The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster

The Big Truck That Went By: How the World Came to Save Haiti and Left Behind a Disaster is a nonfiction book published in 2013 by the American journalist Jonathan M. Katz. Katz, a reporter for the Associated Press (AP), gives a detailed, firsthand account of the 2010 earthquake that devastated the Caribbean island nation of Haiti. The book is a journalist's chronicle of the causes and consequences of a natural disaster, how it can destroy lives and economies, and how chronic mismanagement can add to rather than relieve suffering. The book won numerous awards including the Overseas Press Club of America Cornelius Ryan Award and the J. Anthony Lucas Work-in-Progress Award. It was also a finalist for the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction.

Plot Summary

On January 12, 2010, a 7.0 earthquake rocks the island nation of Haiti. Katz, on assignment there, escapes the severely damaged AP residence with the help of his Haitian "fixer," Evens Sanon. Touring the wreckage of the capital city, Port-au-Prince, Katz finds overwhelming devastation, including a crumbling National Palace and streets littered with bodies. Haitians scramble to dig survivors out of the rubble. International rescue teams arrive too late to save most of the victims.

Katz explores the myriad reasons for the widespread destruction. Haiti lies along a major fault line and has experienced major earthquakes in the past. Port-au-Prince was built between mountains and the sea as a strategic deterrent to piracy in the 18th century, but that location also makes it vulnerable to natural disasters. Another reason for the massive damage is poor construction and lack of oversight. In an attempt to keep pace with large waves of migration into the cities, builders and contractors rush to erect housing, much of it in violation of existing building codes.

Haiti's history as a French slave colony is marked by rebellion, independence, and a struggle for recognition by neighboring countries. Its rich abundance of coffee and sugarcane made it a target for competing colonial powers, but in 1804 the slaves threw off the yoke of their European masters and won independence. What followed was centuries of foreign intrusion and occupation that destroyed Haiti's agricultural industry and made it dependent on foreign imports. Meddling in Haiti's elections contributed to a weak central government, and all these factors primed the country for disaster.

As foreign aid pours in and the country fills with relief organizations and non-governmental agencies (NGOs), Katz finds a chaotic situation made even worse by a lack of centralized coordination. Medical teams often work in isolation with no communication or top-down control. Much of the aid is promised but not delivered, hinging on political demands the government cannot meet. Agencies often opt for temporary solutions rather than long-term ones. Settlement camps meant to be provisional become permanent when reconstruction stalls.

In the midst of a disorganized relief effort, a cholera epidemic breaks out. The epicenter of the outbreak is a United Nations military compound disposing of septic waste in violation of environmental standards. The waste overflows into the Artibonite River, the source of drinking water for many Haitians. The epidemic spreads rapidly, and over eight thousand Haitians die.

Contributing to the sense of chaos is an upcoming presidential election. Current president René Préval's term is up, and a multitude of disparate candidates creates a circus-like political environment, causing the international community to step in and oversee the election. Angry at the foreign interference, Haitians protest. In the end, kompa artist and entertainer Michel Martelly wins the presidency.

As Katz's assignment ends, he reflects on ways to improve Haiti's consistently destitute condition. Rather than impose their own solutions, foreign governments must trust Haiti to fix itself, Katz argues. He also believes that democracy, a political idea viewed as paramount by outsiders, must be allowed to grow organically from within Haiti.