Come Hell or High Water

This title focuses on what Hurricane Katrina reveals about the fault lines of race and poverty in America - and what lessons we must take from the flood. When Hurricane Katrina tore through New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, hundreds of thousands were left behind to suffer the ravages of destruction, disease and even death. The majority of these people were black, and nearly all were poor. The Federal government's slow response to local appeals for help is now notorious. Yet, despite the cries of outrage that have mounted since the levees broke, has America failed to confront the disaster's true lesson: to be poor, or black, in today's ownership society, is to be left behind. Displaying the intellectual rigour, political passion and personal empathy that have on him acclaim and fans all across the colour line, Michael Eric Dyson offers a searing assessment of the meaning of Hurricane Katrina. Combining interviews with survivors of the disaster with his deep knowledge of black migrations and government policy over decades, Dyson provides the historical context that has been sorely missing from public conversation.