Black Tide the Devastating Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill
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—continued from front flap— $25.95 USA/$29.95 CAN Petroleum Festival showcase the deeply intertwined THE DEVASTATING IMPACT It is the worst oil disaster in American history. An oil world of seafood and oil in the Gulf, even as the fi erce A searing look at the human face and gas monster lurking deep below the ocean kills jousting by BP CEO Tony Hayward, oil lobbyist Jack oof f tthe h e GULF OIL SPILL eleven men and destroys a multimillion-dollar rig, the Gerard, Governor Bobby Jindal, and President Barack of BP’s disaster in the Gulf Deepwater Horizon, before launching a deadly ram- Obama exposes the political-corporate straitjacket “We cannot allow the BP disaster to be pushed from public view the way BP used chemical page across the Gulf of Mexico and onto the shores confi ning us to a world governed by our deadly ad- dispersants to hide the oil. These remarkable stories—of loss, heroism, and culpability—are a and beaches of four states. The heads of the world’s diction to oil. vivid reminder that this catastrophe will be with us for decades, and that we have not yet made mightiest corporations and most powerful govern- It was a disaster that should never have happened, ments sit impotent for three long months in the face and one that has every possibility of occurring again if the changes necessary to prevent destruction in the future.” JUHASZ of the monster’s attack. Blasted by chemicals, a toxic those who are fi ghting for lasting change are not suc- —Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism BLACK TIDE THE DEVASTATING IMPACT IMPACT THE DEVASTATING DEVASTATING IMPACT oily stew remains fl oating in underwater plumes, cessful. Often in their own words, here is the story of waiting on the bottom of the ocean for the next big the people of the BP Gulf oil spill, a story you have not “Black Tide is extremely well researched, reasoned, and written. The story of the Macondo storm to strike and penetrating deep into the food yet been told. Part whodunit, part political thriller, and well disaster has important ramifi cations for our future. Antonia Juhasz helps us understand chain. And it could all happen again. But even if you part epic tale of a true-life disaster, Black Tide is the what this disaster can mean to present and future generations.” followed it in the media, you have yet to get the whole defi nitive account of the unforgettable event whose —Dr. Robert Bea, Deepwater Horizon Study Group story. To truly understand the causes and the impact full impact, both on the Gulf Coast and through- of this disaster, you must know the people behind it out the world, will be with us all for years to come. “It’s hard to imagine a better person to turn loose on this epochal disaster than Antonia Juhasz, and those forever changed by it. with her compassionate heart, vivid prose, and rich expertise in both oil and economic policy. In Black Tide, award-winning author and oil Author Photo: Jude Mooney Photo: Jude Author ANTONIA JUHASZ is a Black Tide covers everything from the details of the oil-smeared beaches and the drilling rig’s industry watchdog Antonia Juhasz, whose previous leading oil industry expert and control room to the big picture of the mega oil corporations and the governments they push book The Tyranny of Oil warned that all this could Director of the Energy Pro- happen, offers an in-depth investigation behind the around, but it’s not just a book about disaster: it’s a series of encounters with real people, from gram at Global Exchange. She scenes and beyond the sludge-smeared beaches to is the author of The Tyranny oceanographers to oyster shuckers, striving to make things right. Juhasz tells this story as no "We cannot allow the BP disaster to be pushed from public view the way BP used chemi- meet the people whose mistakes, and possible crimes, of Oil and The Bush Agenda, one else could. Black Tide is riveting, infuriating, and incredibly important to understand the cal dispersants to hide the oil. These remarkable stories -- of loss, heroism and culpability resulted in the most devastating oil spill in American and editor of The True Cost of places, politics, and people who survived the Gulf oil disaster.” -- are a vivid reminder that this catastrophe will be with us for decades, and that we have history and those who must continue to bear its costs. not yet made the changes necessary to prevent destruction in the future." Chevron: An Alternative An- —Rebecca Solnit, author of A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary From the families who paid the ultimate price, nual Report, 2009 and 2010. She has covered and --Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism Communities That Arise in Disaster you will hear heart-pounding accounts of the last commented on the BP disaster on NPR, BBC Radio, oof the f t h e fateful hours aboard the Deepwater Horizon and the CBC TV, and Democracy Now!, and in the Guard- The story of the largest oil disaster in American history is more than one of ruined beaches, "Black Tide is extremely well researched, reasoned and written. The story of the Macondo struggle to prevent the largest deepwater blowout ian, the Times-Picayune, Ms. Magazine, and Dollars & well disaster has important ramifi cations for our future. Antonia Juhasz helps us under- in history unfold. You will follow “plume hunters” dead wildlife, chemical dispersants, corporate spin, political machinations, and fi nancial fall- GULF OIL SPILL OIL SPILL Sense. Her oil industry analyses have been published stand what this disaster can mean to present and future generations." tracking the oil across the ocean and workers who out. It is a riveting human drama fi lled with people whose lives will forever be defi ned as --Dr. Robert Bea, Deepwater Horizon Study Group in the New York Times, International Herald Tribune, clean up the toxic mess. Dedicated scientists expose Petroleum Review Magazine, Washington Post, and the “before” and “after” the Gulf oil disaster. Black Tide is the only book to tell this story through BLACK the harms of dispersants while shrimpers, crabbers, Los Angeles Times, and she was featured in the CNBC the perspective of people on all sides of the catastrophe, from those who lost their lives, loved "It's hard to imagine a better person to turn loose on this epochal disaster than Antonia and fi shers take you onto their boats to share a way of documentary The Hunt for Black Gold and on Fresh ones, and livelihoods to those who made the policies that set the devastating event in motion, Juhasz, with her compassionate heart, vivid prose, and rich expertise in both oil and eco- life that may never recover. You will see Native Ameri- Air with Terry Gross. A former legislative assistant to those who cut the corners and put corporate profi ts over people and the environment, and nomic policy. Black Tide covers everything from the details of the oil-smeared beaches can families fi ght for survival as environmentalists two members of Congress, Juhasz holds a master’s and the drilling rig's control room to the big picture of the mega oil corporations and those who have committed their lives to ensuring that such an event is never repeated. mount a defense from the beaches of Florida to the the governments they push around, but it's not just a book about disaster: it's a series of degree in public policy from Georgetown University. TIDE halls of Congress. Her Web site is www.black-tide.org. encounters with real people, from oceanographers to oyster shuckers, striving to make things right. Juhasz tells this story as no one else could. Black Tide is riveting, infuriating, Oil industry workers, engineers, and executives Jacket Design: Wendy Mount and incredibly important to understand the places, politics, and people who survived the will take you inside the dangerous and politically Jacket Photograph: VARLEY/SIPA Gulf oil disaster." volatile world of offshore oil production, revealing --Rebecca Solnit,ANTONIA author of A Paradise Built in Hell: The ExtraordinaryJUHASZ Communities that why this is not just a story of one accident or a single Arise in Disaster oil company. The king and queen of the Shrimp and Author of The Tyranny of Oil —continued on back flap— ffirs 3/1/11 5:17 PM Page vi ffirs 3/1/11 5:17 PM Page i BLACK TIDE ffirs 3/1/11 5:17 PM Page ii Also by Antonia Juhasz The Tyranny of Oil: The World’s Most Powerful Industry— and What We Must Do to Stop It The Bush Agenda: Invading the World, One Economy at a Time ffirs 3/1/11 5:17 PM Page iii BLACK TIDE The Devastating Impact of the Gulf Oil Spill ANTONIA JUHASZ John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ffirs 3/1/11 5:17 PM Page iv Copyright © 2011 by Antonia Juhasz. 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