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IN ONE of the first books out of the gates on the Gulf oil spill, William Freudenburg and Robert Gramling deliver a lucid and succinct account of the blowout, its underlying causes and why US energy policy must change. Through compelling storytelling the pair chronicle the US’s century-long love affair with oil and show how an over-reliance on “fail-safe” technology culminated in one of the largest spills in history. The authors argue for stronger regulations, an end to oil subsidies, and an understanding among politicians that no amount of drilling will bring about US energy independence.

The book falls flat…

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