The quiet zone Unraveling the mystery of a town suspended in silence

The National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ) was established by the federal government in the Appalachian area around Green Bank, West Virginia, in 1958, to protect a National Science Foundation radio telescope from signal interference. Within the NRQZ, everything from cellphones to WiFi to microwave ovens is restricted by law. In addition to attracting world-class astronomers to the region, the lack of technology over the years has attracted hippie communes, back-to-nature homesteaders, people suffering from electromagnetic hypersensitivity syndrome, and even the famous clown doctor, Patch Adams. In addition, the remote location made the NRQZ an ideal location for one of the most dangerous neo-Nazi organizations in the country, an NSA surveillance site, and murder and disappearances. Kurczy, a millennial journalist who rejects cellphones, spent several years visiting the NRQZ to learn why this place, of all places, would bring such disparate folk together. Turns out, the quiet zone isn't all that quiet and not everyone wants it to be. An engaging and sympathetic study of the myriad people who call this unique place home.

Journalist Kurczy debuts with a colorful yet diffuse examination of life in Green Bank, W.Va., the so-called "quietest town in America." Home to a federal radio astronomy observatory that measures "invisible energy waves" from space, Green Bank is part of the National Radio Quiet Zone, a region covering more than 13,000 square miles where wireless communication signals and devices with electromagnetic emissions are tightly restricted. Kurczy interviews "electrosensitives" who have come to the Quiet Zone to escape debilitating illnesses they believe are caused by electromagnetic radiation, but he soon discovers that many Green Bank residents do, in fact, use Wi-Fi and other prohibited devices. He also examines other distinctive influences in Pocahontas County, including Patch Adams's Gesundheit! Institute, which has solicited millions of dollars since the 1970s to build an as-yet-unrealized free hospital, and the National Alliance, a white supremacist group. Though Kurczy comes to view the region as "less and less Walden and more and more weird," he maintains an appreciation for the "pared-down" pace of life. The narrative rambles and the stakes feel rather low, but Kurczy succeeds in unlocking many secrets of this insular community. Readers will enjoy the peek behind the curtain. Agent: Larry Weissman, Larry Weissman Literary. (Aug.)

An exploration of perhaps the last quiet town in America. Journalist Kurczy, who hasn't "owned a cellphone in nearly a decade," takes us through the intriguing community and culture of Green Bank, West Virginia, dubbed "the quietest town in America." Nestled "deep in the mountains of Appalachia," the town is home to the Green Bank Observatory. Due to the demands of the facility's astronomical research, devices emanating radio frequencies that might interfere with their telescopes are banned in what is called the "National Radio Quiet Zone." After learning about this seemingly idyllic community, the author dug deeper, hoping to discover a better life. During numerous visits, Kurczy interviewed and heard stories from and about some of its residents who have sought refuge in the silence, including neo-hippies and those suffering from "a mysterious illness called 'electromagnetic hypersensitivity.' " The author also discovered a darker side of this remote area: conspiracy theories, unsolved deaths, and ties to the racist National Alliance. Throughout his time in Green Bank, Kurczy ate with the locals, drank moonshine, shot guns, and participated in cave-dives and other adventures. In a community filled with contradictions, he also found that neighbors were always willing to help each other in times of need. Kurczy also examines educational and health concerns, the impact that the absence of technology has had on the citizens' lives, other means of communications used within the community, and inaccurate portrayals of the region by the media. The epilogue offers an update based on the effects of the current pandemic. Although Kurczy recognizes that various viewpoints exist within the community and includes them in the text, the narrative also includes some physical and cultural clichés frequently found in works related to rural Americans. Nonetheless, the story remains captivating. A multilayered illustration of a unique community where things aren't always what they seem. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.