On the Grid: A Plot of Land, an Average Neighborhood, and the Systems That Make Our World Work [Paperback]

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. InOn 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 Gridbrings 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.

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

Scott Hulers 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 Dont Know

Scott Huler is the author of six books includingDefining the WindandNo Man's Lands. His essays and stories have appeared in theNew York Times, theWashington Post, theLos Angeles Times,Baltimore Sun, and other newspapers nationwide. He has been a staff writer for thePhiladelphia Daily Newsand the RaleighNews & Observerand 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 Raleighlã@