BOOK REPORT--

Under the Surface by Tom Wilber

While this book looks at the economic and environmental challenges of drilling for natural gas in the Marcellus Shale formation it is germane to Richland County where disposal of liquid fracking waste only recently entered our area's consciousness.  Fracking is the process of forcing chemical laced liquids under extreme pressure into wells in an effort to open horizontal seams around the vertical drill hole thus increasing the quantity of the flow of petroleum or natural gas.  The question then becomes are we willing to accept the obvious risk of polluting our ground water in return for increasing our supply of fossil fuels.  This is a journalistically balanced look with a good peek at consequences most people do not want to endure.


Time to Start Thinking; America in the Age of Descent by Edward Luce

This book takes a good look at the problems facing the US but looses all legitimacy with its constant liberal blathering and slams of the Republican Party and barrage of snide remarks about the Tea Party movement.  I could easily visualize the writer constantly looking over his shoulder to consult his handbook of tabloid journalism.


Sleepless by Charlie Huston

Parker Haas was an idealist who wanted a better world and joined the LA Police Department and tried to do what he could.  But the city is suffering waves of chaos...a plague of sleeplessness.  The city is ruled in equal parts by martial law and insurgency.  I wrestled my way through 116 pages then stumbled again over such phrases as "...a trap from the Clockwork Labyrinth."  Or, "...catch a glimpse of Cipher Blue".  Or, "...replaced by the Precipice Bacchanal...."  Or, "...frenzy in the circular city of Gyre, hemming on the edge of the Chasm itself."   And, this in but two consecutive paragraphs.  This one went directly back to the library...


...where I picked up Zero Day by David Baldacci

A hard to put down page-turner.  What better can you say about a book!  Military intrigue deep in Appalachian West Virginia with a hard-nosed military investigator teaming with a pretty local cop and saving that part of the US from nuclear Armageddon.  Another in what I nope to be a never-ending effort by this very popular writer.