuhisa Goto, Fumihiko Imamura, Shunichi Koshimura, and Hideaki Yanagisawa 137 12 Extreme Capillary Wave Events Under Parametric ExcitationMichael G Shats, Hua Xia, and Horst Punzmann 153 Part IV: Extreme Events in the Solid Earth 163 13 A Review of Great Magnitude Earthquakes and Associated Tsunamis along the Guerrero, Mexico Pacific Coast: A Multiproxy ApproachMaría]Teresa Ramírez]Herrera, Néstor Corona, and Gerardo Suárez 165 14 Landslide Risk to the Population of Italy and Its Geographical and Temporal VariationsPaola Salvati, Mauro Rossi, Cinzia Bianchi, and Fausto Guzzetti 177 15 An Extreme Event Approach to Volcanic Hazard AssessmentServando De la Cruz]Reyna and Ana Teresa Mendoza]Rosas 195 Part V: Socioeconomic Impacts of Extreme Events 205 16 Economic Impact of Extreme Events: An Approach Based on Extreme Value TheoryRichard W Katz 207 17 Extreme Magnitude Earthquakes and Their Direct Economic Impacts: A Hybrid ApproachMario Chavez, Eduardo Cabrera, Silvia Garcia, Erik Chavez, Mike Ashworth, Narciso Perea, and Alejandro Salazar 219 18 Tropical Cyclones: From the Influence of Climate to Their Socioeconomic ImpactsSuzana J Camargo and Solomon M Hsiang 303 19 Impacts of Natural Disasters on a Dynamic EconomyAndreas Groth, Patrice Dumas, Michael Ghil, and Stéphane Hallegatte 343 Part VI: Prediction and Preparedness 361 20 Extreme Tsunami Events in the Mediterranean and Its Impact on the Algerian CoastsLubna A Amir, Walter Dudley, and Brian G McAdoo 363 21 High]Tech Risks: The 2011 Tôhoku Extreme EventsHeriberta Castaños and Cinna Lomnitz 381 22 On Predictive Understanding of Extreme Events: Pattern Recognition Approach; Prediction Algorithms; Applications to Disaster PreparednessVladimir Keilis]Borok, Alexandre Soloviev, and Andrei Gabrielov 391 Index 407
£156.56
John Wiley & Sons Inc Global Flood Hazard
Book SynopsisGlobal Flood Hazard Subject Category Winner, PROSE Awards 2019, Earth Science Selected from more than 500 entries, demonstrating exceptional scholarship and making a significant contribution to the field of study. Flooding is a costly natural disaster in terms of damage to land, property and infrastructure. This volume describes the latest tools and technologies for modeling, mapping, and predicting large-scale flood risk. It also presents readers with a range of remote sensing data sets successfully used for predicting and mapping floods at different scales. These resources can enable policymakers, public planners, and developers to plan for, and respond to, flooding with greater accuracy and effectiveness. Describes the latest large-scale modeling approaches, including hydrological models, 2-D flood inundation models, and global flood forecasting models Showcases new tools and technologies such as Aqueduct, a neTable of ContentsContributors vii Preface xi 1 The Need for Mapping, Modeling, and Predicting Flood Hazard and Risk at the Global ScalePhilip J. Ward, Erin Coughlan de Perez, Francesco Dottori, Brenden Jongman, Tianyi Luo, Sahar Safaie, and Steffi Uhlemann‐Elmer 1 Part I: Flood Hazard Mapping and Modeling from Remote Sensing 2 Rainfall Information for Global Flood ModelingDaniel B. Wright 19 3 Flood Risk Mapping From Orbital Remote SensingG. Robert Brakenridge 43 4 Flood Mapping Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Sensors From Local to Global ScalesAntara Dasgupta, Stefania Grimaldi, RAAJ Ramsankaran, Valentijn R. N. Pauwels, Jeffrey P. Walker, Marco Chini, Renaud Hostache, and Patrick Matgen 55 5 Flood Hazard Mapping in Data‐Scarce Areas: An Application Example of Regional Versus Physically Based Approaches for Design Flood EstimationKun Yan, Giuliano Di Baldassarre, and Florian Pappenberger 79 6 Global Flood Monitoring Using Satellite Precipitation and Hydrological ModelingHuan Wu, Guojun Gu, Yan Yan, Zhen Gao, and Robert F. Adler 87 7 Flood Hazard Mapping for the Humanitarian Sector: An Opinion Piece on Needs and ViewsKashif Rashid 115 Part II: Flood Hazard Modeling and Forecasting 8 Modeling and Mapping of Global Flood Hazard LayersAndrew Smith, Christopher Sampson, Jefferey Neal, Paul D. Bates, Mark Trigg, Jim Freer, Rob Porter, Melanie Kappes, Alanna Simpson, Brenden Jongman, and Kris Johnson 133 9 Estimating Change in Flooding for the 21st Century Under a Conservative RCP Forcing: A Global Hydrological Modeling AssessmentAlbert J. Kettner, Sagy Cohen, Irina Overeem, Balazs M. Fekete, G. Robert Brakenridge, and James P. M. Syvitski 157 10 From Precipitation to Damage: A Coupled Model Chain for Spatially Coherent, Large‐Scale Flood Risk AssessmentBruno Merz, Heiko Apel, Dung Nguyen, Daniela Falter, Björn Guse, Yeshewatesfa Hundecha, Heidi Kreibich, Kai Schröter, and Sergiy Vorogushyn 169 11 Global Flood Risk Modeling and Projections of Climate Change ImpactsDai Yamazaki, Satoshi Watanabe, and Yukiko Hirabayashi 185 12 Global Flood Forecasting for Averting Disasters WorldwideF. A. Hirpa, Florian Pappenberger, L. Arnal, C. A. Baugh, H. L. Cloke, E. Dutra, R. E. Emerton, B. Revilla‐Romero, Peter Salamon, P. J. Smith, E. Stephens, F. Wetterhall, E. Zsoter, and J. Thielen‐del Pozo 205 13 Data Assimilation and River Hydrodynamic Modeling Over Large ScalesKonstantinos M. Andreadis 229 14 Global Flood Hazard Mapping, Modeling, and Forecasting: Challenges and PerspectivesGuy Schumann, Paul D. Bates, Heiko Apel, and Giuseppe T. Aronica 239 Index 245
£127.76
WW Norton & Co Fire in Paradise
