Manochehr Dorraj is professor of political science at Texas Christian University.Ken Morgan is director of the Energy Institute at Texas Christian University.

• Chapter 1: Global Impact of Unconventional Energy Resources, by Ken Morgan and Manochehr DorrajChapter 2: The Miracle of the U.S. Shale Experience: The History, Technology, People, and Infrastructure That Led to Success, by Larry D. BrogdonChapter 3: Midland, Texas: The Next Evolution in Shale Drilling Strategies, by Ken MorganChapter 4: Eastern U.S. Shale Development: Implications for North America and Globally Involving Economic, Social License, Public Policy, Environmental Impacts and the Influence of Social Media in These Issues, by Thomas B. Murphy and David A. YoxtheimerChapter 5: The International Impact of the Shale Revolution, by Anas F. AlhajjiChapter 6: Facets of Unconventional Oil and Gas Exploration and Production in Canada, by Silke PoppChapter 7: The Socio-Legal Dimensions of the Development of Unconventional Petroleum in Australia: Shale Gas and Coal Seam Gas, by Tina HunterChapter 8: Unconventional Energy in Europe: Policy Issues, Impact, and Prospects, by Andreas GoldthauChapter 9: Development of Shale Oil and Gas in Russia, by Tatiana MitrovaChapter 10: The Nascent Non-conventional Hydrocarbon Industry of Latin America: Market, Infrastructure, Policy, Stakeholders, Opportunities, and Constraints, by Isidro MoralesChapter 11: China and Japan’s Pursuit of Unconventional Fuels, by Manochehr DorrajChapter 12: Outlook for Shale Gas Development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, by Bijan KhajehpourChapter 13: Unconventional Energy in Africa: Impact of the US Shale Revolution and Prospects for African Exploration, by Stefan AndreassonChapter 14: The Environmental Impact of Unconventional Fuels: The Trade-Off, by Michael C. Slattery

The “unconventional” energy resources in the title of this collection are shale oil and gas. The volume's 16 contributors are a mix of social scientists, geologists, engineers, and economists based in universities, research institutes, government agencies, and energy management and capital investment firms. This eclecticism of backgrounds affords panoramic, extensively detailed descriptions of the technical, legal, and logistical hurdles future fossil energy extraction faces in regions such as the Middle East, Russia, Africa, Europe, Australia, and the US. . . Most contributors focus on the economic viability of shale exploitation; only the penultimate chapter by Michael Slattery explores, with analytical detachment, the environmental and public acceptability dimensions of unconventional sources. . . useful graphics and tables are provided.Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates and above.