If Americans became refugees after a big disaster

[Cori]

A few years ago while camping someone mentioned a book in which a big disaster happened in the United States and how it was handled. I recall there being refugees because one of the girls I was with was a refugee and she talked about how her family never thought that would happen to her.

It sounded like a really interesting reflection on American society, so I'd be interested to read it!

[Ann aka Iftcan]

I hope someone knows this one Corinne, cause, well, frankly I don't think American's would make "good" refugees. We're way to demanding and we believe that we are too entitled too.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Well, there was the Dust Bowl when hundreds of thousands of Americans in places like Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Kansas, and Nebraska (all called Okies) left their land out of desperation, lack of money, and lack of work, and became refugees and moved west.

Was this a work of nonfiction?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Oh, so the girl you talked to was a refugee herself? Maybe it was Hurricane Katrina. That created thousands of refugees fleeing New Orleans. Then when they were called refugees in the press, certain people became angry at the refugee label and insisted they be called evacuees, or survivors.

Calling Katrina survivors ‘refugees’ stirs debate
Jesse Jackson, other critics say word carries racist implications - MSNBC

Probably the best book on Katrina is
The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast

[Cori]

It was a work of fiction set in modern day united states. It sounded like it was more of an authors perception about how people in the u.s. would handle a huge crisis, possibly by relying on other nations.

The girl was a refugee from eastern europe. She just was responding to some of the things the reader talked about, reflecting on how sudden everything happens. I only mentioned her because that is how I remember the book had refugees in it.

[MB (What she read)]

From your description it sounds like it wasn't a science fiction type book? Is that correct?

Because this tends to be a fairly common theme in science fiction, or dystopian novels, or zombie fiction. I can think of a few titles if by any chance this isn't straight fiction.

[Cori]

I wouldn't say it was science fiction because the plot is current America facing a disaster, not a future America with some sort of scientific innovation that changed it.

It might have been more of an analysis than fiction. I didn't actually read it, I'm just curious about the authors perspective.

[Savta]

possibly the book One Second After by William Forstchen?
although after rereading your initial query I see you heard about this a few years back and I think the one I mention is from 2009.

http://apocalyptic-fiction.suite101.c...

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Maybe Zeitoun. It's nonfiction but written in a style that could almost be novelistic. It's definitely an interesting reflection on American society.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Corinne, are you still looking for this?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Lobstergirl wrote: "Corinne, are you still looking for this?"

No response. Moving to Abandoned.

[Cori]

Ok!

[Cori]

Still would love to find the book but would be unsure at this point what it would be. Still really love the idea of this book!

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Corinne wrote: "Still would love to find the book but would be unsure at this point what it would be. Still really love the idea of this book!"

Well if you're still interested, we'll move this back to Unsolved. Queries can stay in Unsolved as long as you're still interested in finding it. You should bump the thread every few months to get new members looking at it.