Book SynopsisThe harrowing story of the most destructive American wildfire in a century.Trade Review"[Alastair Gee and Dani Anguiano's] account, based on interviews with residents, firefighters and academics, is horrendous, especially the section ‘Hell’, describing the fire minute by searing minute. It confirms how humans, not nature, are responsible for disasters..." -- Andrew Robinson: Five of the Week’s Best Science Picks - Nature
£19.94
Johns Hopkins University Press Eating Smoke
Book SynopsisBy comparing the simple skills employed by firefighters-climbing ladders and manipulating hoses-with the mundane technologies-maps and accounting charts-of insurers, the author demonstrates that the daily routines of both groups were instrumental in making intense urban and industrial expansion a less precarious endeavor.Trade ReviewFor the true story of the heroic firefighter's role in urban America, turn to Tebeau's investigative account. University of Chicago Magazine Tebeau develops an interwoven story of gender, class, culture, and technology: contrasting the heroics of working-class firefighters with the rational order of middle-class fire underwriters... An engaging narrative and a fascinating story make this book a rare pleasure-both an academic monograph and a good read. -- Dalit Baranoff EH.Net Emblazed against a historic backdrop of 150 years, Eating Smoke chronicles the parallel development of US firefighting forces and the fire insurance industry. Choice In his ambitious and detailed new book, Eating Smoke, Tebeau sets out to explain the role of two largely undocumented actors-firemen and insurance men-in analyzing, managing, and attacking urban fire... Tebeau's study vigorously opens the way for scholars looking to make sense of the city in the midst of an era of uncertainty and risk. -- Scott Gabriel Knowles Enterprise and Society A rich and highly informative work that deftly uses the 'problem' of urban fire to cast light on a wide array of turn-of-the-century transformations. American Historical Review For business historians its fascination may well lie in its combination of an active physical workforce who were banded together methodically in local pump houses and were tamed by a managerial and bureaucratic set of rules and procedures that were monitored by, if not subjected to, the guidelines of insurers. -- Margaret Walsh Business History In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the destructive power of fire posed a major obstacle to the development of urban America... Eating Smoke is a richly detailed chronicle of the two types of effort to confront and contain this vulnerability: firefighting and fire insurance. -- Carol Chetkovich Journal of Interdisciplinary History Tebeau's ambitious, informative, and absorbing book explains, among many other fascinating things, why little boys want to become firemen and not fire-insurance brokers. -- Carl Smith Business History ReviewTable of ContentsPreface and AcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Problem of FirePart I: Smoke1. Workshops of Democracy: The Invention of Volunteer Firefighting2. The Business of Safety: The American Fire Insurance Industry, 1800–1850Part II: Fire3. Statistics, Maps, and Morals: Making Fire Risk Objective, 1850–18754. Muscle and Steam: Establishing Municipal Fire Departments, 1850–1875Part III: Water5. Disciplining the City: Everyday Practice and Mapping Risk, 1875–19006. Becoming Heroes: A Standard for Urban Fire Safety, 1875-1900Part IV: Paper7. Consuming Safety: Fire Prevention and Fire Risk in the Twentieth Century8. Eating Smoke: Rational Heroes in the Twentieth CenturyConclusion: Fighting Fire in Postwar AmericaAppendix 1: Firefighting by the NumbersAppendix 2: Firefighting CareersAbbreviationsNotesEssay on SourcesIndex
£999.99
Johns Hopkins University Press The Great Fire of Rome
Book SynopsisA thrilling and momentous account of the Great Fire of Rome and how a modern city arose from its embers. Peril was everywhere in ancient Rome, but the Great Fire of 64 CE was unlike anything the city had ever experienced. No building, no neighborhood, no person was safe from conflagration. When the fire finally subsidedafter burning for nine days straightvast swaths of Rome were in ruins. The greatest city of the ancient world had endured its greatest blow. In The Great Fire of Rome, Joseph J. Walsh tells the true story of this deadly episode in Rome's history. He explains why Rome was such a vulnerable tinderbox, outlines the difficulties of life in that exciting and dangerous city, and recounts the fire's aftermath and legacya legacy that includes the transformation of much of ancient Rome into a modern city. Situating the fire within the context of other perils that residents of Rome faced, including frequent flooding, pollution, crime, and dangerously shoddy construction, he highTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Prologue I Perils of Life in Rome II Inferno III The Day After IV Neropolis V Legacy Appendix A. Sources Appendix B. Proposed Timeline of the Great Fire Notes Suggested Further Reading Index
£19.95
Temple University Press,U.S. Rebuilding Community after Katrina
