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    Big Truck That Went By by Jonathan M. Katz Summary

    Big Truck That Went By
    Jonathan M. Katz
    4.12 (1849 Reviews)
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    Overview of Big Truck That Went By

    When a massive earthquake devastated Haiti, AP reporter Jonathan Katz witnessed how international aid became a second disaster. Jon Lee Anderson called it "THE book" on Haiti's reconstruction failure - revealing why billions in relief created more problems than solutions.

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    Best quote from Big Truck That Went By

    “

    Whether in Haiti for decades or hours, in slums or five-star accommodations, survival depended solely on the strength of the structures around you when the fault gave way.

    ”
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    On January 12, 2010, the ground beneath Port-au-Prince convulsed with terrifying force. "Tu panse se yon gwo machin ki pase?" my Haitian colleague Evens asked as we stumbled from my collapsing house. "You think it was a big truck going by?" The question seemed absurd-this was clearly an earthquake-but revealed how unprepared Haiti was for a disaster that would claim over 200,000 lives. With no major tremors in living memory, many initially mistook the shaking for a passing vehicle. That night, hundreds of thousands gathered silently at the crumbled National Palace, its collapsed dome symbolizing the fall of Haiti's central institution. The earthquake had been a great leveler-destroying government ministries and luxury hotels alongside modest homes. Whether in Haiti for decades or hours, in slums or five-star accommodations, survival depended solely on the strength of the structures around you when the fault gave way. Despite an unprecedented $5.2 billion in emergency relief and $10 billion pledged for reconstruction, Haiti remained broken years later. Nearly a million remained homeless, political riots erupted, and a devastating cholera epidemic emerged-likely caused by the very UN peacekeepers sent to help. How could such massive humanitarian efforts lead to such profound failure?

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