In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans. Hundreds of people died, many of them in the Lower 9th Ward, which was hardest hit by storm surge and flooding. In some areas of the Lower 9th Ward, houses were moved by the force of the water over a block from their original location.

In many cases all that remained were the front steps. Often made of concrete and anchored to the ground, these stairs remain as reminders of both a horror, and of home and hearth. This book is an invitation to contemplate these simple but liminal structures, steps, which serve as silent witnesses to Katrina. This book is an opportunity to climb these stairs in our minds, so that we may know their incongruous frustration and futility, yet also glimpse fervent faith and hope.

This book is dedicated to the memory of those who lost their lives in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina. At the same time, this book pays tribute to the courage and determination of the returning residents of the Lower 9th, and to all New Orleans.