Book SynopsisRebuilding Community after Katrina chronicles the innovative and ambitious partnership between Cornell University's City and Regional Planning department and ACORN Housing, an affiliate of what was the nation's largest low-income community organization. These unlikely allies came together to begin to rebuild devastated neighborhoods in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The editors and contributors to this volume allow participants' voices to show how this partnership integrated careful, technical analysis with aggressive community outreach and organizing. With essays by activists, organizers, community members, and academics on the ground, Rebuilding Community after Katrina presents insights on the challenges involved in changing the way politicians and analysts imagined the future of New Orleans' Ninth Ward.What emerges from this complex drama are lessons about community planning, organizational relationships, and team building across multi-cultural lines. The accounts presented i
£18.99
Temple University Press,U.S. Policing in Natural Disasters
Book SynopsisWhen natural disasters and emergencies strike, the short- and long-term effects of these events on first respondersthe very people society relies upon in the midst of a catastropheare often overlooked. Policing in Natural Disasters provides a comprehensive analysis of the major challenges faced by law enforcement officers during extreme crisis events. Terri Adams and Leigh Anderson examine the dilemmas police departments face as well as the impact of the disasters on the professional and personal lives of the officers. Case studies explore the response and recovery phases of emergencies including Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Santiago, Chile, and the Superstorm Tornado Outbreak in 2011. Policing in Natural Disasters was inspired by the personal accounts of triumph and tragedy shared by first responders. It provides an understanding of first-responder behaviors during disasters, as well as the preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery policy impl
£66.30
Temple University Press,U.S. Policing in Natural Disasters
Book SynopsisWhen natural disasters and emergencies strike, the short- and long-term effects of these events on first respondersthe very people society relies upon in the midst of a catastropheare often overlooked. Policing in Natural Disasters provides a comprehensive analysis of the major challenges faced by law enforcement officers during extreme crisis events. Terri Adams and Leigh Anderson examine the dilemmas police departments face as well as the impact of the disasters on the professional and personal lives of the officers. Case studies explore the response and recovery phases of emergencies including Hurricane Katrina, the 2010 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Santiago, Chile, and the Superstorm Tornado Outbreak in 2011. Policing in Natural Disasters was inspired by the personal accounts of triumph and tragedy shared by first responders. It provides an understanding of first-responder behaviors during disasters, as well as the preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery policy impl
£21.59
Bristol University Press Spatial Planning and Resilience Following
Book SynopsisInternational contributors from academia, research, policy and practice use their experience and knowledge to explore on-going efforts to improve spatial resilience across the globe and predict future trends.Trade Review“In times of growing awareness on the crucial role of spatial planning in disaster recovery and resilience building this book meets the challenge outstandingly by bringing together prominent contributors from academia, research and policy-making to judge remediation efforts after calamities with an indelible imprint on human history." Sapountzaki Kalliopi, Harokopio University, GreeceTable of ContentsIntroduction: Disaster response and spatial planning – key challenges and strategies ~ Stefan Greiving; PART A; I. Japan; Disaster risk management and land use in Japan: In geography vulnerable to water-related disasters ~ Kanako Iuchi; Spatial Planning Control for Housing Recovery after Great East Japan Earthquake ~ Tamiyo Kondo; Reconstruction plans and planning processes after the Great East Japan Earthquake ~ Michio Ubaura; II. Indonesia; Land use politics after Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 ~ Togu Pardede; Coastal resilience in Indonesia: From plan to implementation ~ Surtiari, G.A.K ., Garschagen, M ., Birkmann , J., Setiadi, N ., Manuati, Y; III. USA; Planning for resilience in the New York metro region after Superstorm Sandy ~ Donovan Finn; IV. Slovakia; Spatial planning focusing on risk management in Slovakia ~ Alena Kučeravcová, Jan Dzurdženík; Enhancement of flood management and flood-protection planning in Eastern Slovakia ~ Jozef Šuľak, Jaroslav Tešliar; V. Germany; Flood risk management by spatial planning ~ Stefan Greiving, Nadine Mägdefrau; Major-accident hazards in spatial planning ~ Nadine Mägdefrau; Cross-Analysis of Part A ~ Stefan Greiving, Nadine Mägdefrau, Teresa Sprague; PART B; Planning systems for risk reduction and issues in pre-disaster implementation ~ Kanako Iuchi; Efforts and limitations in spatial transformation after disasters ~ Michio Ubaur; Role of coordination in building spatial resilience after disasters ~ Alena Kučeravcová, Jozef Šuľak, Jaroslav Tešliar, Ján Dzurdženík; Residents’ participation in rebuilding more resilient space ~ Nadine Mägdefrau, Teresa Sprague; Spatial planning and uncertainties associated with future disasters ~ Stefan Greiving; Conclusion: Change-proof cities and regions – an integrated concept for tackling key challenges for spatial development ~ Stefan Greiving, Kanako Iuchi, Jaroslav Tesliar, Michio Ubaura.
