5 minute read
ENVIRONMENTAL & EARTH SCIENCES
A History of Natural Gas in America By Charles Blanchard Charles Blanchard traces the rise of natural gas and the regulatory missteps that nearly ruined the market.
The history of the United States of America is also the history of the energy sector. Natural gas provides the fuel that allows us to heat our homes in winter and cool them in summer with the touch of a button or turn of a dial - when the industry runs smoothly. From the oil crisis of the 1970s to the fall of Enron and the California electricity crisis at the turn of the century to contemporary issues of hydraulic fracking, poorly conceived government policies have sometimes left us shivering, stranded, or with significantly lighter wallets. In this expansive narrative, Charles Blanchard traces the rise of natural gas and the regulatory missteps that nearly ruined the market. Beginning in the 1880s, The Extraction State explains how the New Deal regulatory compact came together in the 1920s, even before the Great Depression, and how it fell apart in the 1970s. From there, the book dissects the policies that affect us today, and explores where we might be headed in the near future. "Unlike crude oil, there are surprisingly few books devoted to the history of natural gas. Charles Blanchard offers a timely business history of an important industry. There are many stories to be told about a resource once considered a byproduct, but today key for meeting energy demand. The Extraction State examines the still evolving technologies of natural gas production, pipeline infrastructure, early and recent pioneers, the role of investors and market hubs, and federal and state agencies that have managed the industry since the earliest gas wells. As U.S. petroleum production from shale continues to change the future of the industry, Blanchard brings a business insider’s perspective to the history of bringing energy to consumers."
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Bruce Wells, Executive Director, American Oil & Gas Historical Society
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PRESS Paperback • 9780822966760 • February 2021 • £25.50 416 pages • 57 b/w illus.
Chicago's Environmental History Edited by Kathleen A. Brosnan, William C. Barnett and Ann Durkin Keating
A compelling environmental history of Chicago through the eyes of interdisciplinary academics. Known globally as the Windy City, Chicago has earned a more apt sobriquet – City of Lake and Prairie – through this deeply researched environmental history. Sitting at the southwestern tip of Lake Michigan, early residents of this land enjoyed natural advantages, economic opportunities, and global connections throughout the centuries. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, this volume reveals a rich but often troubled landscape shaped by communities of colour, workers, and activists as well as complex human relations with industry, waterways, animals, and disease.
PITTSBURGH HIST URBAN ENVIRON | UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PRESS Paperback • 9780822966739 • February 2021 • £19.00 360 pages
Rare Birds
An American Family By Dan Bessie
Celebrates the colourful diversity of a remarkable and accomplished family. What does a writer do when he's got a family that includes a blacklisted member of the Hollywood Ten, the brains behind Tony the Tiger and the Marlboro Man, the world's leading birdwatcher, and a convicted murderer? He tells their stories and secrets, illuminating 150 years of American life along the way.
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY Paperback • 9780813153681 • November 2021 • £19.00 272 pages • illus.
The Birds of Kentucky
By Burt L. Monroe and William Zimmerman
Exceptionally accurate and beautifully illustrated description of all the species of birds in Kentucky. The first of its kind to be published for the Bluegrass State, this book provides a scientifically rigorous description of all the species of birds found in Kentucky. Illustrated by renowned artist William Zimmerman, it features a wealth of information: abundance and migration records, and indications whether a bird is a permanent resident, seasonal resident, visitant, or transient. Additionally, Monroe reviews the history or ornithologists who have worked in Kentucky and outlines the physiography of the state in relation to birding.
UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY Hardback • 9780813151410 • March 2021 • £30.00 152 pages
How Archaeology Can Save the Planet By Erika Guttmann-Bond
Discusses the potential significance for the reintroduction of ancient technologies to a more sustainable planet. This book describes and discusses the types of ancient technology that could be reintroduced to improve and assist in the growth of sustainable agriculture and food production in developing countries. It presents specific examples of successful subsistence technologies based on archaeological and historical data from different environmental zones across the world to show us just how techniques of the past could still save our planet.
OXBOW BOOKS Paperback • 9781785709920 • January 2019 • £29.95 192 pages • b/w and colour illus. | eBook available: 9781785709937
Far Beyond the Moon
A History of Life Support Systems in the Space Age By Kärin Nickelsen and David P. D. Munns
The dramatic story of engineering efforts to create artificial habitats for humans in orbiting space stations. From the beginning of the space age, scientists and engineers have worked on systems to help humans survive for the astounding 28,500 days (78 years) needed to reach another planet. This book explores the unglamorous but very real problem posed by long-term life support. It draws attention to the unsung participants of the space program, as well as the bioregenerative algae systems developed to reuse waste, water, and nutrients.
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH PRESS Hardback • 9780822946540 • June 2021 • £25.50 216 pages • 40 b/w illus.
Smokescreen
Debunking Wildfire Myths to Save Our Forests and Our Climate By Chad Hanson
Engages dialogue around forest fires at a time when it is desperately needed. Wildfires are a naturally occurring phenomenon that create opportunity for rejuvenation of national forests in the USA. Popular misinformation about wildfires means that much anxiety about them is unnecessary and misdirected. This book aims to bridge the disconnect between widespread common beliefs and current science regarding wildland fire, forest management, and climate change.
