Years before starting a novel, Michael Crichton often explores his views on a particular subject by giving speeches before an audience. Writing a speech forces him to sharpen his ideas, and the audience reaction gives him a gauge about whether he has been clear or not in expressing his thoughts.
Starting in 1992, Crichton began to consider issues of media speculation and the environment in a series of speeches that eventually led to the novel State of Fear. Three of those speeches are included here.