{"product_id":"california-burning-the-fall-of-pacific-gas-and-electric-and-what-it-means-for-americas-power-grid","title":"California Burning: The Fall of Pacific Gas and Electric--and What It Means for America's Power Grid","description":"NATIONAL BESTSELLER\n2022 Winner of the Golden Poppy Award for Nonfiction (California Independent Booksellers Alliance)\n\nA 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\n\nPacific Gas and Electric was a legacy company built by innovators and visionaries, establishing California as a desirable home and economic powerhouse. In California Burning, Wall Street Journal 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.\n\nBeginning 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, California Burning reveals 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.\n\nCalifornia Burning is 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\u003eASIN: 059333065X\u003cbr\u003eVSKU: BVV.059333065X.G\u003cbr\u003eCondition: Good\u003cbr\u003eAuthor\/Artist:Blunt, Katherine\u003cbr\u003eBinding: Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eNote:\u003c\/b\u003e Any images shown are stock photographs and product may differ from what is shown.  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCondition Notes\u003c\/b\u003e: The item shows wear from consistent use, but it remains in good condition and works perfectly. All pages and cover are intact  including the dust cover, if applicable . Spine may show signs of wear. Pages may include limited notes and highlighting. May NOT include discs, access code or other supplemental materials.  \u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Blue Vase Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43590376685629,"sku":"BVV.059333065X.G","price":7.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0589\/4225\/9261\/files\/059333065X-0.jpg?v=1788734229","url":"https:\/\/www.bluevasebooks.com\/products\/california-burning-the-fall-of-pacific-gas-and-electric-and-what-it-means-for-americas-power-grid","provider":"Blue Vase Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}