While many may argue whether the devastation of hurricane Katrina was the direct or indirect result of global warming, infrastructural neglect, inadequate preparation, or an incompetent governmental response, nobody will deny the heartbreak it wrought, the homes, businesses, and history washed away, the landscape uprooted, or the lives lost.

Renowned photographer Chris Jordan went on assignmenthis ownto capture the tragedy of the aftermath of this, the greatest natural disaster in the history of the United States. In Katrina's Wake, his series of 50 photographs, layer, the horror of ruin with the uncanny beauty of nature, even in its most savage incarnation. His images show how the remnants of a placefrom Mardi Gras beads to church pews, from computer stations to swing setsrecall the essence of a place. Essays by Bill McKibben, Elizabeth Royte, and Susan Zakin explore the causes and effects of global warming, noting that we are all responsible for the future of our planet.

A portion of the profits from the sale of this book will be donated to organizations dedicated to rebuilding New Orleans.