Book Review The Last Oil Shock
Author: David Strahan
ISBN: 978-0-7195-6423-9
2007, John Murray - U.K.
The last thing I needed to do was read yet another book about
Peak Oil. I've been reading extensively about it since 2003.
But I promised the publisher I would read it. So I finally did.
I'm glad I carried out my promise.
The Last Oil
Shock is an excellent book. David Strahan has written an
informative, insightful and, yes, even entertaining book that
delves into the history and causes of Peak Oil, the various
"cures" put forward by oil companies and others in Big Energy
and Big Politics, and the likely ramifications of both Peak
Oil and its alleged—should I say "threatened"?—cures.
The book has a slight UK-centric approach which is a refreshing
change from the USA-centric perspective of most other books
on the subject. American readers should not be deterred. There's
just enough of the British situational viewpoint to understand
how universal the problem is, and the uniqueness of the various
flavors that energy depletion offers from country to country.
Strahan is first of all a superb journalist. He is objective
in his facts, backs up his statements, and offers both breadth
and depth in his account of Peak Oil. But Strahan also has a
position; one which enhances, rather than obscures, his objectivity.
His wry, even biting, sense of humor and his observation of
the energy predicament's ironies and, alas, frequent hypocrisies,
come through in a manner that allows his facts to be enjoyable
digested all the way through the book.
I highly recommend reading The Last Oil Shock.
Although the book's not yet available in the U.S. (but you can
order it through Amazon
Canada), you can find lots of relevant information at Strahan's
website at www.lastoilshock.com,
including his interactive oil depletion atlas.
Mick
Winter (www.DryDipstick.com)
is the author of Peak Oil Prep: Prepare for Peak Oil, Climate
Change and Economic Collapse (www.peakoilprep.com)
Copyright © 2007 Mick Winter. This article may be republished
anywhere by anyone as long as it is shown in full (including
this notice) and there is no charge to the reader. |
