The author takes us on a journey to somewhere we can hardly imagine anywhere. A place without wifi. This remote area in WV becomes an inadvertent research spot due to the limits placed on them by an Observatory. We are forced to remember what life was like before we had a phone/computer in our pockets at all times. Stephen embeds himself with the community there to see what keeps them there and chooses this lifestyle so different from what most of us choose. It is interesting to see the different reasons people there call it home and if it can continue on.

Interesting but a bit scattered, The Quiet Zone tells the fascinating tale of Green Bank, West Virginia and the surrounding areas—a region legally shrouded in radio wave "silence" (though, as we discover as the book progresses, it's not quite as quiet as it seems).

Though I appreciated the thorough, deep dive the author provided, the narrative became more and more meandering as the book progressed. While the extensive exploration of the various groups in the county—from electrosensitives to neo-Nazis to people just trying to stay connected as they go about their everyday lives, especially once the pandemic hit—provided some interesting context, Kurczy often got so mired in irrelevant side tangents and details that the thread of the book got lost. Rather than the stories building upon the story of "The Quiet Zone" and providing explanations for what it is really like living there, they often felt like the author was trying to tell the complete story of the entire county, instead of focusing only on relevant background information.

It took me awhile to complete this book because I was very interested right from the start, but slowly lost steam as it became apparent that much of the book wouldn't be focusing on the Green Bank Observatory and the implications of living near it.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for the free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book really should become its own multi-episode podcast or some type of TV series (reality TV or fictionalized drama based upon book). There are so many people in this that seem as if Hollywood created them because of the wide range of personalities and backgrounds. He does such a wonderful job of demystifying Green Bank, WV and in each new person the reader gets to know and in each new anecdote of research/history that Stephen describes, it makes Green Bank more nuanced and complex. I love the juxtaposition of the myth of the place with the reality of what it is really like. There are many journalists who travel to Green Bank for a day and cover the myth as they don't know better. Stephen's multi-year journey and hard work really paid off in getting beneath the surface and into the very real human lives of those in the area. Definitely read the Patch Adams section. Wow! I had no idea.

We interviewed Stephen for the The Curiosity Hour Podcast (episode 196) and he talked about his three-year journey to thoroughly research and write this book. He described many of the compelling people he met (and also some of the scary ones!)
https://soundcloud.com/thecuriosityhourpodcast/s10-e196-stephen_kurczy
(also available free on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Soundcloud, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podbean, Overcast, PlayerFM, Castbox, and Pocket Casts).

Note: I voluntarily requested, read, and reviewed this book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sending me a temporary digital advance reading copy/advance review (ARC) galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. As always, my opinions are my own and do not represent my co-host or the podcast. I request, read, and review many books prior to publication to explore possible future guests for the podcast. I wish we could interview the author of every one of these books because I'm so impressed by the creativity, thoughtfulness, and wisdom shared through the temporary books I get through NetGalley.

This is a truly fascinating glimpse at life in Green Bank, WV which is the heart of the National Radio Quiet Zone, a land without wi-fi or cell phones but rife eccentricity. Electro-sensitives flock to Green Bank for refuge from the ever-present noise of technology, Neo-Nazis take advantage of the silence to gather and scheme, and local law enforcement struggle to solve multiple mysterious murders that span decades. Kurczy does a fantastic job of examining the facts and stereotypes surrounding this disconnected way of life.

Definitely a good read! Kept me interested from page one to the last page I love a good thriller I would read this again for sure

*3-3.5 stars

Stephen Kurczy has to be one of very few Americans with no cellphone in his possession. And he hasn't had one for the past ten years. Are you shaking yet?? Going into withdrawal? Or does that sound like an attractive idea? Shades of Henry David Thoreau?

If so, you might like Green Bank, West Virginia, where the nation's oldest radio astronomy observatory is located. To detect signs of life from outer space coming to earth in radio waves, the observatory was built back in 1956 and there they have tried to maintain a 'quiet zone,' restricting the use of things that emit electronic noise by people in the surrounding area.

Nowadays it's becoming a great deal harder to control that usage with residents, schools and businesses clamoring to have access to cellphones and WiFi. And the local economy is largely supported by tourism with popular places like Snowshoe Mountain Resort about nine miles from the observatory. Their guests expect the usual amenities.

