After Disasters

After Disasters by Viet Dinh, 265 pages

After an earthquake in India, domestic and international rescue workers and aid volunteers flood the area to provide medical assistance, feed and clothe survivors, and help build temporary shelter for those who have lost their homes. After Disasters tells of the aftermath of this earthquake through the stories of four men: Indian AIDS doctor Dev, British search-and-rescue worker Andy, former pharmaceutical rep-turned-aid worker Ted, and Piotr, a seasoned aid worker who is still fighting psychological demons from his time working in Bosnia. Their stories and pasts dip and weave around each other, creating a beautiful (though definitely not cheery) depiction of life after disasters. This is Dinh's first novel, though he's won an O. Henry prize for his short stories; I look forward to reading those, and to seeing what he has to offer in the future.