Citation
Wilson, H. (2001), "Acts of God: The Unnatural History of Natural Disaster in America", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 197-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2001.10.3.197.2
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
In this book the author explores the unnatural history of natural disasters that have occurred in the USA. Since 1989 the ten most expensive disasters in US history have occurred. The book investigates how politicians, government leaders and officials, and the decisions of business leaders have paved the way for greater loss of life and property. Those most vulnerable are the poor, the elderly and minority groups.
He argues cogently that man, not God, is the culprit, allowing some to be better protected than others, especially those down the lower end of the socio‐economic ladder. He investigates the responses of local authorities to disaster recovery offering quick clean‐ups and repairs which often leave the sufferers no better protected. Even with the breadth of building knowledge that exists today these good practices are seldom utilised.