£77.39
Bristol University Press Spatial Planning and Resilience Following
Book SynopsisInternational contributors from academia, research, policy and practice use their experience and knowledge to explore on-going efforts to improve spatial resilience across the globe and predict future trends.Trade Review“In times of growing awareness on the crucial role of spatial planning in disaster recovery and resilience building this book meets the challenge outstandingly by bringing together prominent contributors from academia, research and policy-making to judge remediation efforts after calamities with an indelible imprint on human history." Sapountzaki Kalliopi, Harokopio University, GreeceTable of ContentsIntroduction: Disaster response and spatial planning – key challenges and strategies ~ Stefan Greiving; PART A; I. Japan; Disaster risk management and land use in Japan: In geography vulnerable to water-related disasters ~ Kanako Iuchi; Spatial Planning Control for Housing Recovery after Great East Japan Earthquake ~ Tamiyo Kondo; Reconstruction plans and planning processes after the Great East Japan Earthquake ~ Michio Ubaura; II. Indonesia; Land use politics after Indian Ocean Tsunami 2004 ~ Togu Pardede; Coastal resilience in Indonesia: From plan to implementation ~ Surtiari, G.A.K ., Garschagen, M ., Birkmann , J., Setiadi, N ., Manuati, Y; III. USA; Planning for resilience in the New York metro region after Superstorm Sandy ~ Donovan Finn; IV. Slovakia; Spatial planning focusing on risk management in Slovakia ~ Alena Kučeravcová, Jan Dzurdženík; Enhancement of flood management and flood-protection planning in Eastern Slovakia ~ Jozef Šuľak, Jaroslav Tešliar; V. Germany; Flood risk management by spatial planning ~ Stefan Greiving, Nadine Mägdefrau; Major-accident hazards in spatial planning ~ Nadine Mägdefrau; Cross-Analysis of Part A ~ Stefan Greiving, Nadine Mägdefrau, Teresa Sprague; PART B; Planning systems for risk reduction and issues in pre-disaster implementation ~ Kanako Iuchi; Efforts and limitations in spatial transformation after disasters ~ Michio Ubaur; Role of coordination in building spatial resilience after disasters ~ Alena Kučeravcová, Jozef Šuľak, Jaroslav Tešliar, Ján Dzurdženík; Residents’ participation in rebuilding more resilient space ~ Nadine Mägdefrau, Teresa Sprague; Spatial planning and uncertainties associated with future disasters ~ Stefan Greiving; Conclusion: Change-proof cities and regions – an integrated concept for tackling key challenges for spatial development ~ Stefan Greiving, Kanako Iuchi, Jaroslav Tesliar, Michio Ubaura.
£28.49
MP-NCA Uni of North Carolina Catastrophic Diplomacy US Foreign Disaster
Book SynopsisOffers a sweeping history of US foreign disaster assistance, highlighting its centrality to twentieth-century US foreign relations. Spanning over seventy years, the book examines how the US government, US military, and their partners in the American voluntary sector responded to major catastrophes around the world.
