20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina Marked by Special Edition Reprint of Words Whispered in Water: Why Levees Broke in New Orleans

Hard-cover Anniversary Edition Available Now for Pre-Order

NEW ORLEANS, June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Turner Publishing announces a special anniversary edition of Author Sandy Rosenthal's award-winning recounting of the 2005 hurricane and subsequent levee failures, Words Whispered in Water: Why Levees Broke in New Orleans.

In the aftermath of the most costly engineering disaster in U.S. history, Words Whispered in Water tells the story of Rosenthal's fight––against all odds––to expose a mammoth federal agency's failures, and win redress.

After the levees broke, Rosenthal led an investigative team to find the true culprit in the disaster––the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. By August 29, 2006, Rosenthal and the non-profit watchdog organization she founded called Levees.Org, had launched a national effort to hold the Army Corps accountable, with the help of New Orleans displaced actors like Actor John Goodman and Comedian Harry Shearer, as well as 25,000 dedicated volunteers. 

Unraveling a multi-million dollar cover up that an elite engineering trade group took part in, Rosenthal's book is a horror story, a 'who-dunnit' and a David and Goliath story all in one.

The winner of the 2020 Nautilus Silver Award, the 2021 Eric Hoffer Award and cited by Publishers Weekly as a 2020 Fall selection, the book has sold out its first printing. The new anniversary edition includes a forward by Investigative Reporter and CEO of Status Coup Jordan Chariton.

"Today, nearly two-thirds of the American population lives in counties protected by levees," says Rosenthal. "What happened in New Orleans could happen anywhere."

In the 20 years since the storm and levee disasters, Sandy has turned Levees.org and its coterie of scientists and researchers into a leading voice for fact-based responses to flood threats. She has memorialized the New Orleans tragedy by creating the Flooded House Museum and the Levee Exhibit Hall & Garden both at the site of a major levee breach, among many other historic markers and activities.

She and Levees.Org will host a gala to mark the 20^th anniversary on August 9, featuring Lt. Gen. Russell Honore, a local hero for his on-going service to the victims of the 2005 disasters and his defense of the City of New Orleans.

For more information on the book and 20^th anniversary activities, contact [email protected] or Cheron Brylski at [email protected] /(504) 460-1468 to schedule an interview.

SOURCE Levees.Org