A review by andeedevore
We Fed an Island: The True Story of Rebuilding Puerto Rico, One Meal at a Time by José Andrés

4.0

Aside from being an amazing story about how one person can make a huge impact, this is, at its core, a case study of how bureaucratic red tape often gets in the way of saving lives. It is tragic and shameful how personal interests and politics negatively influence efficiency and effectiveness in humanitarian aid. The disaster response system is broken, and FEMA's inability to feed Puerto Ricans in the wake of Hurricane Maria is a stunning example of that fact. It is infuriating how much reliance is placed on private citizens to step in and do the work. Ultimately, I am inspired by Chef Andrés hard work, perseverance, humanity, and courage. He saw a problem, made the decision to do what he could to help, and didn't stop when obstacles came into his path.