Humorous adventure book takes readers on energy, environmental and musical journey

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence by Robert Danziger offers entertaining insight into how the author went from studio musician to a key player in the alternative energies industry

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence by Robert Danziger is the first energy or environmental book that makes no point and doesn’t ask you to think.

More or less nonfiction, this raucously funny book throws readers the insider’s curveball on oil embargoes, a space race to Uranus, and an elite think-tank that led the US effort on alternative energy.

Part memoir, part energy adventure, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence is the serendipitous journey from musician – to college dropout (Bob left after three months to join an experimental band) – to experimental musician – to law school graduate – to space law pioneer – to energy cogeneration consultant – to clean air industrialist – to large wood sculptor – to scientific environmental thinker at large – and back.

Hoping to rise above, or at least sidestep, the rancor and partisanship of the energy and environmental debate, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence promotes laughter and music as a starting point for discussion of these important topics.  

The Reviews are in . . .

National Steinbeck Center, Colleen Bailey, Director. "Highly Recommended:"

"Bob's book is both funny and poignant and keeps the reader laughing and thinking. . . The audience [at the book launch talk] still wanted more."

Monterey County Weekly, Cessna in Flight, Melissa Cessna. "Highly Recommended:"

"Robert Danziger, the self-proclaimed "ghost of alternative energy past," has released a novel that dissects the energy debate using a tongue-in-cheek bipartisan approach that breathes life into what is normally a political hotbed. . . [It is] hilarious new animated nonfiction"

ForeWord Clarion Reviews gives A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence four out of five stars and states,

“all of [his] accomplishments might make one think that Bob Danziger is a very serious man. Quite the contrary-he writes with a continuous twinkle in his eye and a hard-to-conceal smile on his lips. . . Danziger's storytelling ability makes this book a pleasure to read.”

Wayne Hurlburt of Blog Business World writes "Highly Recommended:"

"Robert Danziger recognizes that many people find any discussion of alternative energy to be, at best, devoid of any humor whatsoever. The book stands as a powerful antidote to those who take their own beliefs, industry, and desire to lower global energy consumption just a bit too seriously.

Instead of a sanctimonious polemic or yawn inducing lecture, the author provides an endless stream of hilarious stories from the front lines of the energy field.

 

Whether you read the book for information, or for laughs, it is a delight for anyone. Even the very straight faced alternative energy experts are certain to burst into uncontrollable laughter."

Cory Zittlow, Powerplanters, "Highly Recommended:"

  "Just finished reading Bob's book, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence." Right from the start I was laughing. His Mother's clever way of preparing his school lunches set the path for the great sense of humor Bob has.

I still wonder how the lady was able to knock on his door while handcuffed?

Bob??"

See all the reviews and interviews here

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence is available online at the National Steinbeck Center website and bookstore, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.

About the Author

A key player in the alternative energy industry for over thirty years, Danziger was the first person to eliminate an entire class of pollutants from a working power plant. To date, his efforts secured the largest energy conservation and greenhouse gas reduction event in history. He has also produced six albums, including “Never Dreamed” and “1910 Nocturne,” which was on exhibit as a sound sculpture at the Monterey Museum of Art, and “Steinbeck’s Chinatown” which is currently on exhibit at the National Steinbeck Center. He was also awarded a gold medal for Best Original Music at the New York Film Festival, and the Clean Air Award by the South Coast Air Quality Management District. 

• Links to the National Steinbeck Center and Amazon to purchase paperback "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence."

• Link to purchase the Kindle Version of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Energy Independence."
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• Link to Purchase an iBOOK version from Apple's iBookstore
  

• Funny non-partisan stories, pictures and cartoons - energy ones, music ones, and just plain funny ones

• Book Reviews and Interviews

• Cartoons
  

• Chapter I - - "We Get It"

"For example, my sister, Ronna, had a baby, and a few months later she was sitting with Mom and going on and on about the joys of breast-feeding. Mom looked over at me and said, “Don’t get any ideas.”"

• Chapter 13 - - "See Your Two Swiss and Raise You One Jew"

• Chapter 27 - - "Kings of the Beach"
  

“As an industrialist, he is hard to classify. He’s had previous lives as a jazz musician and [systems analyst] at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ronald Reagan himself could not have dreamed up a better example of capitalism at work. No public monies had been spent. The air gets cleaner, toxics get reduced and jobs get created.” –Robert A. Jones, Los Angeles Times

 “… is a visionary. His willingness to take financial, personal, and political risks to develop cleaner better energy technologies resulted in redefining ‘best’ in best available technology.” –Hon. Leon G. Billings, Chief of Staff to Senate Majority Leader Ed Muskie and principal author of the Clean Air Act

“Bob was a one-man think tank for GE in the 1980s.” –Lorraine Bolsinger, General Electric Vice President for Ecomagination  

“…truly the pioneer of our current private electricity infrastructure in the United States and Australia.” –Tim Smith, Vice President, Wellhead Electric

“I have used Bob as a percussionist on two albums…and was absolutely impressed with his ability to elevate any given theme to a level of greatness…” –Reinhold Mack, music producer