Customer Reviews
Worth however long it takes to read - By: Pearl, 05 Nov 2008 
I brought this following a recommendation & am glad to say it was worth the effort. The book traces the history of the oil industry in the context of global political & economic changes with a focus on the last 100 years (to the 1st Gulf War). The classic in its field, it provides a readable & non-trivial account that goes far beyond oil- it is also an entertaining & well written read.
Definitive work on oil exploration and exploitation - By: Rolf Dobelli, 03 Sep 2008 This significant tome is Daniel Yergin's fascinating, 1992 Pulitzer prize-winning account of the personalities, politics, adventures & misadventures behind the evolution of the ruthless global oil business. This authoritative, intelligent & highly entertaining book reports on the past, present & future of the commodity that shapes the world power struggle. Yergin delves knowledgeably into fulcrum events. For example, shortly before World War I, Winston Churchill made the fateful decision to convert British navy's fuel from coal to Iranian oil. This decision set off the modern Western quest for Middle Eastern oil. The world is still feeling its wrenching impact, & Yergin shows how & why. getAbstract finds that this book provides an essential context for understanding today's international conflicts.
Fantastic - By: , 10 Jan 2005 I normallly read books that make me laugh or books that are easy going, however this book is neither of the two & is possibly the best book i have ever read! It is the first, & probably the last, history book ever to be written that is interesting! Sorry to alll the history text booking loving people out there. Anyway i thouroughly reccommend this book to anyone & everyone!
Superb - By: R.G.Bitter, 08 Oct 2003 This is a truly amazing book. Certainly, 800 pages of fine print about oil is a lot & this book is no bedtime read. Yet, at the end your only major complaint is likely to be that the story stops at the time of the first Iraq war. Whether your interest is oil, the workings of the business world, diplomacy, American, European or Middle Eastern history, you will find the most fascinating stories in this book. Mr. Yergin shows an amazing breadth & depth whether dealing with power politics, the economics of the oil price or cartel issues & throughout alll these subjects the book is evenly paced. The ultimate reason to be fascinated by the book, however, is probably the nagging uneasiness about the future of hydrocarbon man: will the next energy crisis be a lasting one?
