Paradise Built in Hell

I didn't put this in Reviews because it's specifically about disaster. I'm reading A Paradise Built in Hell, a very interesting book by Rebecca Solnit. The premise is that most people act well in disasters and it can be a transformative and actually in some ways joyful for survivors. This is supported by sociological research and in sharp contrast to the societal narrative that we are often fed by Hollywood and Doomsday Preppers (that people generally panic and are either useless or a-holes in a disaster). I actually happened upon an interview on NPR from someone who survived Katrina and he echoed her premise completely independently as far as the interview went (they didn't cite her book or anything). She does sort of downplay some things, such as how government and NGOs can help reduce loss of life in some ways. OTOH, I think it's a good idea since many people have the idea that there are mobs of angry or desperate people in disasters, which occurs during political upheaval but not as much in other types of crises. Anyway, I thought it could be useful for anyone trying to understand what to prepare for based on a little bit different perspective than you might find elsewhere.

Paradise Built in Hell