Overview

In our power-hungry world, all the talk about energy—what's safe and what's risky, what's clean and what's dirty, what's cheap and what's easy—tends to generate more heat than light. What, Julianne Couch wanted to know, is the real story on power production in this country? Approaching the question as a curious consumer, Couch takes us along as she visits nine sites where electrical power is developed from different fuel sources. From a geothermal plant in the Mojave Desert to a nuclear plant in Nebraska, from a Wyoming coal-fired power plant to a Maine tidal-power project, Couch gives us an insider's look at how power is generated, how it affects neighboring landscapes and the people who live and work there, and how each source comes with its own unique complications. The result is an informed, evenhanded discussion of energy production and consumption on the global, national, regional, local, and—most important—personal level. Knowledge is the real power this book imparts, allowing each of us to think beyond the flip of a switch to the real consequences of our energy use.

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9780803245068

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Reviews

Julianne Couch has a knack for disarming the wonkiest engineers and discovering the intrigue in cooling rods and 'geothermal brine.' Her travels along the power line are entertaining, but her book is more than that. From here we can start making smarter, kinder, more realistic and responsible decisions about our energy future. --Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery, coeditors of The Daily Yonder --Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery (09/20/2012)

"""In this smart, highly engaging energy travelogue, Julianne Couch offers readers a clear, inside look at the many ways electrical power is produced across the United States. Traveling the Power Line is an indispensable guide to both current practices in energy technology and future possibilities for renewable resources."" - Ann McCutchan, author of River Music: An Atchafalaya Story ""Julianne Couch has a knack for disarming the wonkiest engineers and discovering the intrigue in cooling rods and 'geothermal brine.' Her travels along the power line are entertaining, but her book is more than that. From here we can start making smarter, kinder, more realistic and responsible decisions about our energy future."" - Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery, co-editors of The Daily Yonder ""If you're looking for a complete analysis of the world's energy problems, look elsewhere (but expect a mind-numbing, 1,000-page, multivolume set). But if you want a crisp, engaging, and insightful tour of the world of energy production, this is your book."" - Jeffrey A. Lockwood, co-author of Philosophical Foundations for the Practices of Ecology ""A Wyoming-based journalist and essayist chronicles her visits to nine electrical power stations across the country, examining the pros and cons of the fuel sources used at each site...Couch does not offer any opinions on which fuels are ultimately best for an energy-hungry America. Instead, she presents information clearly and objectively to help readers better discern ""the difference between numbers meant to impress, stories meant to persuade, and facts that prompt action. Fair, thoughtful and balanced."" - Kirkus ""Journalist Crouch (Jukeboxes & Jackalopes) leaves her home state of Wyoming to learn how electrical power is generated across the United States and to uncover the impact of various production methods. In story-driven prose, she shares her experiences touring many types of power plants, from nuclear to solar. Crouch addresses pros and cons of each method alongside detailed verbal descriptions, though generally photographs would have saved more than the proverbial thousand words. Throughout, she returns both in body and spirit to her home base, contemplating the local climate and how it impacts daily life""--Publishers Weekly, 2013"

In this smart, highly engaging energy travelogue, Julianne Couch offers readers a clear, inside look at the many ways electrical power is produced across the United States. Traveling the Power Line is an indispensable guide to both current practices in energy technology and future possibilities for renewable resources. - Ann McCutchan, author of River Music: An Atchafalaya Story Julianne Couch has a knack for disarming the wonkiest engineers and discovering the intrigue in cooling rods and 'geothermal brine.' Her travels along the power line are entertaining, but her book is more than that. From here we can start making smarter, kinder, more realistic and responsible decisions about our energy future. - Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery, co-editors of The Daily Yonder If you're looking for a complete analysis of the world's energy problems, look elsewhere (but expect a mind-numbing, 1,000-page, multivolume set). But if you want a crisp, engaging, and insightful tour of the world of energy production, this is your book. - Jeffrey A. Lockwood, co-author of Philosophical Foundations for the Practices of Ecology

In this smart, highly engaging energy travelogue, Julianne Couch offers readers a clear, inside look at the many ways electrical power is produced across the United States. Traveling the Power Line is an indispensable guide to both current practices in energy technology and future possibilities for renewable resources. - Ann McCutchan, author of River Music: An Atchafalaya Story Julianne Couch has a knack for disarming the wonkiest engineers and discovering the intrigue in cooling rods and 'geothermal brine.' Her travels along the power line are entertaining, but her book is more than that. From here we can start making smarter, kinder, more realistic and responsible decisions about our energy future. - Bill Bishop and Julie Ardery, co-editors of The Daily Yonder If you're looking for a complete analysis of the world's energy problems, look elsewhere (but expect a mind-numbing, 1,000-page, multivolume set). But if you want a crisp, engaging, and insightful tour of the world of energy production, this is your book. - Jeffrey A. Lockwood, co-author of Philosophical Foundations for the Practices of Ecology A Wyoming-based journalist and essayist chronicles her visits to nine electrical power stations across the country, examining the pros and cons of the fuel sources used at each site...Couch does not offer any opinions on which fuels are ultimately best for an energy-hungry America. Instead, she presents information clearly and objectively to help readers better discern the difference between numbers meant to impress, stories meant to persuade, and facts that prompt action. Fair, thoughtful and balanced. - Kirkus Journalist Crouch (Jukeboxes & Jackalopes) leaves her home state of Wyoming to learn how electrical power is generated across the United States and to uncover the impact of various production methods. In story-driven prose, she shares her experiences touring many types of power plants, from nuclear to solar. Crouch addresses pros and cons of each method alongside detailed verbal descriptions, though generally photographs would have saved more than the proverbial thousand words. Throughout, she returns both in body and spirit to her home base, contemplating the local climate and how it impacts daily life --Publishers Weekly, 2013

Author Information

Julianne Couch is an independent journalist and essayist. She is the author of Jukeboxes and Jackalopes: A Wyoming Bar Journey and Waking Up Western: Collected Essays.

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