Kurczy, a journalist, has gone to this area many times and gotten to know the residents well, spending quite a bit of time interviewing them, doing research and digging into local history in order to write this book. He says he came to Green Bank presuming that the less connected life would be richer, and it is. But he also discovered some surprising things there too. Humans are humans, wherever you go.

We each have to decide how much we are going to allow electronics to take over our lives and even more importantly, our children's. Will we someday rue the day when we got our first cellphone? Kurczy makes a good case against its use. He quotes a 2017 study in the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research about the negative side effects of the use of smartphones in schools: "The devices cause a 'brain drain,' diminishing 'learning, logical reasoning, abstract thought, problem solving, and creativity.'" Something to consider as you send your kids back to school..

I received an arc of this work of nonfiction from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. Many thanks for the opportunity. We traveled to the Green Bank area in 2009 and were fascinated by the observatory and found the area breathtakingly beautiful. I can understand the attraction to live there.

Imagine living in a place where wi-fi is not just unavailable, it’s banned, along with cellphone signals. Some people would consider this a nightmare while others would consider it an idyllic time warp. The truth is somewhat more complicated.

The near radio silence is a requirement for those living in Green Bank, WV, close to the Green Bank Observatory, with the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope. To protect the sensitive equipment from interference, the federal government in 1958 established the National Radio Quiet Zone, a 13,000-square-mile area in WV.

For the young people, there are none of the negative consequences of social media. Families spend more time outdoors appreciating nature, and fostering real-life connections. Those who live here must depend on the kindness of neighbors when an emergency arises. They use land lines, phone booths, and ham radios, to communicate. The residents do have computers but only with sluggish broadband.

The area has attracted people looking for a digital detox, unplugging to escape from modern life, and for those seeking refuge for a controversial condition called electromagnetic hypersensitivity (think Chuck in Better Call Saul).

Investigative journalist, Stephen Kurczy, embedded himself in the area, to give us a first-hand account of what it’s like to live there. Unfortunately, the area has also attracted Neo-Nazis and other extremist groups. I was hoping there would be more information about the Observatory and what it was like to truly live in the area from the regular residents. Instead, the book’s focus zeroed in on the fringe groups, and I began to lose interest.

I appreciated learning about the “quiet zone”, which I didn’t know existed. It’s fascinating, and sent me to the internet to learn more (ha!). The irony of using my iPhone to text my reading buddy, googling, using Bluetooth to listen to the book with my AirPods, and typing this review on my laptop is not lost on me. Maybe I need to take a vacation in Green Bank, WV.

Imagine a world without cell phones , WiFi, internet connections, and all the assorted distractions that often take one from the joys of just being quiet. It's an interesting concept for those of us who had once live in just an era of radio and TV. (which wasn't allowed on school days) Even those everyday needed necessities are banned in a town in western Appalachia, called Green Bank in West Virginia.

Many of us would be appealed at being without their electronic buddies, but there is a certain allure to being totally quiet and alone with one's own thoughts. Stephen Kurczy has written an intriguing account of the town, its people, and the Green Bank Observatory that sits so close that all radio frequencies are banned. It's a riveting story partly because of the way in which these people live and the mysteries that surround the Conservatory. The question is one that plagues the author and perhaps the reader. It this conservatory one who sole purpose is to contact alien life or perhaps there is a chance that this observatory's purpose might have another reason for its existence, that of spying on all Americans? It's a scary thought but one we now know is a true one.

Stephen lives among the people, he gets to know them, and what might for some feel like an idyllic existence might have some flaws indeed.

Unfortunately, the book did have some flaws as it seemed to overly concentrate on the crazies that were drawn to this place of peace and quiet. I wanted more about the telescope and while the book seemed to include some tantalizing ideas, i felt it missed the mark here. I am also not a fan when an author refers to groups as to their political bent. It intrudes on the book's authenticity I believe

There is quite a bit of detail, and of course many questions, the author does raise. Is living in a quiet zone exactly what we need to do, or does it too, offer flaws and foibles that we might not welcome?

Thank you to Steven Kurczy, Dey Street Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

Before stumbling across this book, I hadn’t heard of the Radio Quiet Zone in Green Bank, WV, but I found this a fascinating look at a town that lives without Wi-Fi or any other kind of electromagnetic waves. This book not only explains the science behind the massive telescope that requires the radio silence, but the author also introduces us to the people who live in Green Bank and the surrounding areas for various reasons ranging from health reasons to those who don’t want to rely on technology. An interesting read!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stephen Kurczy writes of his journey to a West Virginia town where any radio waves are not allowed. This town is surrounded by an Observatory that believes radio waves can hinder the performance of their telescopes. When you sign on to come here, know you can not use your cell phone unless on airplane mode. Laptops have a much similar protocol.