£73.50
The University of North Carolina Press Inventing Disaster
Book SynopsisWhen hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, and other disasters strike, we count our losses, search for causes, commiserate with victims, and initiate relief efforts. Amply illustrated and expansively researched, Inventing Disaster explains the origins and development of this predictable, even ritualized, culture of calamity over three centuries.Trade ReviewKierner presents an in-depth, well-researched and persuasive thesis for the beginning and eventual continuation of a cultural mind-set that has remained fairly intact since the 19th-century." - Library Journal"[A] spectacular volume. . . . clearly and convincingly argued, grounded in extensive research in a host of records, and extremely well-written with both a scholarly and a broader audience in mind. . . . Here is an opportunity to help scholars and students understand our own times more profoundly by examining earlier catastrophes." - William and Mary Quarterly"Presents a complex and fascinating argument. . . . Meticulously researched and annotated, Inventing Disaster offers detailed descriptions of disasters, provides context, and documents community and public responses." - The New England Quarterly"Kierner offers a clear and cogent analysis of the ways that societies across three centuries of British Atlantic and early US history conceptualized, came to terms with, and then responded to large-scale, sudden, and unexpected loss. Inventing Disaster deserves space on the shelves not merely of historians interested in the niche topic of disaster but of anyone interested in the development during these three centuries of print culture, religion, science, moral philosophy, technology, or government." - H-Net Reviews"While Kierner is often able to provide fascinating insights by covering topics, such as shipwrecks, that are rarely explored, she is also more than able to provide similar insights when considering events that have been written about more extensively. . . . Inventing Disaster provides a very effective and vital summation of the development of the primarily American culture of disaster." - Journal of Southern History"Well-conceived and engaging . . . Kierner uncovers the historical roots of disaster relief and explains how our modern response to disaster reflects a centuries-long tussle with the forces of modernity. All this and more make Inventing Disaster a valuable and, indeed, timely title." - North Carolina Historical Review"An ambitious, timely book that will likely become only more relevant in the years to come. Kierner provides a much-needed history of our modern culture of calamity . . . [and] a deeply researched, compelling framework that will resonate far beyond disaster history or early American studies." —Early American Literature
£21.56
University of Texas Press Recovering Inequality
Book SynopsisThis comparative case study of the recovery outcomes from two of the most devastating urban catastrophes in American history lays bare the social inequality inherent in racially arranged, capital-based economies.Trade ReviewThis book exposes the inherent inequalities in American society, especially visible in times of crisis, and offers a sobering account at how social hierarchies are upheld even when given the ideal opportunity for redress. It is a valuable addition to disaster scholarship. * Social & Cultural Geography *[A] provocative book that will prompt its readers to think seriously about how market forces can influence the aftermath of a natural disaster and the inequality of treatment of the poor, elderly and sick. * Roundup Magazine *[A]n academic read that shines a light on the idea of 'recovery' to examine how many of the factors guiding a city's trajectory after disaster perpetuate inequality. * Kinder Institute at Rice University *Echoing W.E.B. DuBois’ ingenious interdisciplinary combinations of poetry, history, quotes, and statistics, Kroll-Smith combines fictional renderings, newspaper clippings, policy decisions, and first-hand descriptions with rhythmic prose to create a page-turning analysis of the similarities and differences between two iconic U.S. disasters...Retelling the story of these two disasters side by side, Kroll-Smith is able to illuminate that our failures to respond swiftly and justly after tragedies is not just an isolated occurrence but the pattern. * Social Forces *Revelatory…Written with engaging and often eloquent turns of phrase, [Recovering Inequality] is the work of a sociological mind atop its craft and respectful of readers' time and intellect. * Contemporary Sociology *An accessible and illuminating work...Kroll-Smith has produced a rare specimen: an academic book that is illuminating, theoretically rich, and a pleasure to read. His prose is deft and light, his eye for detail is vivid, and the book is illustrated throughout with photographs from both the archival record and the author's own collection. * Sociological Inquiry *Table of Contents Acknowledgments Foreword by Anthony Oliver-Smith From Whence Recovery? A Prelude I. An Introduction 1. “The Earth Dragon” and “Miss Katrina” 2. Geographies of Inequality: A Sketch of Two Cities Spanning a Century II. Deranging and Rekindling 3. The Great Derangements 4. Fashioning “the Looter”: Rekindling Racial and Class Kinds III. Rebooting Inequality, the Road to Recovery 5. Disaster Relief: Parsing the Vernaculars of Worthiness 6. Spatial Accumulation by Dispossession: Two Attempts to Rob the Marginal 7. One City Necessary, One City Expendable By Way of Closing Notes Index
£19.79
University of Texas Press Harvesting Haiti
