Rating: 
Summary: Useful study of oil politics in the Caspian region
Review: Lutz Kleveman, a German journalist, recently travelled across Georgia, Chechnya, Kazakhstan, China, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan, sharply observing the people and places.
He notes that Central Asia's Caspian Sea might have the world's largest untapped oil and gas resources. The Kashagan oil-field in the Caspian Sea has an estimated 60 billion barrels, compared to the North Sea's estimated 17 billion barrels. Oil companies and governments - the USA, Britain, France, Russia and China - struggle to control these resources and pipeline routes, making Central Asia a new battleground in the global oil war.
For example, BP Amoco is investing $15 billion in Azerbaijan over the coming years. BP is the biggest organisation in Azerbaijan, owning a third of the shares in the Azerbaijan International Operating Company.
Some scorn as conspiracy theory the idea that oil is behind so much of world politics. Kleveman quotes those well-known conspiracy theorists in the US Department of Energy, who reported in August 2001, "Afghanistan's significance from an energy standpoint stems from its geographical position as a potential transit route for oil and natural gas exports from central Asia to the Arabian Sea."
The US government has misused the war against terrorism as cover for its oil-driven aggressions against Afghanistan and Iraq (and Iran next?) The wars have nothing to do with terrorism or democracy or rebuilding.
Their results are the proof - the complete failure to trap or kill the organisers of 9/11; the despotic US control of the Afghan and Iraqi governments, of Iraq's oilfields and Afghanistan's pipelines; the world's governments' promises to Afghanistan of $4.6 billion for rebuilding and their delivery of just $112 million.
Rating: 
Summary: A stunning book
Review: Make no mistake, behind the unassuming prose and relatively short length of this book lies an extremely astute and sharp analysis of the politics, history and significance of the caspian region.Like Michael Klare's "Resource Wars", the great strength of this book is that Kleveman focuses first on the distribution and location of the natural resources underlying the region (here mostly oil) and then "follows the money" to see how they shape the politics and intrigues within each country, and between them and the larger forces of the global economy. Kleveman seems to have an extraordinary ability to weave together history, personal observations, current affairs, and interviews into chapters that contain the essence of the information. I was particularly impressed with his knack at obtaining audiences with key players in politics and the oil industry who appear to speak very openly to him giving nuggets of insight unobtainable elsewhere. The bottom line is that this is an understated book, very easy to read, and essential.I cannot recommend this book enough, and I just hope this is the first of many books in the same vein by Kleveman. His capacity to cut through the crap and actually say something is truly remarkable. I would love to see him do something similar with Western Africa (where he apparently has done some reporting), the South China Sea, Eastern Europe, Latin America, etc...
Rating:
Summary: Read Between The Lines People!
Review: O.K., I know that many Mamet fans were disapointed with this one but I, for one, wasn't. This was actually the first Mamet play that I was introduced to (Before then I didn't even know that David Mamet existed) and I absolutly loved it, after reading it a few times. Yes, at first the dialouge (SP?) seems rather bland but, as my title says, you need to read between the lines! Use your imagination! There is something powerful about this piece because of all the underlaying tension. So read it! If you're patient, that is.
Rating:
Summary: What an amazing journey!
Review: One may agree or disagree with the political arguments Lutz Kleveman makes about U.S. energy imperialism in Central Asia, but his evidence is certainly startling and compelling. This makes the book very timely, especially in light of another oil war being in full swing in Iraq, and it should be part of the public discourse. But what I really loved about The New Great Game is the amazing journey the author took me on! He actually traveled to all the countries he writes about, often risking his neck, from Chechnya to Afghanistan. This is first-hand reporting at its best, really allowing the reader to see, hear, smell, and feel the places and people Kleveman encounters - be they warlords or oil tycoons. Some of them I will not forget in a long time. And all the while Kleveman keeps his sharp eye and clear mind for who and what is important for the oil story. I seriously and whole-heartedly recommend this wonderful book!
Rating:
Summary: Captivating read about an important place less traveled!
Review: Over the past couple of years I have become increasingly interested in learning about where the things we take for granted in a consumer society come from. Beyond every label (Or non-label in the case of gas/oil - why not?) of "Made in XXXX" is a story I want to know more about. This has been one of my travel themes during my recent world travels over the last 2 years around the world where I was on the road for more than 1 year - most recently 7 months straight.
One of the things I've learned more about is the oil and gas industry. From visiting the reasons for our oil dependency as shown at the Petersen Auto Museum in LA, which chronicles the rise of the automobile and visiting the largest Toyota (Camry) plant in the US in Kentucky. Continuing to where oil is sourced by crisscrossing Texas, visiting Spindletop (Where oil was first found in Texas) and the refineries of East Texas, exploring natural gas rich Qatar, visiting the wealth of the UAE, or seeing the price of cheap oil in Jakarta, Indonesia I feel I am a little more informed than most.
Since returning home I watched the entire 4 VHS set of the Prize by Daniel Yergin which covers the entire modern oil industry (1850s-present). As I was at the library looking for other books on resources I came across the New Great Game.
Once I started, I could not let it down.
