Nicol Notes

Book 1: God’s Punishment—constructs the platform of disaster recovery by describing the tsunami’s impact on Aceh and explaining the wider perspective of how the Indonesian Government responded to both the tsunami and the ongoing war in Aceh

1. Tsunami!—a short scene setter on the impact and challenges of the tsunami

2. Fightback—explores how the Indonesian Government learned about and responded to the tsunami's great humanitarian tragedy in Aceh
 

3. Pitching for Peace—Aceh had been at war with Indonesia for 30 years when the tsunami struck; this chapter tells how the Indonesian army did a surprising about face in its military campaign to work with instead of against the insurgents
 

4. The Siren’s Song—builds on the previous chapter by explaining the transition to peace in Aceh that underpinned the tsunami recovery efforts

5. Mastering the Plan—this is where the author comes into the story through his engagement as a technical advisor to help the Indonesian Government plan Aceh’s reconstruction
 

6. The Tsunami Tango—this chapter introduces the minister appointed by the Indonesian President to lead Aceh’s recovery and explains how the author met and came to work with him as his senior advisor

7. The Battle Begins—here is where the real politics of recovery begin with a chapter on the bureaucratic politics of Jakarta that almost scuttled Aceh’s recovery from the start