Book SynopsisThis collection ponders the personal and political implications for Haitians at home and abroad resulting from the devastating 2010 earthquake.Trade ReviewHarvesting Haiti offers invaluable guidance to the international community responding to Haiti’s appeal for assistance in restoring peace within the country. * Latina Republic *Table of Contents Introduction Part I: Sovereignty and Survival The Aftermath: Responding to the Crisis (2011–2022) A Marshall Plan for a Haiti at Peace: To Continue or End the Legacy of the Revolution (October 2010) Submission or Omission: Haiti’s Challenge in Latin America (April 2011) A Haiti for Haitians: Ending the Legacy of (Band) Aid (November 2010–January 2011) Haiti: Five Years After (January 2, 2015) Part II: Gender and Equity Hearing Our Mothers: Safeguarding Haitian Women’s Representation and Practices of Survival (March 2010) Cultural Impasse and Structural Change: How to Address Questions of Gender Equity for Haitian Women across Societal Strata (2013) Love, Debt, and Forgiveness: Women Speaking from the Rubble in Post-earthquake Haiti (2011–2019) Women in Haiti: Strength in Spirit and Culture (February 19, 2010) Part III: Under/Water Under/Water (Poem)—May 31, 2010 Ayiti Alive! Photo-Essay (2011–2014) Part IV: Understanding Haiti, in Context—Trinidad & Tobago Review columns (June–December 2012) Nou Bouké!!! (June 2012) Independence Notes or, “What’s So Great about Being Haitian, Anyway?” (July 2012) What Dreams Are Made Of: Haiti Kanpé (September 2012) The Horrors of Slavery: Haiti, Vodou, and the Myth of the Cursed Nation (October 2012) Walking Sadness: Haitian Returns—Nomad (November 2012) Tout Moun Se Moun: Haitian Women’s Feminism, Then and Now (December 2012) Part V: Frenemies: The Dominican Relationship Are You Haitian? (October 2013) Lavé Tèt: Striving for (Black) Wellness in Academe and Beyond (Travels in the DR, October 2013) New Year’s Resolution 2014: “Love Thy Neighbor” Conclusion: Living with Ruins Acknowledgments Appendix: Recommended Charitable Organizations Working in Haiti Notes Index
£27.90
University of Nebraska Press Without Warning
Book Synopsis2023 Martin Kansas History Book Award 2024 Society of Midland Authors AwardHonoree for History 2024 Kansas Notable Book Longlist for Reading the West Book Award In 1955 the small town of Udall, Kansas, was home to oil field workers, homemakers, and teenagers looking ahead to their futures. But on the night of May 25, an F5 tornado struck their town without warning. In three minutes the tornado destroyed most of the buildings, including the new high school. It toppled the water tower. It lifted a pickup truck, stripped off its cab, and hung the frame in a tree. By the time the tornado moved on, it had killed 82 people and injured 270 others, more than half the town’s population of roughly 600 people. It remains the deadliest tornado in the history of Kansas. Jim Minick’s nonfiction account, Without Warning, tells the human story of this disaster, moment by moment, from the perspectives of those who survived. His spellbinding nTrade Review"Without Warning can serve as primary source material for further study of the tornado and could be of interest to collections on Kansas history and natural disaster narratives."—C. A. Sproles, Choice"For anyone of us who has lost faith in America and its basic sense of seeking the common good, Without Warning is a reminder that regardless of our political leanings, we pull together during times of great crisis and need. Udall, Kansas stands as a shining example."—John Newlin, New York Journal of Books"More than a fascinating and emotional read . . . [Without Warning] offers a guide for enduring disasters yet to come."—Michael Ray Taylor, chapter16.org“A time capsule of rural American lives and a testament to the tenacity and grit of the human spirit, Without Warning captures a community before, during, and after one of the most devastating natural disasters in our nation’s history. This is a story of loss and despair, resilience and hope, all rendered stunningly by prose deeply measured and tightly wrought. Minick is a master of the form.”—David Joy, author of When These Mountains Burn“Without Warning is a page-turning disaster narrative in the tradition of The Perfect Storm and Isaac’s Storm: spare, vivid, suspenseful, meticulously researched, and utterly harrowing. But the havoc an F5 tornado wrecked on this quintessential Kansas small town in the spring of 1955 is only part of the story here. By taking the arc all the way from the calm before the storm to the months-long labor of rebuilding and reanimating, Jim Minick has brought an entire community lovingly to life. At heart, this is a book about how what’s best about our country confronts and overcomes the worst of our weather.”—David Laskin, author of The Children’s Blizzard“Without Warning is a vivid testimony to why modern-day weather forecasting deeply matters, especially to those so often in the path of these dangerous storms. But it is also a story of resiliency—a portrait of people and a town that lost almost everything but somehow found the strength to go on. It’s only through the stories of survivors that we can try to comprehend the precarious nature of tornadoes and prepare as much as one can for a phenomenon that is still so violently unpredictable.”—Holly Bailey, author of The Mercy of the Sky“Jim Minick turns anecdote into story, and story into the personal history of an American town, a town that represents a blueprint for responding to other natural crises. The images are often haunting—the ding-ding, ding-ding of a railway crossing bell, lost photos found in a pasture ten miles away, a “mountainous grave” of debris. Twelve years of interviews and research accompany this work, allowing the author the time it takes to become familiar with people—in some sense, a neighbor. Minick wants us to witness the resilience, generosity, kindness, and capacity for change that the storm broke loose that day, amid all its terrible destruction. His hopeful voice is one worth listening to—from the book’s beginning to the wonderful epilogue that concludes it.” —Joyce Dyer, author of Pursuing John Brown: On the Trail of a Radical Abolitionist“This is vivid, compelling narrative history with the detail, tension, and pacing of fiction, meaning it’s hard to put down. Though I’ve never been to Udall, Kansas, I feel as if I visited in 1955 and met the residents. Their stories are ones we’re all going to need more than ever. If catastrophe strikes us like it did Udall, the big question is going to be, how well will we survive as a community?”—David L. Bristow, author of Nebraska History MomentsTable of Contents List of Illustrations Author’s Note 1. What Used to Be 2. The Weight of It 3. What the Lightning Revealed 4. Hit by Emptiness 5. Something Shifted Inside 6. Bigness of Heart 7. People Will Return 8. Overwhelmed 9. So Many Dead 10. Distributing Kindness 11. The Long Process of Working Through 12. Something to Hold Onto 13. The Smoke of What Used to Be 14. Trying to Find Normal 15. Marching On 16. Everybody Deserves a Picture 17. Remembering 18. The People Moving Forward Epilogue Acknowledgments Appendix Bibliographic Essay
£17.99
MP-MPP University Press of Mississippi Wasnt That a Mighty Day African American Blues
Book SynopsisTakes a comprehensive look at sacred and secular disaster songs, shining a spotlight on their historical and cultural importance. Featuring newly transcribed lyrics, the book offers sustained attention to how both Black and white communities responded to many of the tragic events that occurred before the mid-1950s.
