The Prize
by Daniel Yergin · first published 1991
86% recommend12% neutral2% critical
Why HN recommends it
A history of oil from the 1800s to the early 1990s, weaving together politics, economics, war and colorful personalities. Suits readers who want to understand geopolitics and energy, even if history seems dull.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Chronicles the history of the oil industry and the forces that have shaped the modern world.
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Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
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I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I too wasn't interested in history at all until I read this book: The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power ( http://www.amazon.com/Prize-Epic-Quest-Money-Power/dp/143911...) Which was a fascinating history from the rise of oil in modern times uptil the first Gulf War.…
on “Amazon rainforest was home to millions of people before European arrival” ↗…Amusing Ourselves To Death (highly recommended) The Science of Fear The Black Swan Tokyo Vice Racing The Beam (Atari history, very cool) books by Daniel Pink Guns, Germs, and Steel The Prize by Daniel Yergin Fantasy: Anything by Gaiman or China Mieville, pretty much. EDIT: links to previews (legally) available online Charles Stross's Accelerando (entire book): http://www.antipope.org/charlie/blog-static/fiction/accelera...…
on “Ask HN: Interesting (Non software) books?” ↗- The Prize, by Daniel Yergin (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Prize-Epic-Quest-Money-Power/dp/184...) It's a history of oil over the last 150 years. Sounds boring. It's not. It's one of the best books I've ever read.…
on “Ask HN: Books you read in 2016?” ↗This is probably more than you want to read, but The Prize by Daniel Yergin is a stellar history of the oil industry from 1800s-1990s https://www.amazon.com/Prize-Epic-Quest-Money-Power/dp/14391...
on “How big oil will die” ↗The Prize by Daniel Yergin is another great book that totally demolished all assumptions I'd had of what a "successful businessperson" looked like. It's a history of the oil industry, and I was riveted by how colorful…
on “So you "just need a hacker", huh?” ↗The Prize - Daniel Yergin. Siddhartha - Herman Hesse The first is a fantastic history of oil. It brings out the politics, economics and personalities that have lit up the history of oil very well. Especially relevant…
on “Ask HN: Please name two of your most favorite books.” ↗For more on the history of oil, The Prize by Daniel Yergin is an excellent read. While long, it's quite captivating and interesting. http://www.amazon.com/Prize-Epic-Quest-Money-Power/dp/143911...
on “What If We Never Run Out of Oil?” ↗…the liquefaction trains required to export gas. (OT: if anyone in Silicon Valley thinks theirs is the only industry ripe with crazy schemes, insane pivots and huge disruptions, read up on energy. The Prize by Daniel Yergin, Private Empire by Steve Coll and The Frackers by Gregory Zuckerman are the places to start)
on “Drilling surprise opens door to volcano-powered electricity” ↗I second the author's recommendation to read The Prize by Daniel Yergin. Was very illuminating.
on “What does it mean for American innovation to be backed by oil wealth?” ↗…illumination, not cost for any level of illumination. It takes a lot of firewood to produce the same amount of light as a regular lightbulb. Heck, it takes a lot even compared to an oil lamp. I read "The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power" by Daniel Yergin some time ago. One of the things that struck me was just how much of an effect kerosene lamps had on society. It was the main use for oil in…
on “The Historical Cost of Light” ↗…(and thus kill the small independent) did happen. They didn't need a true monopoly, just enough power to tank any smaller company that tried to undercut them. If you're interested in the subject, The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power by Daniel Yergin is a fascinating read.
on “Price fixing by algorithm is still price fixing” ↗For the ones interested, there’s a fascination book on the history of oil. The Prize, by Daniel Yergin [1]. [1] https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/169354
on “Map of Near and Middle East Oil 1965” ↗"The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power" by Daniel Yergin
on “Ask HN: Books about people who did hard things” ↗…Development of the moon buggy. 11. Apollo: The Race to the Moon by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox - Apollo missions. 12. The Secret Life of Groceries by Benjamin Lorr - Food supply chains. 13. The Prize by Daniel Yergin - Oil industry evolution. 14. Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson - Ambitious wreck divers. 15. The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes - Manhattan Project. 16. American Prometheus…
on “Ask HN: Books about people who did hard things” ↗I found 'The Prize', a history of the development of the oil industry, by Daniel Yergin, to be fascinating. Perhaps closer to your request, 'Kitchen Confidential' by Anthony Bourdain comes the closest to describing life…
on “Ask HN: Recommend books that give you insight into other professions” ↗