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32 reviews

Craig Conway

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Craig is Currently Reading

Craig Conway is currently reading

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (with Cross-References): Old and New Testaments

by ESV Bibles

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Oct 13, 2024 07:49PM

Craig Conway is currently reading

The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations

by Daniel Yergin

bookshelves: government, history, currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

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Craig Conway said: " The title was a little misleading for me but its an excellent book that gives a detailed and interesting overview of major world nations involved in current major world conflicts. The lens is predominantly fossil fuel energy. 3/4 of the way thru and The title was a little misleading for me but its an excellent book that gives a detailed and interesting overview of major world nations involved in current major world conflicts. The lens is predominantly fossil fuel energy. 3/4 of the way thru and there's been almost no discussion on climate change. Maybe he meant political climate which would certainly be more accurate.

The detailed history of American and world fossil energy basins have been fairly enlightening. I've observed many of these same energy basins in the past but I received a lot of new context from this book that was very useful.

I'd say my largest turn off in the book so far was the authors framing of environmentalism (with a brief jab at AOC). The author references what I would agree are some pretty silly environmental complaints (like the deaths of 28 birds). But the author fails to mention the very real checkerboard of EPA superfund clean-up sites across the country caused by this and related industries. The authors brief description of earthquakes caused by fracking was woefully insufficient and misleading in a brief spot. If you ignore his environmental perspective, the book gets better.

The nations overview section has also been really enlightening. I'd say this book has been the most significant policy discussion I've encountered, moving the focus from the flashly US vs Terror lens of the last 20 years more timely US v China matchup. The book still covers the Middle East and taught me a bit more about inter-regional relationships. The discussion on past and future sanctions benefits and risks is really great.

I learned significant new context about every nation mentioned in this book which was awesome. I'd also caution that this book was a strikingly incomplete account on almost every nation so you'll need to read additional books or you'll risk significantly misunderstanding several country relationships. In other cases, the author intentionally hints at acknowledging certain counter perspectives but does so, so briefly that only someone decently-read will pick up on the acknowledgement.

Another interesting characteristic, the author provides some great insider quotes or decision points, but often declines to cite names. The author clearly has ambitions for a cabinet level position and was trying to not create enemies. However, in most cases, people who've read history will know immediately who the author is talking about and will still see the communicated "dig". I'd say all the "digs" are accurate, just not presented positively.

In the near-present era accounts. Its weird which portions the author chose to include and which ones he left out. Perhaps he didn't want to speak where details are still uncertain. For example, he talks about Russisa latest pipeline issues that were prominent in 2020, but declines to mention the Russia -Saudi Price war of 2020.

Based on this book, I think i'm going to worry alot less about Iran (someone else's problem), slightly less about Russia and alot more about Chinese expansion in the south China Sea as well as Chinese imperialism thru the belt and road program.

I've still got a few more chapters to go. right now the author is setting the plot to a mounting 3rd world war and I'm eager to see how he'll finally conclude the assessment. ...more "

Mar 22, 2021 10:52AM · see review