THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER AND RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK
CHOSEN AS A BOOK OF THE YEAR BY THE TELEGRAPH AND THE NEW STATESMAN
"A marvellous book" Rev Richard Coles
"Gripping... filled with compassion." Sunday Times
"Remarkable... hopeful and uplifting." Mail on Sunday
"An antidote to despair" Daily Mirror
"Enthralling... vivid and humane" Observer
"Exemplary" New Statesman
When a plane crashes, a bomb explodes, a city floods or a pandemic begins, Lucy Easthope's phone starts to ring.
Lucy is a world-leading authority on recovering from disaster. She holds governments to account, supports survivors and helps communities to rebuild. She has been at the centre of the most seismic events of the last few decades, advising on everything from the 2004 tsunami and the 7/7 bombings to the Grenfell fire and the war in Ukraine. Lucy's job is to pick up the pieces and get us ready for what comes next.
Lucy takes us behind the police tape to scenes of chaos, and into government briefing rooms where confusion can reign. She also looks back at the many losses and loves of her life and career, and tells us how we can all build back after disaster.
When the Dust Settles lifts us up, showing that humanity, hope and humour can - and must - be found on the darkest days.
Lucy Easthope lives with disaster every day. When a plane crashes, a bomb explodes, a city floods or a pandemic begins, she's the one they call.
In every catastrophe, Lucy is there to pick up the pieces and prepare for the next one. Her job is to plan for when things go wrong and respond with action and insight when it does. As one of the world's leading experts on disaster she has been at the centre of the most seismic events of the last few decades - advising on everything from the 2004 Tsunami to the 7/7 bombings, the Salisbury poisonings, the Grenfell fire and the Covid-19 pandemic.
In her moving memoir she reveals what happens in the aftermath. She takes us behind the police tape to scenes of destruction and chaos, introducing us to victims and their families, but also to the government briefing rooms and bunkers, where confusion and stale biscuits can reign supreme.
With wisdom, resilience and candour When the Dust Settles looks back at a life spent on the edges of disaster - from a Liverpudlian childhood steeped in the Hillsborough tragedy to the many losses and loves of her career. Crucially, Lucy shows us that where there is terrible tragedy there is also great hope and that humanity and humour can still be found on the darkest days.
