Williston, North Dakota was a sleepy farm town for generations-until the frackers arrived. The oil companies moved into Williston, overtaking the town and setting off a boom that America hadn't seen since the Gold Rush. Workers from all over the country descended, chasing jobs that promised them six-figure salaries and demanded no prior experience.
But, for every person chasing the American dream, there is a darker side-reports of violence and sexual assault skyrocketed, schools overflowed, and housing prices soared. Real estate is such a hot commodity that tent cities popped up, and many workers' only option was to live out of their cars. Farmers whose families had tended the land for generations watched, powerless, as their fields were bulldozed to make way for one oilrig after another.
Written in the vein Ted Conover and Jon Krakauer, using a mix of first-person adventure and cultural analysis, The New Wild West is the definitive account of what's happening on the ground and what really happens to a community when the energy industry is allowed to set up in a town with little regulation or oversight-and at what cost.
"Briody, winner of the Richard J. Margolis Award for social justice reporting, tells the fascinating stories of people in pursuit of their piece of the oil boom. There's triumph and heartbreak in this blend of reportage, profiles, and personal essay."
Booklist (starred review)
"A fascinating look at what can happen when one area becomes a hot spot of activity with no regulation or oversight."
The New York Post
"A fascinating tale about which I knew next to nothing. The characters in the new wild west are as complex and riveting as Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid."
