Product Description
Each book in the True Horse Stories focuses on a contemporary horse from a different part of the world, and each animal is, in his or her own way, a hero.

PBJ Decks Smokin Gun (Gunner) is an American Paint Horse, one of the many of Heather Lott Goodwin's herd, and a valuable show animal that won the World Championship Paint Horse title. When Hurricane Katrina passed over the Goodwin property, it took with it the fences, the cattle, and several horses. Heather and her family lived in their horse trailer for six weeks and considered themselves lucky to have safe, comfortable shelter. After the storm, they searched for the animals and recovered many of them. But three months passed before they located Gunner, a hundred miles away. They were told he was in terrible shape and should be put down. Nevertheless, Heather drove on washed-out roads to bring him home, starving, dehydrated, and blind in one eye. With the help of a vet and her mother, she nursed him back to health. Amazingly, nine months later, he was well enough to compete again in the World Championship Paint Horse Show. Gunner's story is a testament to love and to determination. ... Read more

Product Description
One moment the sun is shining on the slopes of El Yunque, the largest mountain in eastern Puerto Rico. The next, everything has changed. The sky has turned deep purple, and you feel as if the air has been sucked from your lungs. That can mean only one thing: A hurricane is coming! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Hurricane
I use this book with my students to teach visualization.It works very well.

Very exciting story!
My 5 year old son has a great interest in weather, especially rainstorms, and he absolutely loved this book!I would have given it 5 stars, but it was a bit implausible that the boys' parents would have let them go swimming in the ocean the morning before a hurricane was to arrive.However, that's what made the story so exciting to my son! ... Read more

Product Description
Dane Whitelaw knows something about Sheila Warren that no one else does. Dane knows Sheila's dead.

The private investigator found a photo under his door -- a picture of Sheila, strangled with his tie and posed on the beach of his private island in he Florida keys. The crime appears to be the handiwork of a serial killer currently terrorizing the Miami area. Now Dane knows he is being set up to take the fall for the killings. He just doesn't know why.

When Kelsey Cunningham's bet friend goes missing, she confronts the one person she thinks will have information -- Dane, Sheila's former lover and a man from Kelsey's own past. Kelsey follows Sheila's track into a dangerous world of sex, violence and drugs, with Dane right behind her. But the tentative trust between them shatters when Sheila's body is discovered -- and Kelsey recognizes Dane's tie.

Now Kelsey doesn't dare trust anyone. Especially a man she can no longer deny she has always loved. Because here on Hurricane Bay, a devastating storm can hit without warning and whether it's a tempest of unbridled passion or the desperate fury of a killer, nothing -- and no one -- is safe. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Very entertaining and sexy book!
I thought this was a great book! It has suspense, yummy love scenes, a beautiful locale, and a great group of friends. I recommend this book if you are looking for an easy, light, and thrilling story!

I hate not to finish a book but this was terrible
I barely made it through the prologue.Forced myself though the first chapter and could not go any further.It was terrible.I really enjoyed another book by the same author.This was really disappointing.

Decent
So the story is not the best written or very deep, but it was an interesting, "grocery store paperback" type read. It is quite predictable and annoying at times, but it is still worth the read. It's my second book by Heather Graham, and I thought it was fairly decent.

unbelievably bad!
I cant believe this is the tripe dished out by a best selling author...it reads more like a teenage novice's attempt at mystery. I couldnt even finish it

Slow go to nowhere
Came across Graham's name in a round-a-bout way.Had to find out how good/bad were the books of someone who lives in a $1 million estate across the street from the exclusive Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, FL were.

I guess when you grind out "more than ninety novels" (book jacket blurg) you don't produce the quality of Michael Connelley in mystery fiction (read his Angels Flight and know joy)or an Elmore Leonard for awesomely good writting and research in a lot of different areas.

Geez, I would assume that someone who lives in the Miami area and writes "knowingly" about Key Largo would know that the body of water on the side of Key Largo opposite the Atlantic is NOT the Gulf of Mexico.

Add in dislikable characters all around -- given such little character development as there is -- and female characters who seems to do nothing but SCREAM at every development (combined with an overall plot and resolution that is mundane), you have a loser.

Keep on grinding 'em out, Heather, but I'll leave it to the rest of the great unwwashed to buy and/or read 'em.


... Read more

Product Description

That lovable, under-undermedicated dispenser of truth, justice, and trivia is back with a vengeance—just as his cherished home state is about to take a beating from a conga line of hurricanes bearing down on the peninsula. But as Serge and his burnout buddy Coleman go storm-chasing, bodies begin turning up at a disturbing rate, even by Florida standards. It looks like a serial killer is on the loose—another serial killer—which highly offends Serge's moral sensibilities. And he vows he'll stop at nothing to unmask his thrill-killing rival and make All Things Right—though Coleman's triathlete approach to the sport of polyabuse binging threatens to derail the mission more completely than the entire combined Sunshine State police community could ever hope to.

Customer Reviews (33)

Hurricanes, alcohol, and murder - what more do you want?
Serge is a completely unbelievable, but fascinating, character.And I very much enjoy his off-beat humor and witty banter, but... I still feel as if the author is using him to convey a bit of a preachy message to the readers.There's something just a little off about the tone of parts of the books, especially the ones that deal with politics.And there's no particular reason for those sections to be in there, other than to make little jabs at the government.This depresses me, because I read to escape reality, and Serge is such an eccentric character it should be possible to dismiss reality entirely when reading about him.

There's also a lot about historic Florida that flies over my head, as I've never been to Florida.But this lack of knowledge doesn't detract from the storyline, Serge lets you know everything you need to in order to keep up with the story.

The story itself was well-done with a great plot twist at the end, and it kept me hooked throughout the story with bizarre situations, quirky side-characters, and Serge's trademark murders.Anyone who likes a slightly more off-beat murder-mystery story will enjoy this, and I'd recommend it to anyone with a quirky sense of humor.

