The Witch of Hebron

A World Made by Hand Novel

By: James Howard Kunstler

Narrated by: Jim Meskimen

In the sequel to his best-selling World Made by Hand, James Howard Kunstler expands on his vision of a post-oil society with a new novel about an America in which the electricity has flickered off, the Internet is a distant memory, and the government is little more than a rumor.

In the tiny hamlet of Union Grove, New York, travel is horse-drawn and farming is back at the center of life. But it’s no pastoral haven. Wars are fought over dwindling resources and illness is a constant presence. Bandits roam the countryside, preying on the weak, and a sinister cult threatens to shatter Union Grove’s fragile stability. Here is a novel that seamlessly weaves hot-button issues like the decline of oil and the perils of climate change into a compelling narrative of violence, religious hysteria, innocence lost, and love found—a cautionary tale with an optimistic heart.

Already a renowned social commentator and a best-selling novelist and nonfiction writer, Kunstler has recently attained even greater prominence in the global conversation about energy and the environment. In the last two years he has been the focus of a long profile in the New Yorker, the subject of a full-page essay in the New York Times Book Review, and his wildly popular blog and podcast have made him a sought-after speaker who gives dozens of lectures and scores of media interviews each year.

©2010 James Howard Kunstler (P)2010 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

A bit rushed and disjointed

I did enjoy this book but it's somewhat disappointing at the same time. It reads like a first draft of a book that could have been very good. About 2/3rds of the way in I was expecting all the disjointed plot lines to converge but that never really happens in any meaningful way. The original book did basically nothing to setup a sequel so I feel like this book suffers as a result.

Great read

This is book two of the World Made by Hand series. I am not yet aware of more in the "series" than these two but I am hoping the author will continue the stories of a small community in NE USA who survive and build a new economy of sorts after the USA has suffered bombing and plague and the government no longer exists. The characters are great, each portrayed as having unique strengths as well as great flaws. A little hint of the supernatural or is it? The author keeps the reader guessing. The gentle rolling narrative paints a picture which surprises with bold strokes of violence, love making and tension between good and evil. Loved it.

Enjoyed

Enjoyed the whole concept of this book
As it's a local area for me, it was fun to picture where they traveled and similarities in some names. Shushan is pronounced Shoooshun ( if anyone's interested)🙂

A very ding dang good book old son!

Kunstler’s characters are second to none and Meskimen’s narration is superb! I give both my highest recommendation.

Excellent Series!

Having read and thoroughly enjoyed this series about a year ago, listening to it now brings back all my fond memories of life in the little town of Union Grove. A wonderful, wonderful tale which follows the inhabitants through an entire year of post apocalyptic existence, beginning one summer and moving through the seasons to the following spring. Good to read them in order, but works okay out of order as well.

Very well written, very realistic. Excellent narration which effectively delivers the story in vibrant colors! Highly recommended…😌