Readerware Book Catalog

Amazon.com Review Book Description Imagine an everyday world in which the price of gasoline (and oil) continues to go up, and up, and up. Think about the immediate impact that would have on our lives. Of course, everybody already knows how about gasoline has affected our driving habits. People can't wait to junk their gas-guzzling SUVs for a new Prius. But there are more, not-so-obvious changes on the horizon that Chris Steiner tracks brilliantly in this provocative work. Consider the following societal changes: people who own homes in far-off suburbs will soon realize that there's no longer any market for their houses (reason: nobody wants to live too far away because it's too expensive to commute to work). Telecommuting will begin to expand rapidly. Trains will become the mode of national transportation (as it used to be) as the price of flying becomes prohibitive. Families will begin to migrate southward as the price of heating northern homes in the winter is too pricey. Cheap everyday items that are comprised of plastic will go away because of the rising price to produce them (plastic is derived from oil). And this is just the beginning of a huge and overwhelming domino effect that our way of life will undergo in the years to come. Steiner, an engineer by training before turning to journalism, sees how this simple but constant rise in oil and gas prices will totally re-structure our lifestyle. But what may be surprising to readers is that all of these changes may not be negative--but actually will usher in some new and very promising aspects of our society. Steiner will probe how the liberation of technology and innovation, triggered by climbing gas prices, will change our lives. The book may start as an alarmist's exercise.... but don't be misled. The future will be exhilarating.

Amazon.com Review Q&A with Christoper Steiner, the author of $20 per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better Steiner, an engineer-turn-journalist, explains how the simple but constant rise in oil and gas prices will change our lifestyle, but not necessarily for the worse. Read this Q&A to find out more about this revolutionary theory. Gas prices are going up again this summer, but are you really suggesting prices might rise to $20 a gallon? That figure lies far ahead in the future; it's hardly an imminent thing. But most people don't require much convincing to know that $2 gas isn't sustainable for the long term. Oil is a finite resource that the whole world demands--a world that grows more gasoline consumers every day. It's important to understand that this book isn't about oil statistics, it's about our lives and the ways in which we live will change. What do you hope readers will gain from reading your book? Readers should gain an appreciation for the kind of change that lies behind the growing price of gas. Weaning ourselves from gasoline isn't a scary thing, it's an exciting thing. We're talking about cleaner environments, more walkable lives, better public transportation and more vibrant cities. What are some of the surprising ways you think rising gas prices will change our everyday lives? I don't think people realize how close our airline industry is to an all-out collapse. The book details a massive airline extinction at $8 per gallon, and in fact, serious change could take place even before then. It's certainly not something that should be celebrated, but the collapse of that industry will open the door to new ones, such as widespread high-speed trains in America, a phenomenon that won't take serious root until plane tickets become luxuries rather than conveniences. Beyond the airlines, I think people might be surprised to think that their future may not include Wal-Mart, and that their food world may condense, ruling out things such as sushi, but introducing things such as local organic fruit, vegetables and meat. Is this pure speculation and f

$20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives for the Better [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED]

10-10-10: A Life-Transforming Idea [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED]

The Compass [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED]

What Would Google Do? CD [AUDIOBOOK] [UNABRIDGED]

The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die [AUDIOBOOK]

Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK]

1864: Lincoln at the Gates of History [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED]

Last Lion: The Fall and Rise of Ted Kennedy [ABRIDGED] [AUDIOBOOK]

The World is Curved: Hidden Dangers to the Global Economy [AUDIOBOOK] [CD] [UNABRIDGED]