In the days after Hurricane Katrina, two unarmed men were killed by New Orleans police officers. Four other people were grievously injured, some maimed for life. Investigative reporter Ronnie Greene’s new book, Shots on the Bridge: Police Violence and Cover-Up in the Wake of Katrina, traces how the officers and their victims came to be on the Danziger Bridge, and how police methodically worked to hide their crimes. In this Book Talk Q&A with NPF, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist puts the events of a decade ago into the context of today’s outrage about police use of force.

Surprising fact: Greene doesn’t record his interviews, choosing instead to take careful notes and transcribe them immediately. His advice for would-be nonfiction authors: pick a topic that fascinates you.