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Scott Huler

On the Grid: A Plot of Land, an Average Neighborhood, and the Systems That Make Our World Work Paperback – April 26, 2011

by Scott Huler (Author)

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Turn on a switch and from the nearest bulb out pours light from . . . somewhere; turn on a faucet and
water appears. Wires, pipes, and roads support the lives we lead, but the average person doesn't know where they go or even how they work. In On the Grid, Scott Huler takes the time to understand the systems that sustain our way of life, starting from his own quarter of an acre in North Carolina and traveling as far as ancient Rome.

Each chapter follows one element of infrastructure back to its source. Huler visits power plants,
watches new asphalt pavement being laid, and traces a drop of water backward from the faucet to the
Gulf of Mexico. He reaches out to guides along the way, both the workers who operate these systems
and the people who plan them.

On the Grid brings infrastructure to life and details the ins and outs of our civilization with fascinating,
back-to-basics information about the systems we all depend on.

Print length

256 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Rodale Books
Publication date

April 26, 2011
Dimensions

5.5 x 0.71 x 8.44 inches
ISBN-10

1609611381
ISBN-13

978-1609611385
See all details

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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Terrific new book . . . a fascinating read.” ―Robin Young, host of NPR's Here and Now

“Scott Huler’s fascinating account of his trips through the mesmerizingly crafted infrastructure that sustains our modern american lives gets us toward an understanding of a system that ought to be celebrated.” ―Robert Sullivan, author of The Thoreau You Don’t Know

About the Author

Scott Huler is the author of six books including Defining the Wind and No Man's Lands. His essays and stories have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Sun, and other newspapers nationwide. He has been a staff writer for the Philadelphia Daily News and the Raleigh News & Observer and a staff reporter and producer for Nashville Public Radio. His award-winning radio work has been heard on "All Things Considered" and "Day to Day" on National Public Radio and on "Marketplace" and "Splendid Table" on American Public Media. He lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, with his wife, the writer June Spence; they have a son and another child on the way.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rodale Books; Reprint edition (April 26, 2011)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 256 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1609611381
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1609611385
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.6 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 0.71 x 8.44 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,879,567 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #332 in Electric Energy
- #747 in Oil & Energy Industry (Books)
- #1,558 in City Planning & Urban Development

Customer Reviews:
59 ratings

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Scott Huler

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As a writer for newspapers, magazines, and radio programs Scott Huler has addressed everything from the death penalty to bikini waxing. His books range equally widely -- from "On Being Brown," about the relationship between his hometown NFL Cleveland Browns and their rabid fans to "No-Man's Lands," about a journey retracing the path of Homer's Odysseus. Born in Cleveland in 1959, Huler has lived all over the country and in England. His work has appeared in such newspapers as the New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and International Herald Tribune and in magazines like Backpacker and Fortune. His radio work has been heard nationally on such shows as "All Things Considered," "Marketplace," and "Splendid Table" and internationally on the Voice of America's "VOA News Now." He lives in Raleigh, N.C., with his wife, the writer June Spence, and their two boys.

You can learn more about him by visiting his website at http://www.scotthuler.com.

Customer reviews

5 star		51%
4 star		25%
3 star		12%
2 star		3%
1 star		9%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Loved it as a resident, leveraged it to understand national challenges

Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2012

Verified Purchase

Having worked in critical infrastructure protection for years, "On The Grid" was a wonderful treat. It's essentially a physiology course for a neighborhood -- how everything works, where everything comes from and where everything goes. While I'm a resident of Raleigh, it's not really a book about a particular town. It's a critical analysis of the economic, political, jurisdictional, bureaucratic and technical factors that physically connect us to our communities.

Still larger, "On the Grid " provides a perspective of the challenges we face in our own nation and beyond. Since the book was written and the world population spiraled to 7 billion, how will we provide all those connections to that many people? How are basic services defined in each culture, and what is our capacity to deliver them?

What started out as curiosity for that world beneath our feet for the author, turned into a journey exploring what it takes to provide us all the things we simply can turn on and off, and expect things to happen, appear, and disappear.

Conversely, in thinking about these global issues, it's also important to think local. Like charity, the "systems that make our world work" start at home. It's an adventure you won't want to miss, and I highly recommend "On The Grid." Hope you enjoy it as much as I did -- and it piques your curiosity for what lies below as well.

4 people found this helpful

Helpful

Andrew

Good overview of the infrastructure we rely on

Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2013

Verified Purchase

If you're looking to learn more about modern-day infrastructure, picking this book would not be a bad start. It's not going to go in-depth about every nook and cranny of the electrical grid but it gives a nice high level explanation of how everything fits together. I appreciated how the author started small (his front yard) in many instances and then worked his way up through the levels to explain the systems. Would have appreciated him stepping outside of Raleigh a little more to explain the infrastructure in other cities but regardless he seemed to do a lot of research and I enjoyed the book :)

Helpful

Lewis Siragusa

So much info!

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2019

Verified Purchase

I picked up this book because I recently started working in the electrical industry, but every single chapter was a great learning experience. My only complaint is that I wanted MORE detail on a lot of subjects.

Helpful

kylerson

Surprisingly Interesting

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2015

Verified Purchase

Very interesting read. Had to read it for my MPA class, but probably one of the more interesting books I read for my program. Gives you a really good look at infrastructure. Quick read and full of interesting facts.

Helpful

Mary P

Super book

Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2014

Verified Purchase

I got involved in Infrastructure as a volunteer and i had never studied it. This book was a really interesting read and gave a top to bottom view of Infrastructure. If you have a child that might enjoy engineering i definitely recommend this book as a way to get them interested.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

local artist tells me about my infrastructure

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2013

Verified Purchase

I saw the author at a benefit for the local news organization and I bought this book to find out how the infrastructure works. I work for the city of Raleigh and to hear about this from a citizen's point of view, was very interesting and very understandable.

Helpful

Amazon Customer

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2016

Verified Purchase

Huler excels at infrastructure narrative; very accessible science and engineering.

Helpful

Stuart B. Rich

Learn about your infrastructure!

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2013

Verified Purchase

This book covers everything from power lines to waste water management. It's a must for understanding our infrastructure and very helpful for a deeper appreciation of the environment.

Helpful

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On the Grid: A Plot of Land, an Average Neighborhood, and the Systems That Make Our World Work Paperback – April 26, 2011

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Editorial Reviews

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About the Author

Product details

About the author

Scott Huler

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Top reviews from the United States

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