A lesser entry, but still solid fun
Serge and Coleman spontaneously road-trip through Florida via staying in the eyes of hurricanes. Serge is in denial about having a mid-life crisis, and is all-the-while plotting his "comeback" serial killing spree. Unfortunately, he has copycat competition who is stealing his thunder...

Yep, that about sums up the plot threads... this is one of those books where the storyline is incidental to the characters and "Florida flavor" that are the series high points.

Dorsey seemed to be going for a hard-boiled noir-esque vibe in this (emphasized by recurring cop/nemesis Mahoney's dementia fixation with the medium) which is fine by itself, but unfortunately it backfired with allowing at least one minor and one major glaring plot hole/inconsistency to slip through -- I won't mention them here as they're spoilers. It's probably a forgivable error for most fans, though it was a speed bump for me as I like to try to guess the twists in mysteries and said plot holes threw off my rhythm. I'll get over it, of course, and I think most readers will, too.

Despite that, this is still a fun book, replete with staples like dark humor, obscure history/pop culture references, and Serge's trademark: new and unusual ways to kill people who annoy him. Obviously you have to like that sort of thing -- and I do, which is why I keep coming back to this author for more -- but of course it's not for everyone, especially "mainstream" readers who can't grasp the "fun" of an anti-hero.

Although this is a comparatively weak offering in the Dorsey canon, fans of the books are still encouraged to check it out. If you're new to Dorsey, though, start elsewhere (such as 'Triggerfish Twist' or 'Cadillac Beach') to see better examples of the author's output before backtracking to this one.

A fun book in a fun series.
I think "fun" is a good way to characterize this book and all in the series.

Please look for my review of Florida Roadkill, dated December 23, 2008, for a review of the whole series.

Note that the author recommends reading these in order of publication. If you are new to the Dorsey books, you should start with Florida Roadkill which is the first of the series.

If you are an old hand at the Dorsey books all I can say that you don't already know is that this one did not disappoint.

PLOT REMINDER: Serge the storm chaser is chasing the Eye of the Storm.

Imagine Dexter meets SNL
This book was absolutely hilarious.The storyline despite being totally tongue in cheek manages to still be compelling and unpredictable.The author makes excellent use of the more annoying aspects of pop culture and stereotypes such as the "hip hop redneck" to send the protagonist Serge off the deep end.I dont condone violence but it certainly is satisfying in this book.
If you enjoy dark off beat humor, this book will make you laugh out loud as you follow the antics of Serge and Coleman as they spread good natured mayhem across the state of Florida while being tracked by an equally eccentric FBI profiler named Mahoney.

watch the reader
These books are an excellent example of how the reader can influence the story. When Serge goes on a manic rant, George Wilson's interpretation makes you want to sell your house buy a six pack and get in the car with him.When Oliver Wyman reads the same monologs you want to stop the car and throw the irritating little motor mouth out on the street and leave him there. Wilson's Serge comes off as a big eccentric genius who you want to listen to and learn from. Wayman's Serge is an irritating nut case Joe Pesci character who just won't shut up.
When he started my wife said "That's not Serge, that's a little New Jersey guy named Vinnie." Coincidently, a little guy from New Jersey named Vinnie shows up later in the story and when they start talking it gets very confusing because you can't tell which voice is which.

I loved these stories, but I will always look closely at the readers name and I won't by anything else read by Wayman. ... Read more

Product Description
Hurricane Anna is coming! Noah and his family are getting ready for the storm. First they board up the windows, then they get supplies for the house, like extra food and batteries. They even fill up the bathtub with water for emergency washing and drinking. Finally, they are as ready as they can be.

When the storm comes it howls like a wolf. Noah watches through a peephole as trees bend, rain shoots sideways, and the roof rattles. By morning, the storm has passed. Noah and his family go outside to look around. Everything is inside-out and upside-down! Noah's mom hopes that no one was hurt, and she says plants will grow back and broken things can be fixed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Hurricane Book for Kids
What a great book to help children deal with hurricane preparedness. Wonderful illustrations and written with warmth and humor. It also deals with the real fear that a bad storm can be a life changing experience, as it was for the children that went through Charley and Katrina. Having been through a Cat 4 storm, I recommend this book for all children and plan to send a copy to my granddaughter in Maryland. It may be geared to children but adults will enjoy reading it too! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (15)

Maddening to read, but worth the time
Maddening to read, this is a very clear-eyed and even-handed account of the government's response to Katrina.The book includes a nice background on the levy system in New Orleans (and some reasons for its disrepair) as well as a history of FEMA.I enjoyed the way everything was laid out in an easy, linear manner, with quotes from Senate testimony and clarifications about surrounding events added as necessary.

I found myself reading the book like I was watching a movie, picking out characters that were supposed to be the "good guys" or the "bad guys", but the authors potrayed the people as humans.Even the most capable people in this situation made mistakes, and the authors don't hesitate to point them out.This book is not a complete blame-fest, but it doesn't let anyone off the hook either.Some people come out better than others, but it feels like a very accurate picture of the mess, as opposed to the overwrought Katrina footage we all saw on TV in the immediate aftermath.

