Oil: Anatomy of an Industry

Rating:
Summary: A VERY INTERESTING READ
Review: I gave this work four star because I felt the first half deserved five stars but the second half only three..ergo, I split the difference. The author has done some wonderful research into the oil industry and the evils there-in. I learned much from the first portion of the book. It was very well written, had lots of good facts, and while not completely comprehensive, did give a great overview. On the other hand, the last part of the book was a simple rant on the author's part. While I might agree with most of what he said, It has to be noted that it has been said before, over and over and over again. It was like reading a "George Bush and Big Oil and the U.S. sucks" manifesto. Yada, yada, yada...it is getting a bit old. Other than that, I certainly recommend it and it is certainly one you will want to read.

Rating:
Summary: The Answer To All Questions About Oil
Review: Matthew Yeomans, whose career I've followed since he was an editor at the Village Voice, has come out with an superlative, concise, and authoritative history of the oil industry. If oil is the most significant industry of the past 100 years, this book is surely the most important and decisive account of that industry since Daniel Yergin's The Prize.

From the origins of the petroleum industry in 1900 to the petroeconomics of 2000 (and 2004), Yeomans explicates all - in a lively, engaging, and illuminating style. When a book captivates me because of 1) its confidence with facts and history and 2) its commanding langauge and voice - well, that's what I look for in a history. Yeomans has written what I think will prove to be the definitive account of what I hope is a fading industry. But whatever your politics, this is a book to buy just because the research is so good and the subject matter so important. If you want a cheat sheet to the next 20 years in Iraq, this is it.

Rating:
Summary: The Answer To Your Questions About Oil
Review: Matthew Yeomans, whose career I've followed since I worked with him at the Village Voice, has come out with an superlative, concise, and authoritative history of the oil industry. If oil is the most significant industry of the past 100 years, this book is surely the most important and decisive account of that industry since Daniel Yergin's The Prize.

From the origins of the petroleum industry in 1900 to the petroeconomics of 2000 (and 2004), Yeomans explicates all - in a lively, engaging, and illuminating style. When a book captivates me because of 1) its confidence with facts and history and 2) its commanding langauge and voice - well, that's what I look for in a history. Yeomans has written what I think will prove to be the definitive account of what could be a fading industry. Whatever your politics, this is a book to buy just because the research is so good and the subject matter so important. If you want a cheat sheet to the next 20 years in Iraq, this is it.