Mr. Kleveman engages the reader immediately. He talks with so many influential people and visits every country in the region that one can't but help realize that he knows his stuff. All of these countries (Mostly the Stans of Central Asia) are well off the travel map for tourists. His first hand on the ground research is of much value and illuminates the players and the intricacies of the area from both a historical and oil standpoint. In fact, his writing and descriptions make me want to visit the region myself now to continue my discovery of where things come from. $2.50 flights in Turkmenistan here I come! (To be sure, I corroborated this on a travelogue from a couple who traveled through the Stans recently)
I will agree with an earlier reviewer that the book seems to drag a bit as Mr.Kleveman explored the last two countries on his list - Pakistan and Afghanistan, but perhaps I was just suffering mental overload at that point as I had pretty much barreled through this book in a couple of days. Or it could just be the feeling that I/we might have already heard about those countries enough - as they have been in the news so much. But, the other Central Asian countries have not been in the news, that is why this work is important.
While the author's final section - Epilogue: Angry Young Men started well, I thought the 2nd part of it could have been rewritten in a different tone. Though this would only make me mark this book review down to 4.5 stars.
One top Amazon reviewer earlier admonishes the author because of a difference between FOR or BECAUSE OF OIL. While the difference in words is appreciated, the actual reality doesn't matter much. I suggest the reviewer read "All the Shah's Men" about the coup in Iran a while back, or actually visit a number of countries where oil is sourced. Preferably those where instant oil wealth isn't exactly a trickle down proposition such as Nigeria, Angola, Indonesia, or many of the Stans for that fact. Intentions to stabilize? As long as the black stuff gushers out and flows I suppose.
While some (An executive of a major oil firm mentions it in the book I believe) may say that what the oil wealth does to a country isn't the responsibility of the oil company, where do we draw a line? Should we just wash our hands of everything? Isn't that an argument drug growers in Colombia or weapons dealers around the world can use? Fine, we don't need to get involved and we should just take the oil, but then let's not complain about Colombia supplying cocaine either. Supply and demand right?
Anyways - the maps in the front and back I found were most useful in pointing out where the author went and where the places of interest (Pipelines, fields) are. I only wish the author included some photos in the book itself. But, he has posted plenty of interesting ones on his website from his Central Asia travels. www.newgreatgame.com
The author ends the book on a great last sentence - SUV and painkillers. I'll add sprawling cities and lack of public transport. The book Carfree Cities by J.H. Crawford may be a more constructive place to look for the future. Or a visit to how people live in Denmark, Netherlands, and Singapore (Right across from Jakarta!) Or taking a look at how Australia is changing by act of government will(From suburbia to higher density housing).
Rating: 
Summary: There's a bit of a credibility gap.
Review: The book is interesting. The trouble is, the author appears to be a bit gullible for a seasoned journalist. I work in the Caspian oil industry. Some of the items the author presents as 'fact' are just plain wrong. He tells one story about the offshore life of a driller, "Thomas", whom he met in a bar in Baku. It is obvious to me that some drunken rig-hand was spinning him a line, and Kleveman swallowed it. Similarly, he gets the facts wrong about the Iranian gunboat incident; it involved a seismic vessel, not a rig. It makes a huge difference.
Knowing that he got wrong some simple facts that it would have been very easy to check, I have to question the rest of the book. What else is he stating as fact with little or no verification?
Also, the author's opinion and agenda are apparent. The book is not objective. If you bear these points in mind the book can allow some insight into, say, why the Russians are so adamant to hang on to Chechnya, etc. But, as another reviewer said, you can get the same information by reading the newspaper; probably with a broader scope and less bias.
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Summary: The Cold War is over!
Review: The book is well-written, and provides great and complete information on the current state of affairs in Central Asia, China and Azerbaijan. It also gives a bit of an historical overview of the affairs in the region from late 19th century onwards. The author judges the events from personal experience and provides many details from encounters in every country mentioned. There is a downside to the personal approach to geopolitical writing, however, and it is the author's obvious hatred of Russia. His description of the Chechen terrorists and the Nord Ost hostage affair is biased and one-sided, tarnishing an otherwise excellent work.
Rating:
Summary: Something for everyone.
Review: The New Great Game argues a strong geo-political thesis for those who already have insight into the struggle for control of the resources of Central Asia. The amazing part is that at the same time it offers a pleasant read and tons of factual & anecdotal information about the region today and also provides a look back into its history. All this is told in a flowing, almost lyrical style that is good reading even for a well-educated, intelligent person who nevertheless seldom reads anything but paperback mysteries these days. It is totally out of character for me to even pick up this book. Therefore, my enjoyment of it is an excellent recommendation for the uninitiated as well as the geo-political scholar.
Rating:
Summary: mediocre mamet
Review: this is a slight and unimpressive play, especially when one takes into account mamet's impressive body of work. This play focuses on the huge gap between an older, waning actor and a young promising one. The interaction between the two is often fascinating, and the scenes in which they perform from the play they are acting in are very telling of their 'real life' characters. Overall this was a disapointment, and should probably only interest completist mamet fans.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating read! Eye-opener!
Review: This is one of the most brilliant books I have read in years!
Ever feel that the Bush administration's is hijacking the War on Terror to pursue U.S. oil interests in Iraq and Central Asia? Well, the journalist Lutz Kleveman traveled to the frontlines and oil fields to find out. What he discovered on his fascinating journeys from the Caucasus all the way down to Afghanistan is eye-opening..
And what an adventure tale this book is, too! The author beautifully weaves his bold political analysis into gripping travel writing. His encounters with the power players in the region, be they Russian oil bosses or Afghan warlords, make for a great read. I enjoyed every page of it!
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