I really liked some of the stories about the unique characters in the government and in New Orleans.Reading this book reminded me just how well some people worked to get through this disaster and help their neighbors.It also reminded me how frustrating it was to watch the government drop the ball in such a spectacular fashion.My favorite quote from the book:"St. Bernard Parish, which was swamped to the eaves and had about 6,000 residents standing on the rooftops, was largely ignored by rescuers until Wednesday, when a forty-seven-man contingent of canadian Mounties arrived." (pg. 181)

Katrina
Seems to do a real good job.As an anything like this, it takes a lot of people a lot of time to mess up something this bad.Will be better analyzed by "experts" several years from now, especially after some of the repairs/remediation have been tested with say a "minor" hurricane.I'm not an expert or even close, but everybody has known people that went down there to help that couldn't do anything because of whatever (basically disorganization/dysfuntion) and just came home (some had some sucess particularly other La & Miss).Have had the opportunity to work with Corps Of Engineer on other things and like any large governmental agency some things work real well but a lot doesn't, most of which seems to be their own bureaucacy.Of course they are not completely at fault, but they, the city & the state are probably all guilty.Particularly liked the explanation/idea that the Feds and/or the Military wanted to take control.Pretty sure they are still trying to do this, for a lot of different reasons, but one is to just get more power/money (and for some weak/poor areas, they may be right). One of the bigger issues is what should we the people and government really do/spend on these areas to include much of Florida, in regards to saving/protecting something that is almost impossible to protect, is very very expensive to protect, and/or actually wrong to protect (e.g. Everglades, Mississippi River over engineering).Some of these things are owned by very rich people/corporations.If I owned property built in a Hurricane prone area, I would like the government to save me/my money too.I'll never forget walking down the road in Vietnam and seeing an Esso and stationsign, and I thought to myself, what am I really here for.Of course, since then I've realized it isn't that simple, but some of it is.

Oddly compelling
I say this because the book was very difficult to put down, certainly surprising because it is reporting on a recent event with known results.Certainly, the book is not a dry recitation of events.

I will say this right off - some of my opinions about who was at fault from the Federal response changed as a result of reading the book. I am less inclined to blame the Bush White house (and I am no fan of Bush Administration).However, it is also plainly obvious that the response failed on Federal, State and local levels - primarily because of bureaucracy.This is not to say that some things went well - New Orleans was 80% evacuated for example when the storm hit.

The authors have also listed many of their references both in the book and on their website.Two of the big ones are readily accessible on the Internet - the Bipartisan report and the White house report.Anyone may review those documents who care to.The link is:

http://www.disasterthebook.com/links/

An Enlightening Perspective
Other books do better than this one in describing the human impact of Katrina.But this is far and away the best book that I've seen about the series of mistakes that led to the botched response.There were lots of individual failures, but the authors also make it clear that there were massive organizational issues -- issues, I might add, that still have not been fully addressed by Congress or the administration.

Good example of a bad example.
This is a well written tale of how government can get out of touch with reality.

I was completely flabbergasted by the obsession for irrelevantdetailMathew Broderick demanded in the Homeland Security Operations Center. I thought the Marines worked from the idea of the 70% Solution. On the battlefield or in a Disaster you are never going to have the full picture. You just have to go to war with the 70% you do know. This is well covered in "Corps Business: The 30 Management Principles of the U.S. Marines" by David H. Freedman.

The hero of the book for me was Craig Fugate the man who rose from being a firefighter and paramedic to become Florida's Emergency Manager. It is a tragedy for you Americans that he did not take the post of head of FEMA.

At the end of the day the message you get from this book is you are on your own. You might want to dust off your copies of Mel Tappan "On Survival" after you read this.
... Read more

Product Description
Natural and man-made disasters are becoming more commonplace in children's lives, and this touching free-verse picture book provides a straightforward account of Hurricane Katrina. In alternating voices, four friends describe their lives before, during, and after the storm and how, even though the world can change in a heartbeat, people define the character of their community and offer one another comfort and hope even in the darkest hours.
Adrienne, Keesha, Michael, and Tommy have been friends for forever. They live on the same street—a street in New Orleans where everyone knows everybody. They play together all day long, every chance they get. It's always been that way. But then people start talking about a storm headed straight for New Orleans. The kids must part ways, since each family deals with Hurricane Katrina in a different manner. And suddenly everything that felt like home is gone.
Renée Watson's lyrical free verse is perfectly matched in Shadra Strickland's vivid mixed media art. Together they celebrate the spirit and resiliency of New Orleans, especially its children. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Wonderful Must Read Debut
This is the story of four friends, Adrienne, Keesha, Micheal and Tommy, who live on the same New Orleans street.

I thought the first picture book that dealt with hurricane Katrina would focus on the hurricane. I am glad I was wrong, I like this much better.
The reader gets to know the four friends and their community before Katrina . The connection will stay long after the hurricane is gone, as the friends and their community are coming back together.

Waston's free verse is beautiful she makes the four friends as real as they can be. Strickland helps to bring the friends, the storm and New Orleans alive with her illustrations. Watson and Strickland have come together to create a lovely picture book.

Michael
Cars are turned upside down
and the street sign is floating in the water
Daddy tells us to get to the attic
as fast as we can
I take Jasmine's hand and I hold it tight.
like big brothers do.
She's too scared to look out the window
but I'm not

I look out the window
and I see the whole block swimming in water
Furniture, clothes and toys are swirling in the flood
Roofs are crumbling and windows are shattering
Big winds have come and trees are breaking
And all I can see is more water rising
So I look away and I squeeze Jasmine's hand
real tight because now I am scared too.

I probably should not have shared the whole verse, (but I love it) I also know the text without the illustrations is only half the story. You definitely want to see whole picture, its gorgeous and filled with emotion. This is one of those picture books, that I appreciate more each time I look at it. And I can't stop looking.
... Read more

Product Description

"Don't ever think that this can't happen to you. You are going to read this and it's going to sound like we created this scenario, but this is a real scenario that happened."

--Pam, Memorial Medical Center

"Everything that was battery operated eventually died. There were no monitors...we tried to take care of people in the most humane way possible."

--Lois, Lindy Boggs Medical Center

Nursing in the Storm: Voices from Hurricane Katrina takes you inside six New Orleans hospitals-cut off from help for days by flooding-where nurses cared for patients around the clock. In this book, nurses from Hurricane Katrina share what they did, how they coped, what they lost, and what they are doing now in a city and health care infrastructure still rebuilding, still in jeopardy.

