Energy: A Human History by Richard Rhodes (PDF)

Description

A “meticulously researched” (The New York Times Book Review) examination of energy transitions over time and an exploration of the current challenges presented by global warming, a surging world population, and renewable energy—from Pulitzer Prize- and National Book Award-winning author Richard Rhodes.People have lived and died, businesses have prospered and failed, and nations have risen to world power and declined, all over energy challenges. Through an unforgettable cast of characters, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Rhodes explains how wood gave way to coal and coal made room for oil, as we now turn to natural gas, nuclear power, and renewable energy. “Entertaining and informative…a powerful look at the importance of science” (NPR.org), Rhodes looks back on five centuries of progress, through such influential figures as Queen Elizabeth I, King James I, Benjamin Franklin, Herman Melville, John D. Rockefeller, and Henry Ford. In his “magisterial history…a tour de force of popular science” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review), Rhodes shows how breakthroughs in energy production occurred; from animal and waterpower to the steam engine, from internal-combustion to the electric motor. He looks at the current energy landscape, with a focus on how wind energy is competing for dominance with cast supplies of coal and natural gas. He also addresses the specter of global warming, and a population hurtling towards ten billion by 2100. Human beings have confronted the problem of how to draw energy from raw material since the beginning of time. Each invention, each discovery, each adaptation brought further challenges, and through such transformations, we arrived at where we are today. “A beautifully written, often inspiring saga of ingenuity and progress…Energy brings facts, context, and clarity to a key, often contentious subject” (Booklist, starred review).

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐Richard Rhodes has an amazing capacity to digest enormous amounts of information, digest them and present them in a manner accessible to most readers. This book is an excellent read about how energy use has progressed from wood to coal to oil, natural gas and on to nuclear and renewables. My one caveat and major disagreement with his presentation is that he veers off into propaganda for the nuclear industry and fatuously optimistic projections about how the world will continue to progress in the face of massive overpopulation and resource depletion. He ignores the dangers of nuclear terrorism, nuclear warfare and the incompetence of nuclear energy companies. As well he seems to have read nothing about our destruction of the oceans, atmosphere and agricultural resources. Despite these qualms this is a valuable book regarding the challenges facing humanity as we seek solutions to energy development and maintenance.

⭐I enjoyed the detail provided about efforts to develop energy. It involved efforts of scientists as well as average persons who were practical. Governments and wealthy investors were also contributors.

⭐This book took me a very long time to read. The information was interesting but as a whole it wasn’t gripping. I learned about the different forms of energy, wood, coal and nuclear along with the internal combustion engine and the gasoline that powered it. He spent very little time on renewables, partly because in 2017 they made up such a small part of global energy use. I’m glad to finally finish this book, it was a slog.

⭐Would have loved to have the first chapter be extended by several chapters. There may be other books out there that cover the earliest developments of energy in greater detail. This is still a worthwhile book.

⭐I enjoyed this book and found it interesting. I believe it should really have been called “Fuel” instead of energy. The difference is subtle but the author really is talking about what and where we derive energy from (sources). I found the book inconsistent at times and this effected its flow. But over all well researched and educational and a worthwhile read.One MAJOR problem with this book, the Kindle version, and NOT the author’s fault was how Amazon digitized it. Most of the diagrams where improperly digitized and as a result they were tiny. Way too small to be seen on a Kindle. And you were not able to enlarge them as in other Amazon Kindle books where yo have the ability to enlarge pictures. Some were properly coded and could be enlarged. But most were not.

⭐Free flowing and highly readable, indeed engrossing with many fascinating vignettes about historical events that shaped energy markets. And I was pleasantly surprised this was not an ideological treatise about fossil fuels and climate change, in fact reading between the lines it seemed to me that because of their inability to be scaled without huge subsidies the author is highly skeptical about renewable sources like wind and solar, waxing instead about the lost promise of nuclear, lost because in a democracy irrational fears (in this case about radioactivity) become accepted in to the public discourse as hard fact. He probably needed to be circumspect about his skepticism of wind and solar for fear of being skewered alive on the altar of political correctness by the “climate scientist” cabal, always fearful of some counterargument to the Faith jeopardizing their research grants…..

⭐Abpve

⭐I enjoyed this book because the premise was very appealing, and looked forward to it since Rhodes’ “Making of ….” was one of the best books I have ever read. BUT, it seems that Rhodes forgot to find an editor for this book; I found it full of jumbled thoughts, places where there were no transitions (or even paragraphs), and other issues that a good editor would have fixed. When one researches as richly as Rhodes does, it takes special attention to keep all the facts and relevancies organized. That detracted from my overall enjoyment. However, if you are interested in our energy past and future it is an important read.

⭐Stick with this book, wonderful romp through energy history and futures. Even expert readers will learn something new. Why stick with it? First few chapters read like a Brexiteers guide to British ingenuity, but the human stories of rivalry and intrigue are well worth it, and story expands to global challenge and rang of solutions.

⭐Energy from wood, coal, oil and water. A fascinating insight.And that’s just the first few chapters.Must read some more.

⭐I enjoyed this book. It ends with a positive outlook on how humans in the past have used innovation to improve the lives. The author is hopeful that we will continue with these improvements.

⭐this book is really good for starters on global energy security

⭐an enjoyable read and not to difficult to follow

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