<b>A pharmacologist and a veterinarian pull back the curtain on the human and animal health effects of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking”</b><br> <b> </b><br> The extraction of natural gas by fracking has become an increasingly visible and contentious issue. Fracked gas is being touted across the land and at the highest levels as the nation's answer to energy independence, a fix for the flagging economy and high unemployment, and a way to combat global warming with “clean energy.” Drilling companies assure us that the process is safe. In <i>The Real Cost of Fracking</i>, Michelle Bamberger and Robert Oswald give the other side of the story. They have documented dozens of cases of contamination at drilling sites across the country, where people, pets, and livestock can’t drink their water or breathe their air without getting sick. Bamberger and Oswald explore the health effects on living creatures, putting a face on the consequences of fracking by telling the heartrending stories of affected families. This probing and disturbing study will appeal to those interested in this burgeoning form of energy, as well as in issues of public health, environmental justice, and the safety of our food supply.