In their own words, the nurses tell what happened in each hospital just before, during, and after the storm. Danna and Cordray provide an intimate portrait of the experience of Katrina, which they and their colleagues endured.

Just a few of the heroic nurses you'll find inside:

The book also discusses how to plan and prepare for future disasters, with a closing chapter documenting the "lessons learned" from Katrina, including day-to-day health care delivery in a city of crisis. This groundbreaking work serves as a testament to nurses' professionalism, perseverance, and unwavering dedication.

Customer Reviews (1)

Compelling tales from Katrina
The book offers experiences of several nurses during and after hurricane Katrina and the flooding of New Orleans.This cautionary tale is compelling and instructive.Everyone, and certainly every nurse, should read and take notes. ... Read more

Product Description
In this sequel to "Tropical Storm," Dar and Kerry are back and making their relationship permanent. But an ambitious new colleague threatens to divide them --- and out them. He wants Dar's head and her job, and he's willing to use Kerry to do it. Can their home life survive the office power play? Dar and Kerry are redefining themselves and their priorities to build a life and a family together. But with the scheming colleagues and old flames trying to drive them apart and bring them down, the two women must overcome fear, prejudice, and their own pasts to protect the company and each other. Does their relationship have enough trust to survive the storm? Enter the lives of two captivating characters and their world that Melissa Good's thousands of fans already know and love. Your heart will be touched by the poignant realism of the story. Your senses and emotions will be electrified by the intensity of their problems. You will care about these characters before you are far into the story … and you will demand justice be done. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Only one complaint about this fantastic novel.
Melissa Good's new version of "Hurricane Watch" is wonderful except for one item:this version did not contain Dar's birthday party and Jack arriving with Chino.Did I miss something?These events were in the first edition of the book.Other than that, this new version was even better than version one.Great job of revising a book and making it even better (Stephen King also did this with his book, "The Stand").

Four and one half stars.

Kudos, Ms. Good

Brava!!!
Melissa Goods name should be Melissa Great as this writer is in a class of her own! The story of Dar Roberts and Kerry Stuart captured my heart form the very beginning and now I simply cannot get enough of these two characters. Hurricane watch is the second installment in the series and I gobbled it up as greedily as I did the first. I highly recommend reading the series in order. If you've never read a Melissa Good story start with Tropical Storm. Now, let your fingers run across the keys to the check out! You will NOT be disappointed!!

Oldie but goodie lol
Good beach read. A bit fantastical with youthful wealth & power, but enjoyable never the less.

Even Better the Second Time Around
I'm willing to bet that every fan of lesbian fiction has at least heard of this classic series by Melissa good.With that said, I won't go into detail about the characters or the story. What I will say is this series deserves its place among the best in lesbian literature and should be enjoyed by everyone.I recently read this series for the second time.Although I first read it several years ago, the characters and storyline seemed like old friends and I enjoyed visiting with them again.

Dar and Kerry are obviously based on Xena and Gabrielle.However, Good has given them lives of their own in a modern setting with new adversaries to topple.She has taken them past the bounds of television and allowed them to fully explore the potential of their relationship.Hats off to Melissa Good and the gift she has given this genre.

Very sweet romance
Especially relevant after the last 4 years of hurricanes here in the Sunshine State. A real feel good story whose popularity continues

Populated with endearing characters that have interesting and diverse lives.With it's Florida locales, high-tech careers and personal drama this novel has plenty to offer any reader.I especially enjoyed the character growth of both Dar and Kerry plus those who surround them in their lives. Plenty of intrigue and office politics and romance keep this novel a page turner.

I am so glad to see this terrific story will soon be back in print in a wonderfully edited new edition. This is a substantial story that is ideal for vacation or a long weekend or airplane trip.

This is a novel in a series that has grown to be 7 novels and is still growing. Don't miss any of the titles in the series -

* Tropical Storm
* Hurricane Watch
* Eye of the Storm, 2nd Edition
* Red Sky At Morning
* Thicker Than Water
* Terrors of the High Seas
* Moving Target


From the publishers web site - In this sequel to "Tropical Storm," Dar and Kerry are back and making their relationship permanent. But an ambitious new colleague threatens to divide them --- and out them. He wants Dar's head and her job, and he's willing to use Kerry to do it. Can their home life survive the office power play? Dar and Kerry are redefining themselves and their priorities to build a life and a family together. But with the scheming colleagues and old flames trying to drive them apart and bring them down, the two women must overcome fear, prejudice, and their own pasts to protect the company and each other. Does their relationship have enough trust to survive the storm? Enter the lives of two captivating characters and their world that Melissa Good's thousands of fans already know and love. Your heart will be touched by the poignant realism of the story. Your senses and emotions will be electrified by the intensity of their problems. You will care about these characters before you are far into the story ... and you will demand justice be done. ... Read more

Product Description
Called "one of the rawest specimens of classic Nawlins spitfire you'll ever find" by Newsweek, and featured in Spike Lee's HBO documentary When the Levees Broke, Phyllis Montana-Leblanc gives an astounding and poignant account of how she and her husband lived through one of our nation's worst disasters, and continue to put their lives back together.

New Orleans Hurricane Katrina survivor Phyllis Leblanc reveals moment by moment the impending doom she and her family experienced during one of the greatest disasters in contemporary American history. The initial weather forecast, the public warnings from officials, and then the increasingly devastating developments -- the winds and rain, the rising waters -- Not Just the Levees Broke begs the question, What would you do in a life-and-death situation with your family and neighbors facing the ultimate test of character?