£87.20
Cornell University Press Hurricane Sandy on New Jerseys Forgotten Shore
Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. Frankenstorm 2. "Please Sandy, No More" 3. Everything is Gone 4. "You Can't Wash Away Hope" 5. A Model of Disaster Preparedness 6. "There's No Such Thing as a Natural Disaster" Epilogue: New Jersey Strong Appendix B
£97.20
Cornell University Press Playing Politics with Natural Disaster
Book SynopsisHurricane Agnes struck the United States in June of 1972, just months before a pivotal election and at the dawn of the deindustrialization period across the Northeast. The response by local, state, and national officials had long-term consequences for all Americans. President Richard Nixon used the tragedy for political gain by delivering a generous relief package to the key states of New York and Pennsylvania in a bid to win over voters. After his landslide reelection in 1972, Nixon cut benefits for disaster victims and then passed legislation to push responsibility for disaster preparation and mitigation on to states and localities. The impact led to the rise of emergency management and inspired the development of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).With a particular focus on events in New York and Pennsylvania, Timothy W. Kneeland narrates how local, state, and federal authorities responded to the immediate crisis of Hurricane Agnes and managed the long-term recTrade ReviewKneeland's prose is sharp, to be sure, and his research quite impressive. The historical context is richly detailed, with comic and tragic anecdotes throughout. Perhaps its greatest strength is its depth at the local level, as Kneeland introduces many actors from the known to the obscure. * H-Net *One of the virtues of Kneeland's account of Hurricane Agnes is his comparative approach. He explores the response to Agnes in two medium-sized New York cities-Corning and Elmira-and in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Kneeland's most important contribution may be his emphasis on contingency. [I]t is Kneeland's exploration of the 'local context of disaster' that distinguishes these studies. * New York History *Kneeland's prose is sharp, to be sure, and his research quite impressive. The historical context is richly detailed, with comic and tragic anecdotes throughout. Perhaps its greatest strength is its depth at the local level, as Kneeland introduces many actors from the known to the obscure. Scholarly readers and environmental historians will certainly find much useful here, especially the author's rendering of the political atmosphere in the 1970s and grasp of disaster management's intricacies * H-Environment *Table of ContentsIntroduction: Local Disasters, Government Actors, and National Policy 1. American Disaster Policy through 1972: Growing Benefits and Expanding Federal Authority 2. Agnes Makes Landfall: Death and Destruction in New York and Pennsylvania, 1972 3. Who's in Charge? Local Governments Collapse in the Face of Disaster 4. Playing Politics with Disaster: Relief Efforts and the 1972 Election 5. "I Have a HUD-Ache": Public Discontent over Disaster Aid 6. "Better Than Ever"? Rebuilding amid Industrial Decline 7. Without Warning and Defenseless: The Weather Service and Civil Defense before and after Hurricane Agnes 8. The Risky Business of Flood Control: When Dams and Levees Put People at Risk 9. The Disaster Relief Act of 1974: Richard Nixon and the Creation of Emergency Management Epilogue: Into the Future
£29.45
University of Pennsylvania Press Predicting Disasters: Earthquakes, Scientists,
Book SynopsisJapan is a place where powerful earthquakes have occurred more frequently and have caused more harm in the modern era than they have in all but a handful of other locations on the planet. In the twentieth century alone, earthquake disasters in Japan took almost as many lives as they had in all of the country’s recorded history up to that point. Predicting Disasters is the first English-language book to explore how scientists convinced policy makers and the public in postwar Japan that catastrophic earthquakes were coming, and the first to show why earthquake prediction has played such a central role in Japan’s efforts to prepare for a dangerous future ever since. Kerry Smith shows how, in the twentieth century, scientists struggled to make large-scale earthquake disasters legible to the public and to policy makers as significant threats to Japan’s future and as phenomena that could be anticipated and prepared for. Smith also explains why understanding those struggles matters. Disasters, Smith contends, belong alongside more familiar topics of analysis in modern Japanese history—such as economic growth and its impacts, political crises and popular protest, and even the legacies of the war—for the work they do in helping us better understand how the past has influenced beliefs about Japan’s possible futures, and how beliefs about the future shape the present. Predicting Disasters makes relevant elements of Japan’s past more accessible to readers interested in the histories of disaster and scientific communities, as well