July 12, 2011--Today marks the 18-month anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti. It’s a fitting day for the release of Haiti After the Earthquake, Paul Farmer’s written account of the earthquake, the root causes of the devastation it wrought, and the relief and recovery efforts of Haitians and those who came to their assistance.
Paul Farmer appears July 12 for 30 minutes on NPR Radio's Fresh Air (see link below). He appears for one hour on Democracy Now on July 14, http://www.democracynow.org/ . You can read reviews that appeared in three daily newspapers in Canada here.
In the book, Paul and co-contributors—among whom I feel privileged to count myself—reflect not only on the lives saved and lost, on the challenges encountered and overcome, but also on the century of underdevelopment and internecine politics that have plagued Haiti.
When Paul decides to put pen to paper, you can be certain that he won’t be satisfied with offering a cursory recounting of events. Haiti After the Earthquake stays true to his anthropological lens, rooted in decades of experience in Haiti.
Join PIH staff for an in-depth read of Haiti After the Earthquake and enter to win a signed copy of the book. During this five-week reading and discussion, you'll be able to chat with PIH staff who are directly involved in our relief efforts, discuss the book with other readers, and enter our contest to win a signed copy of the book.
It is my fervent hope that this book will do more than bear witness to the suffering the earthquake caused. Rather, I hope it will educate readers about the historical context in which it occurred and the true scope of what remains to be done.
Haiti is still in desperate need. Cholera continues to afflict the country. Aid remains undelivered, promises unfulfilled. Sign up now to read Haiti After the Earthquake with PIH. Reflect with us on what progress has been made, and discuss how we can best accompany Haiti as it builds back better. http://act.pih.org/read-with-pih
Sincerely,
Evan Lyon, MD
Partners In Health
Haiti After the Earthquake is app. 400 pages, with photos. It retails for CAN$30 and can be ordered online for as low as $19. Read a review here by Jennifer Wells that appears in the Toronto Star on July 17, 2011.