Who would think the thoroughly researched story of a massive tidal power project in the 1930s at the U.S./Canada border would be the stuff of drama? Mark Borton’s new book, Moondoggle: Franklin Roosevelt and the Fight for Tidal-Electric Power at Passamaquoddy Bay, is no dry historical retelling of a complicated series of events. Instead, it’s a whodunit with a twisting plot for even casual readers to enjoy. The title of the last chapter encapsulates the mystery: “Who Killed Quoddy?”
But this book is much more than a light mystery meant to be read for entertainment. “This is the first full accounting of the dream to harness perpetual tidal power for the nation soon to become the most powerful in the world,” writes TMI president Deane Rykerson in his recent review of Moondoggle, available on the Island Institute website.
The setting might seem to make this a story about Maine, about the Town of Eastport, but it reaches much farther, especially in light of today’s search for renewable and non-polluting energy sources. As the reviewer comments:
“Will we find a way to work with the ocean for a green energy future? Here’s a compelling account of what can go wrong.“
Moondoggle: Franklin Roosevelt and the Fight for Tidal-electric Power at Passamaquoddy Bay. By Mark C. Borton, Downeast Books (2023). Available in hardback or electronic book.