In Too Deep - by Rachel Kimbro (Paperback)

About the Book

"In a small neighborhood in Texas, there is an affluent group of mothers that have been repeatedly rocked by catastrophic flooding--the 2015 Memorial Day flood, the 2016 Tax Day flood, and 16 months later, Hurricane Harvey. Even after the floods, almost all of the mothers still believed there was only one neighborhood for them: Bayou Oaks. In Too Deep is a sociological exploration of what happens when climate change threatens the carefully curated family life of upper-middle-class mothers. Through 72 in-depth interviews with 36 Bayou Oaks mothers whose homes flooded during Hurricane Harvey, Rachel Kimbro reveals why these mothers continued to stay in a place that was becoming more and more unstable. Rather than retreating, the mothers dig in and sustain the community they have chosen and nurtured, trying to keep social, emotional, and economic instability at bay. In Too Deep provides a glimpse into how class and place intersect in an unstable physical environment and the prices we pay for securing our family's futures"--

Book Synopsis

In a small Texas neighborhood, an affluent group of mothers has been repeatedly rocked by catastrophic flooding--the 2015 Memorial Day flood, the 2016 Tax Day flood, and sixteen months later, Hurricane Harvey. Yet even after these disrupting events, almost all mothers in this neighborhood still believe there is only one place for them to live: Bayou Oaks.

In Too Deep is a sociological exploration of what happens when climate change threatens the carefully curated family life of upper-middle-class mothers. Through in-depth interviews with thirty-six Bayou Oaks mothers whose homes flooded during Hurricane Harvey, Rachel Kimbro reveals why these mothers continued to stay in a place that was becoming more and more unstable. Rather than retreating, the mothers dug in and sustained the community they have chosen and nurtured, trying to keep social, emotional, and economic instability at bay. In Too Deep provides a glimpse into how class and place intersect in an unstable physical environment and underlines the price families pay for securing their futures.

From the Back Cover

"This is a captivating, valuable book. Using effective qualitative methods, it provides a clear and insightful window into the intimate experiences of mothers in a disaster and how their decision-making processes are influenced by parenting ideals, identity, schools, and community. A highly welcome addition to our understanding of disasters."--Alice Fothergill, author of Heads above Water

"This gripping, highly readable book illuminates the costs of disasters--and climate change--for family life. In Too Deep vividly shows the fierce efforts by upper-middle-class mothers to be 'guardians of stability' for their families, even in the middle of a flood, as they 'curate' a life for their children. This curation is exhausting and has surprising consequences. As with the best studies, the book also helps us understand why rational people make inexplicable decisions--in this case, to put themselves in the pathway of a likely, future flood. Highly recommended."--Annette Lareau, author of Unequal Childhoods

"An illuminating examination of the complex mixture of privilege, pain, and pressure that shapes the experiences of mothers trying desperately to hold onto a flood-prone community. As the climate crisis deepens, we need this book for all it teaches us about the labor of women and mothers and the burdens they bear, as well as the attachments that complicate decisions to stay put or get out of harm's way."--Rebecca Elliott, author of Underwater: Loss, Flood Insurance, and the Moral Economy of Climate Change in the United States

"Very powerful. Rachel Kimbro's argument is innovative and important, and the stories in In Too Deep have stayed in my mind long after reading it."--Sarah Bowen, Professor of Sociology, North Carolina State University

"Kimbro is a talented storyteller. Her compelling analysis, thick descriptions, and lively writing style make this a powerful read."--Caitlyn Collins, author of Making Motherhood Work: How Women Manage Careers and Caregiving

Review Quotes

"In Too Deep offers a stark sociological reminder that it is impossible to make sense of the decisions that people make without considering how they are socially situated in terms of gender, class status, family structure, and neighborhood location. . . .With each passing disaster, this scholarly account should serve as a clarion call to readers to pay attention to the work that women do on behalf of others."-- "Social Forces"

"In Too Deep should help shape how community leaders can help less well-off residents improve their reactions and response to disasters. Additionally, it shines a light on why people stay in places they know are disaster-prone, which can offer food for thought for community planning in the future."-- "Space City Weather"

About the Author

Rachel Tolbert Kimbro is Professor of Sociology at Rice University.