Not Just the Levees Broke is a portrayal of the human spirit at its best -- the generosity of family, neighbors, and strangers; the depth of love that one can hold for another; the power to help and heal others. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Whiny
I had a hard time reading this book. I hate to not finish a book that I've started, so I kept on with it. It was awful that the hurricane happened, it was awful that some people died. And, maybe part of the blame does go to the Army Corps of Engineers. Mostly, it was up to you to help yourself.
But, what I didn't understand is this: just, what, exactly, did you want, Phyllis? You didn't leave when it was first suggested, and when you did, you complained about everything. What kind of help did you expect? It seems as though whatever anyone did was criticized by you. People helped to feed you and thousands of others, and you complained about the food; that it was cheap. It was more than what you had, wasn't it? Could you have done better, if it was up to you to feed so many people? Even though you complained, you never gave any kind of useful alternative. Could you have predicted the path of the hurricane better? Could you have housed and fed people any better?
I also got tired of you bringing race into everything. You're the one who mentioned it all the time.
At one point, early in the book, Phyllis said that she could hear a lady calling for help. Phyllis's mother suggested that Phyllis go and help the woman who was crying. But, Phyllis didn't. Would you have wanted someone to help, if it had been your mother? Probably. Why didn't you help her?
Maybe you're really not someone who wants everything handed to her on a silver platter, but that's how you sounded in the book. I got tired of hearing you complain about so many things. And then, near the end of the book, you were given medication to help you deal with depression and PTSD, but you didn't take your meds. Nor did you talk about your problems and feelings. What did you expect?
I haven't been through anything like Hurricane Katrina. I can only imagine the stress. But, you weren't the only person involved, or the only one stressed out. You wrote that we're all here to be positive and help each other. From you book, you sound like a very negative person, and very whiny. Your husband must be a saint, to put up with you.

Stop whining!
At first the story was compelling and intriguing although not very well written or edited. The author and her family did endure a lot throughout the storm and Ive been sympathetic towards the victims of Hurricane Katrina since it happened. But I lost a lot of respect for the author after about fifty pages into the book when she was redundantly whining about trivial hardships and the help she did not receive. I understand that this is America and agree that the city, state and federal governments should have responded quicker and better than they did. But in the end, the author and victims like her did receive a lot of help in comparison to those in third world countries who suffer tragedies of nataral disaster or war and dont have a stable government or racisim to blame it on. Im a Soldier who has been to Iraq twice and while I had alot of compassion and sympathy for victims of Katrina because they did not choose to endure its terror, I lost some of that after comparing my experiences in Iraq to that of the authors. The author complains countless times about the type of food they were given and how many days they went without bathing or cell phone service and power. If youve been to Iraq you know that we go 3 times longer without these things and the people who live there go 10 times longer without them. Going without a bath is not traumatic, going without steak and merlot is not traumatic. Seeing dead bodies is, losing everything you own is, and for those who have endured these traumas I hold compassion for no matter what country you live in. Bottom line, if you are looking for a story of what it was like during the storm read the first 45 pages or so and then put it down or find another book.

A bit rambling

To be honest, this book was somewhat problematic.

First, let's provide the positive. The book provides a visceral personal account about dealing with Katrina from the ground. Spike Lee felt she kept it real, so to speak, and the reader can tell why. Her belief in God and forgiveness along with caring for her husband/family while being self-effacing about how "crazy" she sometimes got also provided a sense of modesty.

But, the reader after awhile did get a bit sick of her. One problem is that the book reaches its destination, in effect, once she reaches sanctuary and then talks about life at a hotel and FEMA trailer. This is good aftermath stuff.

Still, then she in effect rambles for more than thirty pages, repeating herself and tossing out random cliches in the process.You can respect her voice w/o finding this too useful. The poetry at the end is a good touch. The book seems padded all the same. A shorter book would have worked better.

Also, and I know it sounds harsh, but she does after awhile sound like she is whining. This is so even though she basically has every right to be out of sorts. On one hand, her "craziness" (and she readily admits that) is a realistic account of someone dealing with insanity.

On the other, after pages and pages of it, it gets too much. A person crying in pain is sympathetic, but this doesn't make it good reading after fifty or so pages. And, as one person noted, comments like saying she wants a steak and Merlot over the spaghetti dinner provided (with salad etc. ... sounds like my typical Sunday meal as a kid) does not help her case. She admits this herself at times -- she in effect says she acted irrational at times. Again, after awhile, this is not great reading.

I basically wanted someone with a bit more perspective at times ... it sounded like if her husband or perhaps even her sister narrated, things might have been better.

Get a Grip!
I had a difficult time with this book. While I have a great deal of empathy and sympathy for victims of Hurricane Katrina, and while I know beyond a doubt that the local, state, federal government failed miserably, still, I simply cannot relate to the never-ending whining. And, that is what this book felt like to me...whining.

The author was featured in Spike Lee's documentary When the Levees Broke. Her story is told in a down to earth, rugged, raw, painful way. I have no doubt that it was incredibly frightening to witness the disaster. Still, I could have done without the use of the "F" word heavily overused in almost every other page of the book. The valid points were degraded.

I have no use for street gutter talk in the written medium.The story should be told of the helplessness, the abandonment, but I became disengaged when I read the Jive, slang.Please keep the street jive on the street and off the page!

I'm sorry she went through what she did. Hurricane Katrina was a terrible, terrible occurrence and those stranded needed, had a right to and should have received help.

She was one of those who could have fled. She and her family had transportation. They chose to stay. That isn't the governments fault. That was her choice.

credit given for what she went through...no stars for the writing, the crude language and the whining.

A must for Every American to read
Wow...

I have Spike's Video & had to hear more of what Phyllis has to say about this heart breaking human event.

