Five Days at Memorial

Five Days at Memorial originated as a 13,000-word magazine article titled "The Deadly Choices at Memorial", published by The New York Times Magazine in August 2009, the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.{{cite web|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/20/life-and-death-in-new-orleans-sheri-fink-talks-about-five-days-at-memorial/|title=Life and Death in New Orleans: Sheri Fink Talks About 'Five Days at Memorial'|first=John|last=Williams|date=September 20, 2013|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2014}}{{cite press release|url=https://www.propublica.org/awards/item/pulitzer-prize-in-investigative-reporting-deadly-choices-at-memorial/|title=Pulitzer Prize in Investigative Reporting: Deadly Choices at Memorial|publisher=ProPublica|year=2010|access-date=April 30, 2014}} The story focused on the events that unfolded in New Orleans' Memorial Medical Center (now Ochsner Baptist Medical Center) when the hospital was flooded and its generators failed in the aftermath of Katrina, drawing particular attention to the euthanasia of numerous patients by the medical and nursing staff. Fink was drawn to the subject matter because of her experience as a doctor working in areas of conflict and as a journalist reporting on hospitals in war zones.{{cite web|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/chapter-and-verse/2013/0910/Interview-with-Sheri-Fink-author-of-Five-Days-At-Memorial|title=Interview with Sheri Fink, author of 'Five Days At Memorial'|date=September 10, 2013|first=Marjorie|last=Kehe|work=The Christian Science Monitor|access-date=April 30, 2014}} The article, which was a joint assignment for ProPublica and The New York Times Magazine,{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2013/09/14/review-five-days-memorial-life-and-death-storm-ravaged-hospital-sheri-fink/igU8SfpYuPOPoZWCQq1HZI/story.html|title='Five Days at Memorial' by Sheri Fink|work=The Boston Globe|first=Julia M.|last=Klein|date=September 14, 2013|access-date=April 30, 2014}} drew on two years' worth of research and interviews with 140 people and won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting.

While she was writing "The Deadly Choices at Memorial", Fink decided to expand the article into a book. Since she "kept finding out new facts and trying to fit them into the story because they seemed essential", she was encouraged by her editor to save the extra material to publish in a book. Expanding on her original research, Fink conducted over 500 interviews with people who were at the hospital during the disaster, families of the dead patients, hospital executives, law enforcement officials and ethicists.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/08/books/review/sheri-finks-five-days-at-memorial.html?pagewanted=2|date=September 5, 2013|work=The New York Times|first=Sherwin B.|last=Nuland|title=Critical Conditions|access-date=April 30, 2014}} She interviewed Dr. Anna Pou, one of the principal characters of the story, about her experiences at Memorial, but Pou declined to discuss details related to patient deaths based on her lawyer's advice.{{Cite web|last=Fink|first=Sheri|title=The Deadly Choices at Memorial|url=https://www.propublica.org/article/the-deadly-choices-at-memorial-826?token=lZ_nPrh6oVJEnMzcTH1Jr59Ibe3K8XZC|access-date=2020-12-23|website=ProPublica|date=27 August 2009 |language=en}} Fink said that while "some of the medical and nursing professionals were observing a code of silence", she was impressed by the openness of several staff members, including two doctors who talked freely of their decision to euthanize their patients. Fink also reviewed photographs, videos, emails and diary entries produced at the time, and consulted weather reports and the hospital's floor plans.

The book is divided into two parts. The first part, titled "Deadly Choices", focuses on the events that occurred at Memorial Medical Center over the "five days" referred to in the book's title: August 28 – September 1, 2005.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/04/books/five-days-at-memorial-by-sheri-fink.html|title=Harrowing Questions, and Ethics, During Katrina|date=September 3, 2013|first=Jason|last=Berry|work=The New York Times|access-date=April 30, 2014}} During these five days, Memorial's emergency plans proved inadequate as the hospital lost power and its back-up generators had failed, leaving it without lights, air conditioning, sewer systems and essential medical equipment.{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/bookreviews/10654131/Five-Days-at-Memorial-Life-and-Death-in-a-Storm-Ravaged-Hospital-by-Sheri-Fink-review.html|title=Five Days at Memorial: Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital, by Sheri Fink, review|date=February 25, 2014|work=The Daily Telegraph|first=Lewis|last=Jones|access-date=April 30, 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/books/2021755690_fivedaysmemoriaxml.html|title='Five Days at Memorial': 45 patient deaths in Katrina's wake|first=John B.|last=Saul|date=September 8, 2013|work=The Seattle Times|access-date=April 30, 2014}} Thousands of staff, patients and evacuees were trapped by floodwaters inside the building awaiting evacuation by boat or helicopter.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/five-days-at-memorial-by-sheri-fink-book-review-9112823.html|title=Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink: Book review|date=February 7, 2014|first=Hirsh|last=Sawhney|work=The Independent|access-date=April 30, 2014}} Fink describes the unconventional method of triage adopted by the medical staff, whereby ambulatory patients were prioritized for evacuation and those with "do not resuscitate" orders were placed last in the list. Patient evacuation began on the third day and progressed slowly until the fifth day, when some medical staff decided to hasten the deaths of critically ill patients, believing they would not survive, with lethal injections of morphine.{{cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/2013/09/08/216838132/five-days-of-ambiguous-morality-at-katrina-hit-hospital|title='Five Days' Of Ambiguous Morality At Katrina-Hit Hospital|first=Susan Jane|last=Gilman|newspaper=NPR.org|publisher=NPR|date=September 8, 2013|access-date=April 30, 2014}} The story is described from the perspective of several participants, pieced together from interviews, emails and phone logs.{{cite web|url=http://www.salon.com/2013/09/08/five_days_at_memorial_a_hospital_becomes_hell/|title= "Five Days at Memorial": A hospital becomes hell |work=Salon|date=September 9, 2013|first=Laura|last=Miller|access-date=April 30, 2014}}

