A big, bold and heralded book that left me a little disappointed. That may say more about me that the book.
This is a superbly researched, thorough world history from an interesting and important perspective. I love books like this, yet the structure left me a little cold.
There is a fair bit of physics at the beginning, and the whole book is very academic - ponderous at times illuminating at others. Early on we don't really 'hear' the authors voice, it comes through later, acerbic and funny, and it improves the book. I wouldn't like to pull up to him driving an 'SUV' while nicely tanned! The end is very strong, fantastic writing.
We are told that this is an updated version of an earlier work, and I can see he has released several smaller books on sections of this work. It may be they are better taken in smaller chunks, and/or that his style has changed for the better over time.
I mean, we learn enough about animal harnesses and waterwheels to last us right through the next energy transition! Yet we also have single paragraphs that contain more insight than entire books I've read!
Both the cited and the authors own research is impeccable. The ideas are insightful yet measured, with him going out of his way to caveat predictions about the future and avoiding wild, though tempting theories.
He explains expertly the control of increasing amounts of energy is key, but not deterministic. Highlighting alternative paths taken in the past. The idea of money as a proxy for energy is also prescient given the bitcoin debate right now!
Some of the statistics are startling - people in Sudan today use the same amount of energy as people in the Roman empire, far lower than 1820s Britain, and orders of magnitude lower than conterpoary Americans. Western governments make more money from taxing oil than the producers do for selling it.
The dual nature of energy transitions is demonstrated - they have positive and negative effects, always creating an alternative set of problems - this reminds me of David Deutsch's ideas in the beginning of Infinity. Abundant food and population density, vs environmental destruction and climate change.
Overall the message for today is not super positive.This is based on the reality of previous energy shifts. Fundamental energy shifts define history but they are far slower than people realise. 3 generations slow. Coal was the fuel of the 20th century not the 19th. Oil is a relative newcomer. Gas even more so. And away from power use what about concrete production, plastics, meatal production? And in inequality for the bottom 20% of humanity human and animal lobour still dominates.
A clean, equitable and abundant future is possible, bit it won't be quick or easy...