as to those who want to gain a better understanding of the risk and uncertainty surrounding natural phenomena.Trade Review"An authoritative study that documents far more than Japan’s chimerical quest to master earthquake prediction. Kerry Smith beautifully illustrates how seismic vulnerability and risk, science and speculation, personal ambition and politics, anticipation and fear, have all shaped Japan’s modern approach to earthquakes and thus the nation we know today. Innovative, imaginative, and provocative, Predicting Disasters is a thoroughly compelling read." * J. Charles Schencking, author of The Great Kantō Earthquake and the Chimera of National Reconstruction in Japan *"Kerry Smith masterfully narrates the ways in which Japanese seismologists’ promise of earthquake prediction have played out against the geological reality and socioeconomic conditions of Japan since the late nineteenth century. Predicting Disasters is not only an excellent history of Japanese seismology but also a vivid testimony to the fact that paradigm shifts in science can be a gradual and arduous process." * Yoshikuni Igarashi, author of Japan, 1972: Visions of Masculinity in an Age of Mass Consumerism *
£49.30
University of Minnesota Press Gunflint Falling: Blowdown in the Boundary Waters
Book SynopsisStories from survivors of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness’s epochal weather disaster On July 4, 1999, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), a bizarre confluence of meteorological events resulted in the most damaging blowdown in the region’s history. Originating over the Dakotas, the midsummer windstorm developed amid unusually high heat and water-saturated forests and moved steadily east, bearing down on Fargo, North Dakota, and damaging land as it crossed the Minnesota border. Gunflint Falling tells the story of this devastating storm from the perspectives of those who were on the ground before, during, and after the catastrophic event—from first-time visitors to the north woods to returning paddlers to Forest Service Rangers. The pre-dawn forecasts from the National Weather Service in Duluth for that Sunday of the holiday weekend predicted the day would be “warm and humid. Partly sunny with a thirty percent chance of thunderstorms.” But as the afternoon and evening settled over the Boundary Waters, the first eyewitness accounts began to tell a dramatic and terrifying story. Five friends camping on Lake Polly watched in wonder as the sky turned green and the winds began to whip. They scrambled to pull canoes on shore and secure tarps when a tree snapped and struck one of them in the head, rendering her unconscious. Three women enjoying their last day of a camping trip near the end of the Gunflint Trail took shelter in their tent as winds increased. Water drenched the nylon walls as trees crashed around them, one flattening the tent and pinning a woman beneath its weight. A family vacationing at their cabin dodged falling trees and strained against straight-line winds as they sprinted from the cabin to the safest place they knew: a crawl space underneath it. They watched in awe as trees snapped and toppled, their twisted root balls torn out of the water-logged earth—as they prayed their cabin would hold. By the time the storm began to subside, falling trees had injured approximately sixty people, and most needed to be medevacked to safety. Amazingly, no one died. The historic storm laid down timber that would later blaze in the Ham Lake fire of 2007, ultimately reshaping the region’s forests in ways we have yet to fully understand. Trade Review "Cary J. Griffith makes full use of his impressive talents for interviewing people to obtain truly interesting and previously unknown perspectives and details on the 1999 blowdown. He skillfully weaves these interviews into a complex and captivating story that conveys how incredible this event was and why it deserves a prominent place in Minnesota’s history."—Lee E. Frelich, director, Center for Forest Ecology, University of Minnesota "In the tradition of The Perfect Storm, Cary J. Griffith brings readers into the Boundary Waters moment by moment as an epic gale sweeps through. Ample maps and in-depth interviews with witnesses both immerse us in one terrifying day and offer a glimpse of the past and future of Minnesota’s boreal forest."—Kim Todd, author of Sensational: The Hidden History of America’s “Girl Stunt Reporters” "In Gunflint Falling, Cary J. Griffith provides an accurate, comprehensive narrative of those impacted by one of the region’s most devastating storms. The damage and pain brought by the derecho storm was more severe than anything previously experienced in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The reader is taken into the personal experiences of the injured and those searching for them for fourteen days in the million-acre wilderness, and Griffith’s narrative of these experiences demonstrates how, when faced with an emergency, we come together to help one another."—Jim Sanders, retired forest supervisor, Superior National Forest (1996-2011), USDA Forest Service
£19.79
