"State of Fear" by Michael Crichton. Anyone else read it?

[maveric]

It deals with Eco-terrorism (ELF types),and the fears that are being driven into the minds of americans.
At first I took it as a RW/Industry fluffer but it turned out to be somewhat neutral.
Is Crichton a RWer? Lefty?, Or neutral?

[Arkana]

1. I have, and I have to say I enjoyed it

I think I'd tag the guy as neutral, because he puts that disclaimer at the end about his research.

[Worst Username Ever]

2. He says he's a lefty. I own it but haven't gotten to it. I like Crichton

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Crichton is not a lefty. His premise is that environmentalists are making

up the idea of global warming, and creating all the problems.
He sites "studies" that prove it, but fails to site any of the studies that go against his premises.
The Neocons love him.

Here is an article by a scientist at the earthinstitute at Columbia University, one of the places Crichton visited while researching his book.

Michael Crichton’s State of Confusion

In a departure from normal practice on the RealClimate.org site, this post is a commentary on a piece of out-and-out fiction (unlike most of the other posts which deal with a more subtle kind). Michael Crichton’s new novel “State of Fear” is about a self-important NGO hyping the science of the global warming to further the ends of evil eco-terrorists. The inevitable conclusion of the book is that global warming is a non-problem. A lesson for our times maybe? Unfortunately, I think not.

Like the recent movie “The Day After Tomorrow", the novel addresses real scientific issues and controversies, but is similarly selective (and occasionally mistaken) about the basic science. I will discuss a selection of the global warming-related issues that are raised in between the car chases, shoot-outs, cannibalistic rites and assorted derring-do. The champion of Crichton’s scientific view is a MIT academic-turned-undercover operative who clearly runs intellectual rings around other characters. The issues are raised as conversations and Q and A sessions between him (and other ‘good guys’) and two characters; an actor (not a very clever chap) and a lawyer (a previously duped innocent), neither of whom know much about the science.

So for actors and lawyers everywhere, I will try and help out.

The issues Crichton raises are familiar to those of us in the field, and come up often in discussions. Some are real and well appreciated while some are red herrings and are used to confuse rather than enlighten.
<snip>

more....

http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/news/2004/story12-13-04b.html

[democracyindanger]

4. Crichton is a winger, through and through. Sorry.

[sui generis]

5. Crichton is a marketer

He knows that controversy makes great marketing, even if your literature ain't all that.

And what's more, it's FREE marketing.

[AlinPA]

6. I saw him on CSPAN giving a speech to the American Enterprise Inst.

They were eating it up, whatever it was, I didn't stick around long enough to learn what his topic was.

[Blue-Jay]

7. Crichton always seems to lose me 3/4 of the way thru a book.

He usually comes up with very interesting premises, but he starts to bog down in the later chapters. Not always, mind you, but too often for my liking.

As far as his political leanings? I don't really care too much. Write a good story, and I'll read it. Obviously, if the story is TOO steeped in RW politics, I'll get annoyed.

[BrklynLiberal]

8. Being discussed on AirAmericaRadio right now.

They are outing him for the nutjob that he is.
They were saying his books' thesis is presenting environmentalists and global warming akin to presenting cancer researchers inventing cigarettes specifically to give them a cause to fight against.

The sad part is that there are millions of people whose only exposure to this subject may be thru this totally bogus book.

www.nrdc.org to check out global warming