Disaster Government

2015 saw the worst American maritime disaster in decades. The captain of the SS El Faro commanded his crew to sail straight into a hurricane. The ship sank and all 33 crew members died. The sinking raised troubling questions: Why did the captain choose to sail into the hurricane? Why did no one on board or on shore stop him? And why was such an old and heavily loaded ship even allowed on the water? The crew of the SS El Faro is gone, but their haunting final hours were preserved by the ship’s black box.

A mega-earthquake is coming. And it’s not natural. Beneath Los Angeles, something is moving. When mutilated bodies start appearing in the city’s subway tunnels, Detective Alana Williams is assigned a case that makes no sense— Until the ground begins to shake. Seismologist Dr. Michael Trent is tracking a series of impossible tremors. Not random. Not geological. Engineered. Something ancient is awake beneath California. Something intelligent. And it’s building toward a catastrophic event powerful enough to destroy the entire West Coast. As the tremors escalate, the government prepares...

BOOK ONE Everyone said, "Great story. But it could never happen here." Apologies accepted. Sierra only knew the man who called himself a Patriot from his phone call and letter, and considered him a lunatic. Then a string of events occurred that she couldn’t explain away. When the Patriots’ warnings began to unfold, Sierra realized millions would soon suffer. Many would die. As host of The Sierra Nicole Show, she could have warned them. Now, it was too late. She never thought it could happen. Not here. Her fellow freedom-loving, independent, and strong-willed citizens would never allow ...

The rise of the new far right has left the world grappling with a profound misunderstanding. While the spotlight often shines on the actions of charismatic leaders, the true peril lies elsewhere. Defeating these people will not stem the tide driving them forward. They are merely the embodiment of profound forces that are rarely understood. Propelled through the vast networks of social media and fueled by far-right influencers, enthralled by images of disaster and fantasies of doom, they have emerged from a reservoir of societal despair, fear, and isolation.

The creator of the wildly popular award-winning podcast Hardcore History looks at some of the apocalyptic moments from the past as a way to frame the challenges of the future. Do tough times create tougher people? Can humanity handle the power of its weapons without destroying itself? Will human...

Donald Trump: The Master of Disaster is a searing examination of a presidency defined not by leadership, but by chaos, erosion, and consequence. This book argues—methodically and relentlessly—that Donald J. Trump is not merely a controversial president, but a historically destructive one. Through vivid narrative and documented analysis, it traces how impulsive decision-making, contempt for democratic norms, and the personalization of power have repeatedly placed the nation’s institutions, economy, and moral standing at risk. From governance by grievance to rule by loyalty tests, ...

Should we stop caring about fading regional powers like China, Russia, Germany, and Iran? Will the collapse of international cooperation push France, Turkey, Japan, and Saudi Arabia to the top of international concerns? Most countries and companies are not prepared for the world Peter Zeihan...

"Baby Boomers (and I confess I am one): prepare to squirm and shake your increasingly arthritic little fists. For here comes essayist Helen Andrews."--Terry Castle With two recessions and a botched pandemic under their belt, the Boomers are their children's favorite punching bag. But is the...

Narrated by the author: Experience the Southern California wildfires through Jacob Soboroff’s eyes—and voice. New York Times Bestseller and #1 Los Angeles Times Bestseller A "gripping, unshakeable firsthand account" (San Francisco Chronicle) of the firestorm that consumed Los Angeles, from...

The dramatic and moving account of the struggle for life inside the World Trade Center on the morning of September 11, when every minute counted. At 8:46 AM on September 11, 2001, 14,000 people were inside the twin towers -- reading e-mails, making trades, eating croissants at Windows on the...

In this cinematic thriller from a New York Times bestselling author, two sisters must fight for their survival after a natural disaster in the Pacific Northwest. In the shadow of Mount Hood, sixteen-year-old Tennant is checking rabbit traps with her eight-year-old sister Sophie when the girls...

Atoms and Ashes recounts the dramatic history of nuclear accidents that have dogged the industry in its military and civil incarnations since the 1950s. Through the stories of six terrifying major incidents—Bikini Atoll, Kyshtym, Windscale, Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima—Cold War expert Serhii Plokhy explores the risks of nuclear power, both for military and peaceful purposes, while offering a vivid account of how individuals and governments make decisions under extraordinary circumstances.

An energizing case for hope about the climate comes from Rebecca Solnit, called “the voice of the resistance” by the New York Times, and climate activist Thelma Young Lutunatabua, along with a chorus of voices calling on us to rise to the moment. Not Too Late is the book for anyone who is despondent, defeatist, or unsure about climate change and seeking answers. As the contributors to this volume make clear, the future will be decided by whether we act in the present—and we must act to counter institutional inertia, fossil fuel interests, and political obduracy. T

A monumental, genre-defying novel that David Mitchell calls "Michel Faber’s second masterpiece," The Book of Strange New Things is a masterwork from a writer in full command of his many talents. It begins with Peter, a devoted man of faith, as he is called to the mission of a lifetime, one...

An urgent, transformative guide to dealing with disasters from one of today’s foremost thinkers in crisis management. “In a world marred by preventable miscalculation, Juliette Kayyem’s The Devil Never Sleeps provides a playbook for making it out alive.” —The New Yorker The future may...

A Story of Loss, Resilience, and Rebirth What happens when an entire city drowns — and still finds the courage to rise again? On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina ripped through the Gulf Coast and shattered New Orleans. Levees broke. Families fled. Entire neighborhoods disappeared beneath toxic floodwaters. For days, the world watched as America’s most vibrant city nearly ceased to exist. But this is not just a story of destruction. It’s a story of humanity, resilience, and a community that refused to let its culture die. Inside, you’ll discover: The full scope of the disaster — ...

Nick Wallis, an acclaimed freelance journalist and broadcaster, has been following the story since 2010 when he met a taxi driver who told him his pregnant wife had been sent to prison for a crime she did not commit. Since then, he has recorded interviews with dozens of victims, insiders and experts, uncovering hundreds of documents to build up an unparalleled understanding of the story. Using these sources, he has been instrumental in bringing the scandal into the public eye.

An ecological disaster of global proportions is sweeping the land, the result of failed government experimentation. What started out as an attempt to create a drought- resistant class of pollinator, has gone dreadfully wrong. Now worldwide extinction threatens all life forms. Dropped into this expanding devastation are two teens, orphaned when their scientist parents are kidnapped by the government. Desperate times call for desperate measures and topping the list is the need uncover the government’s sinister plot. It’s not what they think. The very world balances on an ever-deepening ...

They thought they’d uncovered the truth, but the storms have only just begun. After barely surviving the rogue tornadoes tearing through the plains, storm chaser Beck Maddox and atmospheric scientist Savannah Reyes are determined to expose the weaponized weather conspiracy brewing behind the scenes, but the deeper they dig, the more dangerous the skies become—and someone is making sure the truth stays buried. Each new storm isn’t just stronger, it’s smarter, and it’s targeting the people asking questions. With their allies disappearing and time running out, Beck and Savannah must ...

A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK The dramatic story of the Flint water crisis, by a relentless physician who stood up to power. “Stirring . . . [a] blueprint for all those who believe . . . that ‘the world . . . should be full of people raising their voices.’”—The New York Times...