Wow - I was in high school when Hurricane Katrina hit, but being all the way up in hurricane-less Ohio, it never struck close to home. After reading this, I realized that my thoughts at the time were similar to most of the New Orleans residents before Katrina hit: it's just another hurricane.

While not a comprehensive all inclusive account of what happened, the true to life personal stories that Neufeld follows and represents here are what really matter and what really hit home. Moving, fortifying apartments to stay, the failures of external sources to appropriately help those who stayed or were stuck, and at the end of the day, the sheer destruction that resulted from the waters.

Perhaps what was most impacting was the continued pride in their city. New Orleans was everybody's home and life and pride and joy. After reading this, it makes a little more sense to me now why it was so difficult for the citizens to leave the city or stay away after the destruction.