File:MemorialNapoleonTrailers1.jpg

The second part, titled "Reckoning", discusses the legal and political ramifications of Memorial's response to the crisis and especially the decisions to euthanize patients. In total, 45 patients died before the hospital was evacuated and 23 were identified as having concentrations of morphine and other drugs in their tissues. Fink focuses largely on the investigation into the actions of Dr. Anna Pou and two intensive care nurses, Cheri Landry and Lori Budo, all three of whom were charged with second-degree murder following allegations that they had administered lethal doses of morphine to some patients.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/feb/17/five-days-memorial-sheri-fink-review|first=Peter|last=Beaumont|title=Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink – review|work=The Guardian|date=February 17, 2014|access-date=April 30, 2014}} The public's sympathy lay largely with the three accused Memorial staff; the charges against Landry and Budo were eventually dropped, and a grand jury chose not to indict Pou in 2007. Fink discusses the ethical issues surrounding the events at Memorial, as well as those involved in disaster settings and euthanasia in general. A brief epilogue critiques health care protocols in disasters and uses the example of Hurricane Sandy in 2012 to illustrate the lack of change undertaken by hospitals in response to the disaster caused by Katrina and a failure of the US government to enforce standards for "emergency preparedness".

Critical reviews of Five Days at Memorial were mostly positive. Jason Berry of The New York Times commended the "shimmering intelligence" of Fink's discussion of the events and their ethical issues, and summarized the book as "social reporting of the first rank". Another New York Times critic, bioethicist Sherwin B. Nuland, felt the book displayed "masterly reporting and the glow of fine writing" and offered particular praise for the tone and language of Fink's writing. The Independent{{'s}} Hirsh Sawhney admired the detail and variety of perspectives offered in the book and described the book as "soar[ing] to artistic and intellectual heights undreamed of in other realms of media". Peter Beaumont, writing for The Guardian, found parts of the book awkward in structure, but felt that overall it was "tight, provocative and gripping" with a "fair and deeply sympathetic" approach to the involved parties. A review by John B. Saul in The Seattle Times commended Fink's ability to produce a "compelling and revealing account" of events despite limited access to evidence such as investigative reports and Pou's testimony, while the Star Tribune{{'s}} Curt Schleier described Five Days at Memorial as "an important book that will make your blood boil no matter which side of the issue you support".{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/books/228205201.html|title=REVIEW: 'Five Days at Memorial,' by Sheri Fink|date=October 19, 2013|first=Curt|last=Schleier|work=Star Tribune|access-date=April 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407230120/http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/books/228205201.html|archive-date=April 7, 2014}}

A more negative review came from Julia M. Klein of The Boston Globe, who found the book to be "overly long and detailed, sometimes hard to follow, and without a real narrative payoff" and felt that Fink's conclusions were presented more clearly in her original magazine article than in the book. Salon magazine's Laura Miller found the first half of the book lacking in "shape or coherence, the meaning of this or that detail unclear and the timeline occasionally muddled", but was more impressed with the discussion of the disaster aftermath in the second half. NPR critic Susan Jane Gilman faulted the book for "provok[ing] more debate than it answers" but praised Fink's "fair and balanced", "nuanced" writing.