Every American should read this book with an open heart & open mind & search within for the level of forgivness Phyllis has shown in her words & actions.
... Read more

Product Description
One hundred years after the hurricane of 1900 devastatedGalveston, Texas, it remains the most deadly natural disaster in United Stateshistory. Although many heeded the warnings of local weatherman Dr. Isaac MonroeCline, numerous others did not. More than 6,000 souls perished.Shortly after the storm, author Nathan C. Green set out to sharewith the world the Story of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane . Forthose who had lost their lives, he would become their voice; for those who hadsomehow miraculously survived, he would become their chronicler. To furthermemorialize the events of the Galveston Hurricane, Pelican has reprinted Dr.Isaac Monroe Cline's Storms, Floods and Sunshine: AnAutobiography ($25.00), which it first published in 1945. ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine a force that can toss boats around like toys, wash away bridges, and create waves as high as eighteen feet. With fierce winds and torrential rains, hurricanes can do all of these things. They can cause tremendous damage and even change the shape of a shoreline. For centuries people did not know when a hurricane was coming. But now we have new methods to predict when and where these storms will occur. Young readers will learn how hurricanes are formed, how they are named and classified, and what to do if a dangerous storm is on the way.  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

This swirling, fascinating book is an interesting way to learn about hurricanes!
Hurricanes seem to run nilly willy offshore and it is very difficult for even the most seasoned weatherman to predict just where they will end up, but there are many things we do know about them.Hurricanes always start over warm tropical waters when "warm water evaporated and rises into the atmosphere."Once this process starts and the air begins to spiral upward the process is intensified if the temperature of the water is 81 F.Cumulonimbus clouds are formed and become even larger as they absorb large amounts of moisture.The winds begin to pick up and the more they circulate and spin the more intense the situation becomes.When the "speed of the wind reaches 74 mph (119.1 kph), the storm is classified as a hurricane."Time to take action!

The area a hurricane covers can be quite expansive from 100 to 300 miles wide.Most of the hurricane activity that we see begins "over the Atlantic Ocean north of the equator." It is then they start their willy nilly journeys which usually last for about a week.The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a predictor that indicates just how strong a storm can be.They range from Category 1 to the extremely destructive Category 5 that New Orleans experienced with Hurricane Katrina.In this book you learn about the particulars of each category, you'll get a glimpse at some devastating historical hurricanes, you'll see how hurricanes are forecasted and tracked, you'll learn about storm watches, hurricane warnings, how to prepare for a storm, and you'll learn some interesting facts.

This swirling, fascinating book is an interesting way to learn about hurricanes.I loved the setup of this book and if you have also read "Tornadoes" by Gail Gibbons you will have a good idea of how nicely she relays important information about nature's wondrous wrath.The first few pages discuss and illustrate how storms are formed.When the storm categories are discussed, you can read about and visual compare the differences.For example, in the aftermath of a Category one you can see the storm in action and when it is done you can see people out picking up the mess and surveying the damage like shingle loss, broken windows and scattered tree limbs.This is not only a fun book to read, but a very informative one! ... Read more

Product Description
Imagine standing at the center of a Roman coliseum that is 20 miles across, with walls that soar 10 miles into the sky, towering walls with cascades of ice crystals falling along its brilliantly white surface. That's what it's like to stand in the eye of a hurricane.In Divine Wind, Kerry Emanuel, one of the world's leading authorities on hurricanes, gives us an engaging account of these awe-inspiring meteorological events, revealing how hurricanes and typhoons have literally altered human history, thwarting military incursions and changing the course of explorations. Offering an account of the physics of the tropical atmosphere, the author explains how such benign climates give rise to the most powerful storms in the world and tells what modern science has learned about them. Interwoven with this scientific account are descriptions of some of the most important hurricanes in history and relevant works of art and literature. For instance, he describes the 17th century hurricane that likely inspired Shakespeare's The Tempest and that led to the British colonization of Bermuda. We also read about the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, by far the worst natural calamity in U.S. history, with a death toll between 8,000 and 12,000 that exceeded the San Francisco earthquake, the Johnstown Flood, and the Okeechobee Hurricane combined.Boasting more than one hundred color illustrations, from ultra-modern Doppler imagery to classic paintings by Winslow Homer, Divine Wind captures the profound effects that hurricanes have had on humanity. Its fascinating blend of history, science, and art will appeal to weather junkies, science buffs, and everyone who read Isaac's Storm. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Excellent resource for understanding hurricanes & other weather events
I had the good fortune to attend an event hosted by our local parish on climate change. The speaker was Professor Emanuel of MIT, who also wrote several books geared towards a public audience. I bought one book at that talk, which summarizes the main thrust of his talk about climate change. It is a short book, easy to read and focused on what research is available and how to compare the different results being published.

I liked his talk and book so much that I was inspired to look him up on the internet and discovered this other book, Divine Wind. This book integrates his professional expertise in regards to hurricane formation with a rather poetic and historical approach to that subject. I am finding it a very interesting and informative book and highly recommend it to all. With climate change making itself felt more and more in changing and intensified weather conditions, it helps to understand the forces building in our atmosphere.

God Bless,

Divine Wind
Excellent science plus beautiful art and interesting poetry/prose. I was impressed and fascinated. I wish he could update it with Katrina and Rita.

Based on Looks
I ordered this book as a gift.They had requested it so I feel certain that the content was what they wanted and I cannot rate it.My rating is based on the appearance of the book.The cover did not look brand new.It looked as if it had been in the sun somewhere or something.The pages themselves were better, but I was disappointed.

One Of The Original Hurricane Hunters Comments!
As an original member of the 53rd Weather Recon. Sqdn of the USAAC and who has flown in B-17's & B-29's into Hurricanes in the early 1940's, I felt alive as I read Kerry's Divine Wind.I have complimented Kerry on this excellent work that covers History, Poetry and Science.This book is a must for everyone, particularly those living on the Eastern Seaboard of the USA. All of us living on Planet Earth need to know about the forces of nature and Divine Wind educates us about Hurricanes--Thanks to the expertise of Kerry Emanuel!

