{"product_id":"california-burning-the-fall-of-pacific-gas-and-electric-and-what-it-means-for-americas-power-grid-9780593330654","title":"California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--And What It Means for America's Power Grid","description":"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNATIONAL BESTSELLER\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2022 Winner of the Golden Poppy Award for Nonfiction (California Independent Booksellers Alliance) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eA revelatory, urgent narrative with national implications, exploring the decline of California's largest utility company that led to countless wildfires -- including the one that destroyed the town of Paradise -- and the human cost of infrastructure failure \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003ePacific Gas and Electric was a legacy company built by innovators and visionaries, establishing California as a desirable home and economic powerhouse. In \u003ci\u003eCalifornia Burning, Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e reporter and Pulitzer finalist Katherine Blunt examines how that legacy fell apart--unraveling a long history of deadly failures in which Pacific Gas and Electric endangered millions of Northern Californians, through criminal neglect of its infrastructure. As PG\u0026amp;E prioritized profits and politics, power lines went unchecked--until a rusted hook purchased for 56 cents in 1921 split in two, sparking the deadliest wildfire in California history. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eBeginning with PG\u0026amp;E's public reckoning after the Paradise fire, Blunt chronicles the evolution of PG\u0026amp;E's shareholder base, from innovators who built some of California's first long-distance power lines to aggressive investors keen on reaping dividends. Following key players through pivotal decisions and legal battles, \u003ci\u003eCalifornia Burning \u003c\/i\u003ereveals the forces that shaped the plight of PG\u0026amp;E: deregulation and market-gaming led by Enron Corp., an unyielding push for renewable energy, and a swift increase in wildfire risk throughout the West, while regulators and lawmakers pushed their own agendas. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eCalifornia Burning \u003c\/i\u003eis a deeply reported, character-driven narrative, the story of a disaster expanding into a much bigger exploration of accountability. It's an American tragedy that serves as a cautionary tale for utilities across the nation--especially as climate change makes aging infrastructure more vulnerable, with potentially fatal consequences.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eKatherine Blunt \u003c\/b\u003ecovers renewable energy and utilities for \u003ci\u003eThe Wall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e. Her team's reporting on PG\u0026amp;E has been honored with a Barlett \u0026amp; Steele award for business investigative journalism, the Thomas L. Stokes award for energy and environmental reporting, and was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She is based in San Francisco.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Portfolio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50609775771922,"sku":"9780593330654","price":20.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_4c308e28-abe7-4a72-bf02-0c22998e30bc.jpg?v=1732330901","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/california-burning-the-fall-of-pacific-gas-and-electric-and-what-it-means-for-americas-power-grid-9780593330654","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}