Wave of Destruction: The Stories of Four Families and History's Deadliest Tsunami (Hardcover)

by Erich Krauss (Author) "Two thousand five hundred and fifteen years after the birth of Buddha, in the Christian year of 1972, sixteen-year-old Thana Phondaecha bumped and jostled in..." (more)
Key Phrases: Nam Khem, Laem Porn, Far East Company (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Kraus (Wall of Flame) provides a compelling account of four families in a Thai village devastated by the tsunami of December 26, 2004. The author first describes the harsh everyday existence of these villagers before the tsunami: a life of poverty in which children are sent off to work for abusive bosses, of earning a hazardous living by diving for tin or stealing lobsters from Burmese traps. The villagers Krauss describes are courageous: one woman, Dang, became an activist, fighting the powerful tin-mining company trying to force her from the land. Puek, blinded in an accident, rallied to help his wife, Lek, after the death of their young son. Krauss then details the tragic tsunami and its aftermath. Trying unsuccessfully to save a baby as wave after wave comes over her, one woman knows "she would never sleep another night." A thug hired by the mining company keeps Dang from returning home to seek her family. Even the aid efforts, these survivors report, are not always blameless: Christian relief workers tell the Buddhist Wichien he must convert to Christianity to get their help, and vacationing foreigners are treated before more critically injured Thais. Passionately told, this tragic story portrays the full human cost of natural devastation. Maps not seen by PW.
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From Booklist
Krauss, a specialist in natural disasters and author of Wall of Flame, an account of the 2003 California wildfires, tells the heartrending story of the December 2004 tsunami from the perspective of four families. The approach brings a human scale to a gigantic tragedy, the deadliest tsunami in history. Krauss was among the relief workers who came to the Thai village of Nam Khem after the tsunami struck. In part 1 of the book, Krauss details the history of the village and the four families, who were struggling to survive on rice farms or in tin mines, coping with local political turmoil, facing the challenges of making a living in a developing nation, and weathering hurricanes and the occasional tsunami. In part 2, he details the fateful day as families engaged in their normal routines suddenly faced enormous waves, which washed away all that they have ever known. The latter parts of the book chronicle the search for the missing as families try to reconstitute themselves and rebuild their lives. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (December 27, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594863784
• ISBN-13: 978-1594863783
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #232,640 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A moving tale, January 2, 2006

By	Mr. Tropics (San Fran) - See all my reviews

There are not many books that can bring me to tears, but this one did it. The lives of the people in the book are as amazing as they are sad. It reminded me just how strong some people can be. And just how evil others can be. In the middle of the worst natural disater in history people were actually praying on those who had just lost everything. I spent some time in Thailand years ago, but I only went to the tourist places. After reading this book I know I am going back. I have a totally different outlook on the country and the people now. I think sometimes when we go to foreign countries and do the whole tourist thing we miss out on the beauty. This book has shown me what is beautiful about Thailand--it's people. I think this book will open a lot of eyes.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing stories of four brave families, December 29, 2005

By	Western Reader (Nevada) - See all my reviews

When I bought this book I expected to learn about what it was like to live through the world's worst natural disaster. The book did just that, but it was also so much more. I learned about four Thai families who have led very different lives than those of us in the United States. The book starts off by telling how these four families came to this fishing village. Most of them came out of desperation. Each of them had lost a family member from starvation or through other horrible circumstances. They had no money, no where to live, and would work for less than a dollar a day. For most of them, it took years to get on their feet. They slaved in tin mines, stole lobster out of Burmese traps like pirates, and took jobs with abusive bosses. You watch as they slowly piece together their lives, find love and hope. Then the tsunami hits. I had pictures in my head of what that day was like, but the picture the author paints through the people in the book is nothing like I imagined. It is fifty times worse. Dang, one of the women in the book, spent days looking for the body of her daughter. Then, when she was at her lowest, a company wanting to buy a hotel on her land, threatened to take her life if she returned. Wimon, another person in the book, lost eight members in his family. While he was looking for them, he realized that no help was coming to his village (it was all at the tourist spots) and put his grief on hold in order to get help to his neighbors. Then the book goes on to discribe the aftermath. This is where I was truly shocked. There were actually people who came to the area to rob money off corpses, to steal donations. Even the village leader robbed his people of the bare necessities. By this time, I had fallen in love with most of the people in the book and I wanted them to heal--but around every corner they met with another challange. Things as simple as finding water to keep their children alive. The book doesn't end on a real happy note, but I didn't expect it to. It was a terrific read and really opened my eyes to just how many lives where forever changed in such a short period of time. I'm going to bring this book to my book club next week. I recommend it to anyone who has a heart.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST READ!, December 29, 2005

By	Curious Goerge (California, USA) - See all my reviews

This book is a must read for all. The book not only sheds light on the worlds deadliest tsunami, but takes you through the hardships of what life was like before the wave struck--perhaps even more interesting than the tsunami itself. It is a jaw dropping tale of tragedy yet strength. I couldnt put the book down, and when I finished I was left in a shocked state of ah. The author tells the story with passion, keeping the reader locked in until the very end. This tragic true story reminds us all just how much the human spirit can endure...