I just finished reading James Kunstler's new novel, World Made by Hand. It is a story set in the not too distant future in a small town in upstate New York. Energy shortages, a pandemic and acts of terrorism have profoundly changed life. People are returning to growing their own food, doing without electricity and living on an extremely local scale. Cars and airplanes are history. Roads are too rough even for bicycles. Walking and horses/mules are the primary means of transportation. The population has dramatically declined, although there remains a local system of government on the town meeting model. Abandoned homes have been stripped of anything of use, and a group of Nascar type motorheads are mining an old landfill and selling their finds to others. The story weaves in a religious cult fleeing chaos in the South and seeking a new homeland, a large farmer who has set up a serf system to work his land. The main characters are forced to fight for their right to survive and to adjust to difficult challenges. Surprisingly, however, the story is not one of doom and gloom. It actually has a positive and upbeat message. It is well written and an enjoyable read.