John Solomon recommends: “The Unthinkable” By Amanda Ripley

The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes — And Why by Amanda Ripley

I have had a chance to read the book, and I can recommend it wholeheartedly not only to any readers of this blog — who tend think about disasters more than most folks — but also to anyone who ever thinks about what they would do if faced with an emergency situation. Or, for that matter, anyone who likes well-reported, compelling non-fiction about some of the most dramatic events in recent history.

Ripley is a reporter with Time magazine who has covered the ‘disaster beat’ with singular distinction (She won two National Magazine Awards as part of Time’s coverage of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.) What I really appreciate about her work is that while much of the media focuses on disasters (often also very well) during the event, Ripley continues to report on the subject comprehensively and smartly long afterwards.