The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, & Power
by: Daniel Yergin
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Amazon.com Review:
Daniel Yergin's first prize-winning book, Shattered Peace, was ahistory of the Cold War. Afterwards the young academic star joined the energyproject of the Harvard Business School and wrote the best-seller Energy Future. Following on fromthere, The Prize, winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, isa comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil.Founded in the 19th century, the oil industry began producing kerosene forlamps and progressed to gasoline. Huge personal fortunes arose from it, andwhole nations sprung out of the power politics of the oil wells. Yergin'sfascinating account sweeps from early robber barons like John D.Rockefeller, to the oil crisis ofthe 1970s,through to the Gulf War.
Product Description:
Pulitzer Prize Winner -- and Now an Epic PBS Series
The Prize recounts the panoramic history of oil -- and the struggle for wealth power that has always surrounded oil. This struggle has shaken the world economy, dictated the outcome of wars, and transformed the destiny of men and nations. The Prize is as much a history of the twentieth century as of the oil industry itself. The canvas of this history is enormous -- from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm.
The cast extends from wildcatters and rogues to oil tycoons, and from Winston Churchill and Ibn Saud to George Bush and Saddam Hussein. The definitive work on the subject of oil and a major contribution to understanding our century, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement -- and great importance.
Daniel Yergin's first prize-winning book, Shattered Peace, was ahistory of the Cold War. Afterwards the young academic star joined the energyproject of the Harvard Business School and wrote the best-seller Energy Future. Following on fromthere, The Prize, winner of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, isa comprehensive history of one of the commodities that powers the world--oil.Founded in the 19th century, the oil industry began producing kerosene forlamps and progressed to gasoline. Huge personal fortunes arose from it, andwhole nations sprung out of the power politics of the oil wells. Yergin'sfascinating account sweeps from early robber barons like John D.Rockefeller, to the oil crisis ofthe 1970s,through to the Gulf War.
Product Description:
Pulitzer Prize Winner -- and Now an Epic PBS Series
The Prize recounts the panoramic history of oil -- and the struggle for wealth power that has always surrounded oil. This struggle has shaken the world economy, dictated the outcome of wars, and transformed the destiny of men and nations. The Prize is as much a history of the twentieth century as of the oil industry itself. The canvas of this history is enormous -- from the drilling of the first well in Pennsylvania through two great world wars to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and Operation Desert Storm.
The cast extends from wildcatters and rogues to oil tycoons, and from Winston Churchill and Ibn Saud to George Bush and Saddam Hussein. The definitive work on the subject of oil and a major contribution to understanding our century, The Prize is a book of extraordinary breadth, riveting excitement -- and great importance.
Alternate Versions:
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Necessary and Trusted Reference
I have read this book 5 times in the 10 years since purchasing. I reference it often. New trinkets of information are found every time I re-read this excellent story (historical reference) of the oil industry.
Rating: 
- Propaganda or lack of a moral stance
Propaganda, no matter how couched in research is still propaganda. The author seems gung-ho on the archievements of "the industry" and its dominant actors and never expresses dismay at the wanton destruction it has and continues to perpetuate. Right from the premise, when he had reported on the greed which the inceptions of the industry created/fed upon, I found myself wishing he would take a moral stance and say something against what could only be disastrous for all in the long-term. But, alas, ... Read More
Rating: - An essential history book for public education...
Mr. Yergin's book is a superbly written account of the impact of oil upon our global economy and way of life.
I never knew oil would be so essential towards economic and strategic concerns.The one fact that burned into my brain is the energy content of oil versus coal for warships during World War I.Ships burning oil instead of coal had more powerful engines while saving space and man-power.I don't recollect the figure, but it was staggering to realize an oil-fueled ship, ... Read More
Rating: - History of Oil
The Prize is a very facinating history of the oil age. It tells of the origin of all the major oil compaies that are here today. Some times it gets a little tedious with incidents in history but really gives a picture of the ruthlessness of the big time oil men.
Rating: - The Prize — Buy the 2008 Edition
The new edition costs the same.
Yergin's prize-winning history stretches from the first Pennsylvania oil rush in 1860 to the crash of world oil prices in 2008, and it all reads like a novel. Well, not quite. The epilogue, which covers the period after the Gulf war in 11 pages, skims along ten times faster than the rest and feels a bit more like a history lesson. But it gives you a balanced view of recent events.
I bought the original version as I started researching energy. Two ... Read More
- Necessary and Trusted ReferenceI have read this book 5 times in the 10 years since purchasing. I reference it often. New trinkets of information are found every time I re-read this excellent story (historical reference) of the oil industry.
- Propaganda or lack of a moral stancePropaganda, no matter how couched in research is still propaganda. The author seems gung-ho on the archievements of "the industry" and its dominant actors and never expresses dismay at the wanton destruction it has and continues to perpetuate. Right from the premise, when he had reported on the greed which the inceptions of the industry created/fed upon, I found myself wishing he would take a moral stance and say something against what could only be disastrous for all in the long-term. But, alas, ... Read More
- An essential history book for public education...Mr. Yergin's book is a superbly written account of the impact of oil upon our global economy and way of life.
I never knew oil would be so essential towards economic and strategic concerns.The one fact that burned into my brain is the energy content of oil versus coal for warships during World War I.Ships burning oil instead of coal had more powerful engines while saving space and man-power.I don't recollect the figure, but it was staggering to realize an oil-fueled ship, ... Read More
- History of OilThe Prize is a very facinating history of the oil age. It tells of the origin of all the major oil compaies that are here today. Some times it gets a little tedious with incidents in history but really gives a picture of the ruthlessness of the big time oil men.
- The Prize — Buy the 2008 EditionThe new edition costs the same.
Yergin's prize-winning history stretches from the first Pennsylvania oil rush in 1860 to the crash of world oil prices in 2008, and it all reads like a novel. Well, not quite. The epilogue, which covers the period after the Gulf war in 11 pages, skims along ten times faster than the rest and feels a bit more like a history lesson. But it gives you a balanced view of recent events.
I bought the original version as I started researching energy. Two ... Read More