As Kurczy explores this town and the people who live there he learns more about the Quiet Zone. People who come here for health reasons, politicians who want to come here for peace and the hunting is just sublime.

However, the longer Kurczy stays here, he learns that there is a lot of holes to this story and maybe not everything is as quiet as he expected.

This was an interesting read. I am not sure I would have picked this up on my own, but it came recommended by a source I trust. I am not sure this will be of interest to everyone, but there was a lot of good points and it is extremely readable.

Thank you NetGalley and Dey Street Books for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First, a disclaimer: I received this e-book in advance of publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own opinions. Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book.

I REALLY liked this book. It is narrative nonfiction and is exceptionally well-written. It does go on a lot of tangents, but those tangents are organized, and the structure makes sense. There is a LOT going on in this book. Spy organization, invisible illnesses, conspiracy theories, white supremacists, hippies, a cult, a famous doctor who is actually a con artist (Patch Adams) … it’s all in here. But they are all connected under the Radio Free zone. I think that one of my favorite aspects of this book is the in depth look from the author at this area. I, like most people, have heard of this area and have even thought about how nice it was pre-cell phone and Wi-Fi and constant connectedness. This author spent a significant amount of time here though. He didn’t just write an article to sell a magazine or newspaper or get a headline. He interjected his own thoughts and experiences into it and really took a hard look at all that is in this area. This is not my normal style of book, but I enjoyed it so much that I want to find more nonfiction of this ilk.

CAWPILE Score: NA
Star Rating: NA
Pages: 336
Read on E-Book

This book was we'll written. I didn't expect so many tangents into different social movements, political pork, and neo Nazis but the book was able to tie everything together. I also liked how the author was relatable and included his beliefs, doubts, and scepticism. I'd always just believed news reports of a dead zone town so it was fascinating to read how the town isn't just stuck in a time warp.

There's a small town in Appalachia where cell phones are banned. WiFi is against the rules. Even radios, light bulbs, and car electronics are policed. It's the very definition of being "off the grid." At least, that's how it's supposed to be in Green Bank, West Virginia. It's located in the National Radio Quiet Zone, due to the presence of a giant radio telescope in the town. Scientists are literally listening to the universe with it, but the signals from cell phones, microwaves, and other common electronics disturb the research. As part of the Quiet Zone, technically cell phones and WiFi are against the rules for area residents. But, how do you regulate that?

The Quiet Zone is more than a book about the town with a telescope. Author Stephen Kurczy examines what drives people to - and from - Green Bank. The nearest Walmart is hours away. The town convenience store boasts that if they don't sell it, you don't need it. Some see it as a way to escape the connected life. After all, no cell phone means not getting work emails or calls past 5 p.m., not having to tell the kids to put their phones away during family meals, and an escape from the "noise" of connected, city life. Some people believe they're "electrosensitive" - meaning they have medical issues caused by exposure to certain light bulbs, WiFi signals, and more. Green Bank is an escape for them. Or is it?

Why is the town also a sort of safe haven for the white nationalist movement? Why is it so hard to get medical care? What does the area's most famous resident, Dr. "Patch" Adams - portrayed by Robin Williams in a feature film - say about that? He's been collecting millions of dollars in donations to build a free hospital for years. But where's the hospital? (Spoiler alert: "Patch" Adams is a fraudster and a dick.) How does the town newspaper stay connected to the town when there aren't supposed to be any ways to stay connected?

This work on non-fiction really examines what it means to be a "quiet zone" and what it means when all the local teens are still carrying iPhones to class. The neo-Nazi movement has a presence in a town that's supposed to be disconnected from ways to be monitored by the authorities.

I found this book fascinating. Even though I'd never want to live in a place as remote as Green Bank, I'm interested in people who do want a life like that, and the rationale behind that desire. Journalist Kurczy immersed himself in the town for years, making many trips between his home in New York City and the isolated Appalachian town. I was immersed in the people who believe the wrong type of light bulb can make them medically ill, and the white nationalists exploring local underground tunnels. I highly recommend this to anyone who wonders what life would be like without 24/7 connectivity, and to anyone who is glad they have that ability to stay in touch and stay connected constantly.