James Maskalyk
…the importance of this volume cannot be overstated. What emerges clearly is that Haiti's disaster is not merely geologic. The shaking earth only added to the woes of a long-stricken country abused by foreign-backed dictators, economic embargoes and historic French demands to be paid for its slaves freed at independence 200 years ago. Haiti underscores the desperate need for a lasting solution for a people who live hand-to-mouth on an island that once grew enough sugar for nearly the entire world.
—The Washington Post
From the Publisher
President Bill Clinton
“A gripping recollection of the quake's ruin, chaos, and despair, and the story of remarkable persistence, hope, and love in the aftermath. Once you've seen Haiti through Paul Farmer's eyes, you'll never see Haitians, or any of the world's poorest people, quite the same way again.”
Adam Hochschild
“Profoundly moving....An urgent dispatch from the front by one of our finest warriors for social justice. With eloquence and wisdom, Paul Farmer shows how we cannot fully comprehend one of the great natural disasters of history without understanding the man-made suffering that Americans and others have inflicted on Haiti.”
Madison Capital Times, July 14, 2011
Washington Post
“Farmer’s clarion and moving chronicle is followed by powerful essays by other [voices].”
—Booklist
The Globe and Mail
The uniqueness of Farmer’s . . . contribution to this new stage of Haiti’s history is the piercing historic and social/political dimensions he offers.”
—The Globe and Mail
Booklist
Farmer’s clarion and moving chronicle is followed by powerful essays by other [voices].”
—Booklist
AUGUST 2011 - AudioFile
Listeners can immediately believe they are hearing Paul Farmer himself deliver his eloquent broadcast of the voices of those affected by the disastrous earthquake in Haiti in January 2010. Eric Conger captures not only the matter-of-fact tone of Dr. Farmer, founder of Partners in Health and UN deputy special envoy for Haiti, but also the bold yet restrained compassion that fills Farmer's account. Additional essays by friends and colleagues make up the second part of the program. Edwidge Danticat and Michele Montas-Dominique deliver passionate readings of their works. Joia S. Mukerjee’s heavily accented delivery of “Neg Mawon” resonates with anger on behalf of her country. Meryl Streep and Edoardo Ballerini give commanding and sensitive performances of several essays. The careful, respectful use of Haitian Creole is a welcome addition, as are clear introductions and an index to the essays. The scenes of unimaginable devastation and loss so vividly described can be hard listening, but Farmer's vision for "building back better" and the hope and commitment of his colleagues and friends remain indelible. S.J.H./R.F.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
From the UN Deputy Special Envoy for Haiti and chair of the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School, and members of his team, a searing firsthand account of the earthquake and its aftermath.
Farmer (Partner to the Poor: A Paul Farmer Reader, 2010, etc.) presents consequences of the outrage that U.S. law—e.g., the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961—makes it impossible to do what needs to be done in a country like Haiti. Relief and reconstruction funds cannot go to government agencies or to rebuild government infrastructure; instead, they must be funneled into NGOs. Haiti's government, writes the author, is operating out of a small police station on a shoestring budget. More than 40 percent of government employees were killed, and 28 out of 29 ministries were leveled. Yet, under the ruling law, because of Haiti's history of human-rights violations, the United States cannot contribute to rebuilding government infrastructure or paying public employees, including doctors, nurses and medical technicians. The NGOs and volunteers who receive the funds can't discuss policy priorities, make laws or coordinate the scale of activity required, and they siphon funds into overhead and operating costs. Farmer has been involved in Haiti for 25 years, during which time he has warned policy makers about the country's precarious position. Unfortunately, the results have been very close to what he was predicted for years—at least 2 million people are still displaced, one-third of the population is directly affected and cholera has become a major problem. Other contributors to this book include Edwidge Danticat, Evan Lyon and Dubique Kobel.
An eye-opener of a report and a wake-up call that change is needed.
