Published by University Press of Mississippi, 2010, Hardcover, 271 pages with 50 b&w images. Winner of the 2010 Eudora Welty Book Prize, Barnes & Noble Editors Recommendation, #1 on list of Times-Picayune's Five Hot Reads, nominated for Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters non-fiction book of the year, 2011.

Under Surge Under Siege

by Ellis Anderson

Hurricane Katrina tore into Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, raking away lives, buildings, and livelihoods in a place known for its picturesque, coastal views; its laid-back, artsy downtown; and its deep-dyed southern cordiality. The tragedy also revealed the inner workings of a community with an indomitable heart and profound neighborly bonds. Those connections often brought out the best in people under the worst of circumstances. In Under Surge, Under Siege, Ellis Anderson, who rode out the storm in her Bay St. Louis home and sheltered many neighbors afterwards, offers stories of generosity, heroism, and laughter in the midst of terror and desperate uncertainty.

Divided into two parts, this book invites readers into the intimate enclave before, during, and after the storm. "Under Surge" focuses on connections between residents, then demonstrates how those bonds sustained them through the worst hurricane in U.S. history. "Under Siege" documents the first three years of the grinding aftermath, detailing the unforeseen burdens of stress and depression, insurance scandals, and opportunists that threatened to complete the annihilation of the plucky town.

A blend of memoir, personal diary, and firsthand reportage, Under Surge, Under Siege creates a compelling American testament to the strength of the human spirit.

Recommendation - Barnes & Noble

#1 on list of 5 Hot Reads - Times-Picayune

5 Holiday Must-Reads - The Examiner

“Ellis Anderson is a natural writer, graceful and polished... In her remarkable book, she features her own riveting story of survival, but also chooses to highlight the fascinating set of relationships that helped Bay St. Louis find its feet again. Her book is illustrated by black-and-white photographs taken by herself and by Joe Tomasovsky, a friend and neighbor...

There are many Katrina books, but for literary flair, Under Surge, Under Siege has no equal. Anderson’s gift for expression is wonderful — her allusions and similes are spot-on, and she never resorts to cliché. For example, her cell phone ‘became a high tech rosary,’ downtown looked like ‘a bizarre set for a Fellini film,’ and ‘The invisible net of fellowship that broke the horrific fall of my town was woven long before Katrina.‘ This is superior stuff, artfully laid down without any pretense.” —John Sledge - Mobile Press-Register

“A heart-gripping, beautifully written story of everyday valor and crafted kinship in a small Gulf Coast community in the path of Katrina’s fury. Under Surge, Under Siege tells of historic Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and its living web of heroism and fortitude in the wake of a 35-foot tsunami and a second wave of destruction in the form of unresponsive government, irresponsible insurance companies, and greedy developers. Ellis Anderson’s powerful saga of trouble and triumph washes over us like a tidal wave. Joe Tomasovsky’s photographs are unforgettable.” —Minrose Gwin - author of The Queen of Palmyra and Wishing for Snow

“Ellis Anderson’s Under Surge, Under Siege knocks you over with the force of a twenty-eight foot storm surge, then catches you in the net of a hundred thousand tightly-clasped hands. In capturing the heart of a small town under attack, it captures the great heart of a nation. If you haven’t read a Katrina book yet, let it be this one. If you’ve read a dozen, make room for one more.” —Margaret Woodward - author of Still Waters and No Place Called Home 

“There is a quality that brings a reader back to a story, over and over again. That moves them to break the cardinal rule of page protection by underlining passages, bending pages and wearing a copy out. It is the spirit of an unstoppable journey, a force that allows a book to take on the magical quality of being a transport through time and space... Under Surge, Under Siege embodies all of these admirable qualities that a must-read demands.

Anderson’s achingly honest, visual and compelling voice swirls the reader out of this reality and firmly sets them inside the on-going action in Bay St. Louis. Through a snapshot of life before Katrina, directly into several accounts of what transpired while in the eye of the storm, and during the aftermath, readers walk, cry and laugh with the gutsy people of this resilient community. A great story will have readers coming back again and again, but the people of Bay St. Louis and their journey of survival, loss and unwavering perseverance, will inspire the human spirit to mark the day, underline the moment and lift up the story of these incredible people.” —Paige Crutcher - Examiner.com

“Under Surge, Under Siege is appropriately personal and sentimental, without being too much of either. It paints a vivid portrait of the beauty and spirit that abound in Bay St. Louis despite all the town and its residents have endured. Above all, the book is honest, and it's hopeful. Anderson's book is a must-read for anyone who survived Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath and is still struggling to come to grips with the experience; and it's a must read for anyone who never lived in Bay St. Louis but wants to know why despite catastrophe and struggle, we're still here.” —Geoff Belcher - The Seacoast Echo

“At last, from the perspective of the beleaguered Mississippi Gulf Coast, a vivid account of courage in the face of Hurricane Katrina and community commitment in its grim aftermath.” —Curtis Wilkie - author of Dixie: A Personal Odyssey Through Events That Shaped the Modern South