Kenai Peninsula Online - Alaska Newspaper - From the bookshelf:
By SHANA LOSHBAUGH
www.peninsulaclarion.com/stories/032405/inside_0324ins003001.shtml
It has been 16 years since the Exxon Valdez gutted itself on Bligh Reef and
created the nation's largest man-made environmental disaster. The incident
still evokes anger and a sense of unfinished business.
A few writers quickly wrote overviews, and sundry experts produced reams of
technical reports. But only now, after all these years, are insiders beginning
to share some disturbing aspects of the spill and its aftermath. "Silence in the
Sound" is full of revelations. Savage's book is very different, yet equally
disturbing in its own way.
In April of 1989 she lived in Anchorage and Whittier and signed up with VECO Inc.
to clean shoreline in Prince William Sound. That decision plunged her into the
bizarre maelstrom of oil-spill activities. "Silence in the Sound" is her memoir
of that fateful summer, written from diary notes at the urging of her family.
Savage began as an "ORT", Oil Recovery Technician. Sent to the boulder beach
at Seal Island, she faced intense physical demands. She describes her first day:
"In our quest to follow orders we began taking deliberate steps, trying not to
fall on the rocks, but every step we took was another dangerous en-counter of
rubber boots on round, slippery oily rocks. After a while I found the best
approach to remain upright was to step in the cracks between the large rocks.
By noon, blue, purple and red bruises covered half of my body."
Supervisors promoted Savage and, in the battlefield atmosphere, she found herself
general foreman of a "floatel" which is a barge modified to serve as housing for
remote beach crews by the hundreds. It was a life of stress and foul odors, weird
people, duct tape, Visqueen and black crude crud.
She calls the entire cleanup program a pretentious cover-up. With candor, she
writes about beach crews reporting wildly exaggerated claims of oil recovered and
about pervasive corruption at all levels. She witnessed evidence of incompetence,
bribery, embezzlement, prostitution, drug-dealing and even murder.
On a more personal note, she found herself the target of disgusting sexual
harassment on the one hand, yet on the other caught up in a rewarding sense of
accomplishment and camaraderie.
Savage's tale is unvarnished and unpolished. In its humble way, it is the most
accurate description of what working on the spill really was like.
Reviewer: Johnny N. - Phoenix, 1/02/007
The corruption of the human soul is unveiled in this personal account of an
awful entity (Exxon in this case, but it could have been any representative of
avarice) attempting to swiftly sweep their mess under the rug. The author
reveals the monster in man in a blunt and fearless fashion that is a monument to
her character. The review that I offer is that of my own perspective, and I can
only encourage you to formulate an opinion on your own. A sage has said:
"Remember that life's length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that
which we have done therein for our country and our kind." Thank you for what you
have done Mrs. Savage, for your country and your kind.
Reviewer: DeAnna S - Utah - Fourth grade teacher, 7/17/2004.
Very Exciting! I really enjoyed this book. It's filled with drama, emotional
turmoil, and mystery. It's a definite page turner! I can't imagine living like that...
Reviewer: Sandie S.- Phoenix - freelance writer/manuscript editor, August 27, 2004.
Great story about an equally great, memorable experience...Merle really takes the reader
behind the scenes of this massive clean-up operation. It was interesting to read about
her experiences with the myriad of people involved in each phase, from Exxon officials
to the beach workers. Who better to hear it from than someone who was there, day in
and day out, from the onset of the first assignment, to the departing of the last
barge and the removal of the last piece of equipment from the stained beaches of
Alaska's Prince William Sound. Bravo! to her efforts on the beach, as well as her
determination to share her story with the public. I can't wait for the sequel!
Reviewer: Suzzi W. - Las Vegas - high school teacher, September 4, 2004
The author had my attention from the beginning. She took me into areas I had
never been, with her vivid details of the beaches and cleaning methods. My hat is off
to everyone who worked during that summer, and to Merle for opening my eyes to behind
the scenes activity. Silence in the Sound - The Adventure is a must read book for my students.
Reviewer: Walter R. - Las Vegas - Retired, September 16, 2004.
I was amazed at the information in Silence in the Sound. I don't think I would have
lasted a day under the same conditions. Merle made every event real, and easy to understand.
It was a book that I couldn't put down until the end. I look forward to the next adventure
in the sequel.
Reviewer: Robert N. "philo.psycho" - Phoenix, AZ, November 11, 2004.
This book is great...I have never read a story that provides as much detail as this.
If you like to know what's behind the curtain this story will certainly give you that.The
cleaning up of the Alaskan oil spill, in being horrendous, was almost as bad as the actual
spilling of the oil. I could not stop reading it and am glad I finished it. Highly recommended!!
Reviewer: Jim R. - Boulder City, NV, Dec 20, 2004
The next time someone mentions "challenge", tell them to read Silence in the Sound.
Very inspiring! Cleaning the oil from the beaches was only half the battle. The courage
of one woman against the male environment. It's a pleasure to have read about her adventure.
Reviewer: Becky C. - N Las Vegas, NV - retired military officer, Mar 1, 2005 -
I am amazed and astonished at what this courageous and heroic woman endeavored
and accomplished in such a short amount of time. Definitely a can’t put down.
Reviever: Barbara P. - Las Vegas Casino Employee
It was a book I couldn't put down. Faced with demanding situations I commend the
author on her courage and intelligence, and thank her for the insight. A must read.
Reviewer: Betti M. - World Traveler headed to Alaska
I became so deeply engrossed in Silence in the Sound the Adventure that I couldn't
stop reading. The issues her narrative presents were complex and disturbing as I think
about the crude transport system and wonder what really goes on inside the industry
that never gets any public attention. I admire the author's ability to handle the
difficult situations.