Five Days at Memorial won the 2014 National Book Critics Circle Award for non-fiction,{{cite press release|url=http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/national-book-critics-circle-announces-award-winners-for-publishing-year-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140314062439/http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/national-book-critics-circle-announces-award-winners-for-publishing-year-20|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 14, 2014|title=National Book Critics Circle Announces Award Winners for Publishing Year 2013|date=March 13, 2014|publisher=National Book Critics Circle|access-date=April 30, 2014}} the 2013 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Current Interest category,{{cite press release|url=http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-79891963/|title=2013 Los Angeles Times Book Prize Winners Announced|date=April 11, 2014|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=April 30, 2014|archive-date=October 6, 2012|archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20121006015957/http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-79891963/|url-status=dead}} the 2014 Ridenhour Book Prize,{{cite web|url=http://www.nationinstitute.org/blog/prizes/3952/sheri_fink_wins_ridenhour_book_prize_for_%27five_days_at_memorial%27/|title=Sheri Fink Wins Ridenhour Book Prize for 'Five Days at Memorial'|first=Roz|last=Hunter|date=March 20, 2014|publisher=The Nation Institute|access-date=April 30, 2014|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090415/http://www.nationinstitute.org/blog/prizes/3952/sheri_fink_wins_ridenhour_book_prize_for_%27five_days_at_memorial%27/|url-status=dead}} and the PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award (2015).{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-pen-announces-award-winners-and-shortlists-20150513-story.html |title=PEN announces award-winners and shortlists |newspaper=LA Times |author=Carolyn Kellogg |date=May 13, 2015 |access-date=May 14, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pen.org/2015-pen-literary-award-winners |title=2015 PEN Literary Award Winners |work=pen.org |author= |date= 11 May 2015|access-date=May 14, 2015}} It was shortlisted for the 2014 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction.{{cite web |url=http://seattletimes.com/html/books/2023957398_apxbookscarnegiemedals.html |title=Tartt, Goodwin awarded Carnegie medals |work=Seattle Times |agency=Associated Press |author=Hillel Italie |date=June 30, 2014 |access-date=July 1, 2014}} It was an ALA Notable Books for Adults (2014),{{cite web |url=http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/notablebooks/lists/2014 |title=2014 List |publisher=ALA |author= |date=2014 |access-date=September 8, 2014}} YALSA Outstanding Books for the College Bound (2014; Science and Technology) and Christian Science Monitor "15 Best" (2013; Nonfiction).

{{Main|Five Days at Memorial (miniseries)}}

On September 1, 2020, it was announced that Apple TV+ had given a series order to a television limited series adaptation of the book. John Ridley and Carlton Cuse will serve as showrunners, writers and executive producers. Ridley will direct the limited series and produced by ABC Signature,{{Cite web|title=Apple lands "Five Days At Memorial," from Academy Award winner John Ridley and Emmy Award winner Carlton Cuse|url=https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2020/08/apple-lands-five-days-at-memorial-from-academy-award-winner-john-ridley-and-emmy-award-winner-carlton-cuse/|access-date=2020-09-01|website=Apple|language=en-US|archive-date=September 1, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200901215546/https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/news/2020/08/apple-lands-five-days-at-memorial-from-academy-award-winner-john-ridley-and-emmy-award-winner-carlton-cuse/|url-status=live}} and Vera Farmiga,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/03/naomie-harris-star-the-man-who-fell-to-earth-showtime-series-1234719908/|title=Vera Farmiga To Headline Apple's 'Five Days At Memorial' Katrina Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=March 18, 2021|access-date=May 1, 2021}} Adepero Oduye,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/adepero-oduye-apple-five-days-at-memorial-katrina-limited-series-john-ridley-carlton-cuse-1234730506/|title=Adepero Oduye Joins Apple's 'Five Days At Memorial' Katrina Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 8, 2021|access-date=May 1, 2021}} Cornelius Smith Jr.,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/five-days-at-memorial-cornelius-smith-jr-apple-limited-series-john-ridley-carlton-cuse-1234731273/|title='Five Days At Memorial': Cornelius Smith Jr. Joins Apple's Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 9, 2021|access-date=May 1, 2021}} Julie Ann Emery,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/five-days-at-memorial-julie-ann-emery-apple-limited-series-john-ridley-carlton-cuse-1234746375/|title='Five Days At Memorial': Julie Ann Emery Joins Apple's Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=April 29, 2021|access-date=May 1, 2021}} Cherry Jones,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/five-days-at-memorial-cherry-jonescast-apple-limited-series-john-ridley-carlton-cuse-1234755718/|title='Five Days At Memorial': Cherry Jones Joins Apple's Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Andreeva|first=Nellie|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 13, 2021|access-date=May 13, 2021}} Molly Hager,{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/five-days-at-memorial-molly-hager-apple-limited-series-john-ridley-carlton-cuse-1234762084/|title='Five Days At Memorial': Molly Hager Joins Apple's Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Petski|first=Denise|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 21, 2021|access-date=May 21, 2021}} and Michael Gaston{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/06/five-days-at-memorial-michael-gaston-apple-limited-series-john-ridley-carlton-cuse-1234769734/|title='Five Days At Memorial': Michael Gaston Joins Apple's Limited Series From John Ridley & Carlton Cuse|last=Petski|first=Denise|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=June 4, 2021|access-date=June 5, 2021}} will star.

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.c-span.org/video/?315799-1/five-days-memorial Presentation by Fink on Five Days at Memorial, October 15, 2013], C-SPAN
• [https://www.c-span.org/video/?316330-4/open-phones-sheri-fink Interview with Fink on Five Days at Memorial, November 22, 2013], C-SPAN

Category:2013 non-fiction books

Category:American non-fiction books

Category:Books about health care

Category:Ethics books

Category:Books about Hurricane Katrina

Category:Non-fiction books adapted into television shows

Category:Crown Publishing Group books

Category:J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize–winning works