Great Book!
Being a Hurricane Katrina victim I found this book to be quite informative and interesting.The scientific aspect of it is a bit technical, but it related to my current Biology course and it's always nice to come across a real-world application of something you're studying in class.I've also discovered some interesting facts regarding the history of hurricanes, although I was a little disappointed to find there was practically nothing about the Last Island Hurricane which, to my surprise, is a piece of history that has been largely ignored. ... Read more

Product Description
Now in paperback on the second anniversary of Katrina, one of the few books to offer the perspectives of African Americans on the Gulf Goast tragedy.

Available for the first time in paperback after selling out its hardcover print run and being frequently named among the best of the Katrina books, After the Storm offers "angry, learned, focused, readable, [and] essential" writing, according to Library Journal, in which contributors face what Ebony magazine calls "questions about poverty, housing, governmental decision-making, crime, community development and political participation, which were raised in the aftermath of the storm."

Featuring the work of leading African American intellectuals, including Derrick Bell, Charles Ogletree, Michael Eric Dyson, Cheryl Harris, Devon Carbado, Adolph Reed, Sheryll Cashin, and Clement Alexander Price, After the Storm suggests "precisely what we must do if we are to both save the planet and create the great towns and cities that we can proudly bequeath to future generations" (Socialist Review). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not just about Katrina, ths book is a thoughtful analysis of race relations in 21st century America
I loved this book, a collection of short essays that discuss the meaning of race and class in the aftermath of Katrina. I study American Studies at University and have become engrossed in African America, and Katrina is the defining event of recent times for race relations and "the color line".

This book does not simply argue that the U.S is some racist hell and point blame at the federal government, rather it eloquently outlines the arguments both for and against the theory that race caused the situation in New Orleans post-hurricane devastation.

Some writers conclude that racism had everything to do with it, others point out that the blame game itself and the lack of black America's responsibility for its own destiny were to blame. Some blame Mayor Nagin and the new middle class black America for not doing enough, others point to the legacy of slavery and the inability of New Orleans to save itself. Some argue that as all the low lying areas of the city were cheaper places to live and thus liable to storm surge, its a legacy of poverty that caused such disaster for the 98% African-American areas of New Orleans East, St.Bernard and the Lower Ninth Ward.

Whatever your view, remember that all these writers are black and all arguments are put forward in an intelligent and thought provoking manner.

Recommended not just for those wishing to understand Katrina, but anyone who wants to look at race relations in America and the sociological and psychological legacy of the old south. An excellent read i recommend to anyone.

A Survivor of the Storm
I lived in New Orleans 18 years and have relocated since Katrina. My fellow law professors have done an excellent job exposing the reality of New Orleans before and after the storm. I recommend this collection of thoughtful essays to anyone who wants a candid look at how race is relevant even when it shouldn't be. All Americans should be outraged and continue to seek justice for our fellow citizens. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (4)

a solidly researched story of an under-reported American disaster
This book contains many maps that show the southern end of Florida breaking up and drizzling into the sea in long arcs of sand spits and islands known as the Florida Keys.The southern-most islands rest on the skeletons of coral reefs. The people who live or work in the lower Keys are barely above sea level, even on placid, sunny days.When a hurricane churns through these islands, the difference between land and sea blurs.Sand burns through the chaotic air, stripping the skin off of anyone unfortunate enough to be out in the storm.Islands are overwhelmed by the hurricane's storm surge, and entire buildings are washed into the sea.People drown in their own bedrooms.In 1935, the out-of-work World War I veterans who signed up for the labor camps in the Keys didn't comprehend the way wind and water could overwhelm low-lying islands and those edifices that were built upon them.In the end, they forfeited their lives through ignorance of what this author calls the wrath of the Mayan storm god, Hurakan.

Perhaps because the category five hurricane that swept through the Florida Keys on Labor Day, 1935 came only a few years before World War II, this natural disaster has not been as thoroughly documented as, say, the Galveston hurricane of 1900.Yet it was the first of only three category 5 Atlantic hurricanes to devastate our coastlines through the whole of the 20th Century.This book and William Drye's Storm of the Century: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 go a long way toward increasing our knowledge of this devastating storm.

Thomas Knowles' "Category Five:the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane" is part natural history and part political history.Readers will learn why the WW I veterans were in the Florida Keys in the first place, and also why our Government had originally encouraged settlement on these low-lying islands during the Spanish-American conflict.

Presidents Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt faced the same problem as our current Commander-in-Chief, i.e. how to put veterans back to work in the midst of a bad economy. In August, 1935, 696 veterans were working in Southern Florida, the majority on a highway that would connect the various Keys.

After the Labor Day Hurricane had passed through the Keys, only 435 of those veterans could be found among the living, and three out of every five of the civilian residents and tourists had also perished.

At times, this book becomes a bit tedious as it rambles through the pre-hurricane history of the Keys settlers and their families.The vicissitudes of a weather bureau that had to forecast the path of a hurricane without modern tools such as radar and satellite images are also detailed.

Thomas Knowles, a retired college administrator and Navy veteran who was born and raised in Key West, really comes into stride when he draws from eye-witness accounts to describe the horrors that survivors had to endure, both during and after the Labor Day Hurricane.He also reminds us that a similar hurricane could cause even more death and destruction, today.

"Category Five:The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane" is a must-read for residents of the Florida Keys, and a solidly researched story of an under-reported 20th Century American disaster.

Category 5
I have only read a chapter in the book so far as I'm finishing up a few others.It started good and seemed interesting.I cant wait to start reading further!!!!

