The Emergency Management Book Club is a Facebook page for those looking to understand all the different aspects of EM (including those tilted towards resilience and recovery). You have to request to join, but they have some really good suggestions on what to read; old , new and in between and good discussions amongst the members of the page. For those who do not take part in Facebook, here is a list below (to be added to…)

Hurricane Harvey’s Aftermath: Place, Race and Inequality in Disaster Recovery

Hurricane Harvey was one of the worst American natural disasters in recorded history. It ravaged the Texas Gulf Coast, and left thousands of people homeless in its wake. In Hurricane Harvey’s Aftermath, Kevin M. Fitzpatrick and Matthew L. Spialek offer first-hand accounts from survivors themselves, providing a rare, on-the-ground perspective of natural disaster recovery

What Stands in a Storm

After devastating tornados, what is it that brings us back together…

Option for listening to your book…

Everything is better when you listen….audiobooks.

Books about hope from 49th Shelf – a reading list

2 dozen+ choices to see you through the winter…and spring…and beyond

Black Wave– How networks and governance shaped Japan’s 3/11 Disasters

Author: Daniel P Aldrich.  
“…Black Wave illuminates two critical factors that had a direct influence on why survival rates varied so much across the Tōhoku region following the 3/11 disasters and why the rebuilding process has also not moved in lockstep across the region. Individuals and communities with stronger networks and better governance, Daniel P. Aldrich shows, had higher survival rates and accelerated recoveries. Less-connected communities with fewer such ties faced harder recovery processes and lower survival rates……”

You’re It – Crisis, Change, and How to Lead When It Matters Most

Authors: Leonard J Marcus, Eric J McMulty, Joseph M Henderson, Barry C Dorn

“…A book for turbulent times, You’re It is essential reading for anyone preparing to lead an adaptive team through crisis and change.”

The Unthinkable – Who Survives When Disaster Strikes – and Why

Author: Amanda Ripley

“…Discover how human beings react to danger–and what makes the difference between life and death. Today, nine out of ten Americans live in places at significant risk of earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, terrorism, or other disasters. Tomorrow, some of us will have to make split-second choices to save ourselves and our families. How will we react? What will it feel like? Will we be heroes or victims?.”

The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

Author: Jim DeFede

“For the better part of a week, nearly every man, woman, and child in Gander and the surrounding smaller towns stopped what they were doing so they could help. They placed their lives on hold for a group of strangers and asked for nothing in return. They affirmed the basic goodness of man at a time when it was easy to doubt such humanity still existed.

When thirty-eight jetliners bound for the United States were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland, on September 11, 2001, due to the closing of United States airspace, the citizens of this small community were called upon to come to the aid of more than six thousand displaced travelers…”

Disaster in Paradise

Author: Amanda Bath

“On the morning of July 12, 2012, Mandy Bath left her picturesque home and garden in Johnson’s Landing, BC, for a day trip to nearby Kaslo. She had no forewarning of what the placid summer day would bring. But just over an hour later, a massive landslide tore into the community, destroying her home and killing four people: Valentine Webber, aged 60, and his daughters, 22-year-old Diana and 17-year-old Rachel, along with 64-year-old Petra Frehse. Returning the next day to search for her cat, Mandy narrowly avoided being buried beneath a second slide.

Disaster in Paradise tells a story of survival, grief and recovery, as Mandy and the other residents of Johnson’s Landing gradually rebuild their community in the wake of the tragedy. Mandy eloquently details her own experience of trauma and healing, and weaves in the stories of other residents and volunteers in the rescue and recovery missions as the community bands together to collectively mourn their loss. The story is grounded by the author’s intimate knowledge of the Johnson’s Landing community, but also reflects the greater themes of loss, perseverance and bravery that arise in natural disasters everywhere.”

A Paradise Built in Hell – The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster

Author: Rebecca Solnit

“…A Paradise Built in Hell is an investigation of the moments of altruism, resourcefulness, and generosity that arise amid disaster’s grief and disruption and considers their implications for everyday life. It points to a new vision of what society could become-one that is less authoritarian and fearful, more collaborative and local.”

Helping Families and Communities Recover from Disaster

Edited by Ryan P. Kilmer, PhD, Virginia Gil-Rivas, PhD, Richard G. Tedeschi, PhD, and Lawrence G. Calhoun, PhD

“This collection on Hurricane Katrina is a comprehensive, scholarly, indispensable source of information on large-scale disasters and recovery from mass trauma. The book, which is an effective blend of theoretical issues and empirical findings, is also noteworthy for pointing out lessons learned and for compiling practical recommendations. This timely, much-needed, state-of the-art book is invaluable for understanding the experiences and needs of children, their families, and mental heath service providers (including mental health professionals and community health care and relief workers) and, hence, for informing policymaking and future research in the field of community disasters.”

A list of 365 Disaster Books – collection of books, some of which help to inform recovery.

Get Well Soon- History’s Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them

Author: Jennifer Wright

“Throughout time, humans have been terrified and fascinated by the plagues they’ve suffered from. Get Well Soon delivers the gruesome, morbid details of some of the worst plagues in human history, as well as stories of the heroic figures who fought to ease their suffering. With her signature mix of in-depth research and upbeat storytelling, and not a little dark humor, Jennifer Wright explores history’s most gripping and deadly outbreaks.”