WINNER OF THE PHILLIP D. REED MEMORIAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING WRITING
ON THE SOUTHERN ENVIRONMENT
Beyond the oil-soaked pelican, beyond the oil-soaked beach, beyond the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill entirely, there is a deeper story of
sacrifice unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. Reporters and government
officials focused on the smallest part of it: oil gushed into the water
for 153 days, then, on September 19, 2010, the well was capped. The
story was over. But for David Gessner the unimaginable amount of oil
spilled into the ocean was only the beginning.
In The Tarball Chronicles, Gessner eats, drinks, and talks his way
into the heart of Gulf country--exploring the region's birds, sea life,
and ecosystems with the oceanographers, activists, and subsistence
fishermen who call it home. Just how much, he asks, are we willing to
sacrifice to keep living the way we do? Part absurdist travelogue, part
manifesto, The Tarball Chronicles is a love song for the Gulf from an
author who has "redefined what it means to write about the natural
world" (Washington Post).