About the book
“In the Grip of Katrina” is a book based on the experiences of a group of Polish students who in 2005 faced the deadly threat of passing Hurricane Katrina over New Orleans. This hurricane was one of the largest natural disasters in the history of the United States, after which the city returned to normal life for many years.
“In the Grip of Katrina” in May 2018 she was among the 30 bestsellers of the week at Empik in the non-fiction category. On the lubimyczytac.pl portal “In the Grip of Katrina” receives a high rating of 8.2 / 10.
The idea to write a book appeared in Kuba Kucharski’s head a few years after the events related to the passage of Hurricane Katrina over New Orleans. In the first phase of work on the book, these were activities related to collecting material, but above all learning about the culture and history of New Orleans. According to Kucharski, these were key elements in its creation. The book’s unique value is the extensive epilogue created by the author, which introduces us to the history and processes of hurricane formation, history and culture of New Orleans, as well as the moment of rebuilding and securing the city just after the impact of Hurricane Katrina.
Prizes and awards
– Third prize in the ‘Travel Book of the Year’ category at the MEDIATRAVEL festival of Civilization and Media Art in 2018
– “The best book of the year” in the non-fiction category in a competition organized by the industry portal www.granice.pl
– “The best book for summer 2018” in a competition organized by the portal www.granice.pl
They expressed their opinions about the book, including
Jarosław Kuźniar, Onet.pl journalist, owner of goforworld.com
“I often say that travel is not always a vacation. The world today is not easy and safe. You have to look after him and yourself. Finding himself in the heart of Hurricane Katrina made a trip to the author’s life a mere trip to the USA. He survived but different. He experienced the original behavior of people in extreme situations, felt fear. But he was carried away by this experience and described it a little therapeutically in the book. This is not a travel diary, but a strong life lesson. ”
Kamil Bednarek, Artist, Musician
“I am convinced that the story written by my friend will change more than one person’s perspective on the adventure that our life should be. For me it was an impulse to write the song “I’m taking you on a trip” to the album “Talizman”.
Book summary:
Kuba comes to America with the Work & Travel program, but instead of going to New York, which was his dream, he ends up in New Orleans and starts working at a Six Flags amusement park. Other participants of the program are there with him, including a handful of Polish people. Kuba gradually gets to know both the glamour and the squalor of the American myth, not only in relation to his new working life but most of all to New Orleans itself – a city he still has very mixed feelings about. He also meets a girl who makes a big impression on him, although the early days of their relationship don’t seem at all promising…
His everyday struggles are disrupted by alarming news that a dangerous hurricane is approaching the city. Taking to heart advice from their neighbors, the students decide to evacuate from their shared home and find shelter at the Superdome stadium. As it soon turns out, this was the right choice – a giant wave destroys levees around New Orleans and the city center gets completely flooded. Now, Kuba and his companions find themselves trapped at the Superdome, cut off from the outside world, together with tens of thousands of citizens, mostly African Americans from the poorest parts of New Orleans.
The hurricane passes, but for people at the stadium – both locals and outsiders – the hardest trial is just beginning. As the lowest instincts slowly start to prevail and the situation becomes more and more menacing, the small group of young Polish people has to fight for survival…
You can buy an autographed book in the online store:
www.empik.com/w-uscisku-katriny