A hero among heroes
My husband read this book with great interest.He was born and raised in Miami, Fl, and remembers the 1935 Labor Day hurricane as a small child.His father, the manager of a Miami piano store, related a memory to us of that hurricane shortly before his death at 90 years in 1988..He was in his warehouse, which backed up on the Florida East Coast (FEC)railroad tracks on the afternoon of September 2, 1935, when the train that was hastily made up to go rescue the 400 WW II veterans from the Matacumbe Keys arrived at the Miami station.He recalled that the train was held at the Miami station for quite a while before finally being released in the late afternoon to rescue the veterans...too late in the afternoon as it turns out.Just as the train finally arrived at the Islamarada station, it was blown off the tracks by the core of the hurricane as it swept over the Key.

His neighbor, J. E. Gamble, the conductor on the would be rescue train, told him several days later, that the fireman of the train, Will Walker, a black man, saved his life by penning him against the bars in the corner of the engine cab as the tidal wave pushed across the key by the eye of the storm swept over them. The fireman's heroic act has gone unrecognized and unrewarded to this day.

This book provided the invaluable background as to why the veterans were in the Keys in the first place. It explained how identifiable individuals' indecision, rather than an "act of God" caused the deaths of so many of our nation's blameless heroes.

Category 5: The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane
This book meant a lot to me as my grandparents, great grandfather, and other family members died in the Labor Day Hurricane that destroyed Matecumbe in 1935.Other surviving family members and friends were also documented. The account of the military veterans who were living in tents in Matecumbe was fascinating as well as the personal stories about the people who lived or were visiting Matecumbe on that fateful day, and were reminiscent of the stories my mother recounted to me over the years.This storm forever changed the fabric of the lives of ones left behind.I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in the history of the Florida Keys. ... Read more

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DESCRIPTION:On Sept. 2, 2005, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin issued a "desperate S.O.S." His city, one of America’s most historic and gracious urban centers, had been devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Now 80% of it lay underwater, while some citizens huddled on rooftops waiting for rescue, and others turned the flooded streets into canals of anarchy. In the first decade of the 21st century, despair, disease and death had transformed a great American city into a scene of third-world privation, even as heroic rescue workers battled to save lives, restore order and aid the suffering.

Now Time chronicles the story of the greatest natural disaster in U.S. history in Hurricane Katrina, An American Tragedy. Here, in stunning pictures and gripping first-hand accounts, is the terrible tale of Katrina’s deadly wrath and savage aftermath. Here is America’s Gulf Coast — from New Orleans to Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi — in ruins. Here are the struggling survivors and their valiant rescuers, the looters and the police who fought to control them, the homeless refugees who poured across the southeast and the resourceful agencies that took them in.

It is an epic tale, told as only Time can tell it. Award-winning pictures reveal the scope of the disaster. Oral histories offer unforgettable accounts of nature’s power and man’s resourcefulness. Illuminating graphics show how hurricanes form — and why New Orleans flooded. Powerful reporting puts readers on the scene, while insightful analysis explores the questions left in Katrina’s wake: could the tragedy have been prevented, and why was aid so late to arrive?

Moving and informative, sweeping in scope and ringing with the voices ofthose who were there, Hurricane Katrina, An American Tragedy is the definitive account of a disaster that will haunt Americans for decades to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Media bias as usual
I was offended by the accusation in this book that poor black people were relegated to living in lower land in New Orleans and surrounding parishes.As usual the media wants to push their liberal, racial agenda on the south.Check the actual statistics on this hurricanes.More whites lost their lives than black and many, many wealthy areas (for blacks and whites)were devastated.Not just lower income people.We sick of having to correct people on this point.
Dianne Cochran

Outstanding!
The book was a gift for my dad. He loved it! Very compelling stories and photography.

Past date to raise money, but still an important read
The photos and accounts delivered in this Time representation of Hurricane Katrina are invaluable.Bodies floating by houses, people trapped in their attics, the anger and frustration at the Superdome, the hope and good faith of the people searching for survivors.All of this is captured by great photojournalists and poignant captions.While some reviewers feel this book focuses on only two cities' ordeals with hurricane aftermath, I think the book captures what was happening in the worst cases.Having been published about a month after the occurance, you can leave the job of chronicling the entire event to a sociologist or someone more apt to turn a profit rather than raise money for the Red Cross.This book was published so quickly that I found many typos, ("Sept. 29th" instead of "Aug. 29th" was printed way too many times, and "kids" instead of "kinds", things that spell check wouldn't catch, but an editor should have).With that in mind, I think the goal was raising money and portraying what this country let happen to it's poor and elderly.Citizens don't build levees, governments do, and this government failed.

Biased reporting
This book, like most written and portraying Hurricane Katrina, leads the reader to the conclusion that New Orleans is the only area devastated thereby. For anyone's information, New Orleans was on the West, or weak, side of Katrina. New Orleans was flooded because: 1) elevation there is about 7 feet BELOW sea level and 2)their levy system has NEVER been built to withstand cat 3 or greater storms. EVERY drop of rain that falls in New Orleans has to be pumped out, one way or the other. If the citizens of New Orleans had put more money into improving their levy system instead of the SuperDome, they might very well be living in dry and undamaged homes today instead of morning their dead and trying to put their city back together. New Orleans will be rebuilt someday and I hope and pray that they have learned and benefited from this disaster and won't make the same mistakes again. If you want to read and look at a balanced book coverning Hurricane Katrina, this isn't it.

Time: Hurricane Katrina: The Storm That Changed America
Having lived through the Hurricane Katrina (I worked through it at one of only 3 surviving hospitals in metro New Orleans), the pictures are so profound.It comes as close to representing whatI experienced as can be represented by pictures.I highly recommend.This is one of two books that I've found that paint an accurate picture. ... Read more

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Product Description
Published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in 2010, Tom Neil is one of only a handful of veterans still alive today.