Saudi America: The Truth About Fracking and How It's Changing the World

"A sharp portrait of the US shale revolution." -- Financial Times

Bestselling author Bethany McLean reveals the true story of fracking's impact -- on Wall Street, the economy and geopolitics.

The technology of fracking in shale rock -- particularly in the Permian Basin in Texas -- has transformed America into the world's top producer of both oil and natural gas. The U.S. is expected to be "energy independent" and a "net exporter" in less than a decade, a move that will upend global politics, destabilize Saudi Arabia, crush Russia's chokehold over Europe, and finally bolster American power again.

Or will it?

Investigative journalist Bethany McLean digs deep into the cycles of boom and bust that have plagued the American oil industry for the past decade, from the financial wizardry and mysterious death of fracking pioneer Aubrey McClendon, to the investors who are questioning the very economics of shale itself. McLean finds that fracking is a business built on attracting ever-more gigantic amounts of capital investment, while promises of huge returns have yet to bear out. Saudi America tells a remarkable story that will persuade you to think about the power of oil in a new way.

• Shaky Ground: The Strange Saga of the U.S. Mortgage Giants
• All the Devils Are Here: The Hidden History of the Financial Crisis
• The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron
• The Frackers: The Outrageous Inside Story of the New Billionaire Wildcatters
• Mastering the Market Cycle: Getting the Odds on Your Side
• The Fifth Risk
• The Green and the Black: The Complete Story of the Shale Revolution, the Fight over Fracking, and the Future of Energy
• Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World
• Big Debt Crises
• Windfall: How the New Energy Abundance Upends Global Politics and Strengthens America's Power