Book Review: Resilience

I recently read Resilience: Why Things Bounce Back by Andrew Zolli & Ann Marie Healy.

The authors take a look at why some systems, people and communities fall apart in the face of disruption, and ultimately how they can learn to bounce back. They define resilience as “the capacity of a system, enterprise or a person to maintain its core purpose and integrity in the face of dramatically changed circumstances.”

The book presents a philosophical and interesting look at personal resilience, as well as resilience in communities and systems such as cultures, corporations, the military, and even our own genetics.

I enjoyed reading a remarkable story about a collaborative response to the earthquake in Haiti. Volunteers all over the world worked together to monitor social media to map the disaster and develop a digital disaster response system. They organized radio broadcasts to inform Haitians of a special text message number. Victims needing food, water or medical attention could send texts to this number for help. Over 100,000 texts were received, translated, mapped, and connected to the emergency first responders. This was a huge, immediate collaborative effort, using and adapting existing digital technology in new ways in response to a new situation.

Not a fast read, but a thought provoking change from the ordinary.