After Cooling: On Freon, Global Warming, and the Terrible Cost of Comfort

This work of literary nonfiction interweaves science, history, and philosophy to explore the impact of Freon, a powerful refrigerant and dangerous greenhouse gas.

Author Eric Dean Wilson braids air-conditioning history, climate science, road trips, and philosophy to tell the story of Freon’s birth, life, and aftermath. Tracing its journey from the 1920s invention to the 1980s ban, Wilson follows a man who destroys old Freon tanks to prevent further harm.

An essayist, Wilson examines American culture’s role in the Freon crisis and its resolution. Meticulously researched and engagingly written, this debut offers environmental hope, suggesting that global warming is not insurmountable.

(This book may contain a sharpie mark on the top or bottom edge and may show mild signs of shelfwear.)