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Jeffrey L. Blackwell

The perfect text for a history class about Science-Tech-Society as part of STEM curricula

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 26 October 2020

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The best text for an undergrad history of energy that I could find in 1990s was 'In the Servitude of Power: Energy through the Ages' by three French, Marxist-influenced academics -- Deleage, Debeir, Hemery. At the time, as I pursued a Ph.D in Interdisciplinary Humanities at FSU with the goal of teaching STS (Science-Tech-Society) at a American Engineering or Architecture school, the Marxist slant was (and is) a taboo point-of-view. Smil does not punctuate his narrative with Marxist critiques at each stage of energy development, concluding that an Era of Renewable energy would require Marxist transformation of society. Certainly a transition from fossil fuels-based to renewable 'Green' tech-based energy has been slow in progressing in the 25 years that have passed (also I was never able to teach history of energy in history depts. as specialized intellectual history nor as STS coursework. I sincerely hope that Smil's less ideologically-driven narrative will be accepted at engineering schools as a much-needed antidote to the conservative view that the costs of transforming fossil-fuel techs is too great to bear. So instead, govt. policy impedes this transition by subsidizing coal & oil so long as these big political donors support politicians who do as they are told. Marxist or liberal bias aside, Europe has progressed toward renewables while the U S govt policy has staggered from pro-renewable to anti-green depending on the what PAC spends most on political ads.
Energy and Civiization reads more like a science text than intellectual history but this is ideal for STEM students.
For those who might wish a more historical approach to history of tech, check out Boorstin's The Americans: The Democratic Experience ( last of his trilogy). The title is misleading; this is history of U S tech from post- Civil War to 1970s. Wonderfully blends tech history with entertaining narrative, i.e. , oil wild-catting, rise of a statistically-measured society and insurers, etc.
With its broad sweep of energy development within world history, Smil could be specialized secondary text for a traditional World Civilization requirement. Also,for those who enjoyed this I'd recommend Diamond's Germs, Guns, and Steel from late 1990s -- it is an extraordinary synthesis of various scientific fields that explains the present-day dominance of science-based Western culture based on environmental circumstances and climate without depending upon racial biases which argue that caucasians are more intelligent than other races.

5 people found this helpful

Marco FILLA

A rare book

Reviewed in Italy 🇮🇹 on 4 December 2022

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This is a rare book not only for the depth and clarity of the content, but also for the constant reference to the quantitative aspect of the subjects treated. A welcome blend between a treatise and a handbook is thus the result.

Roy

splendide

Reviewed in France 🇫🇷 on 7 April 2018

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Smil est un expert en énergie, il fallait donc s'attendre à un ouvrage de qualité et c'est le cas. Non seulement nous faisons un tour de l'histoire de l'humanité mais un tour en prenant l'angle de l'énergie pour expliquer les transformations des sociétés et des civilisations... c'est magistral, cela se lit assez bien et on apprend beaucoup de choses. L'auteur a fait le choix de faire de nombreux encarts pour ajouter du contexte à certaines réflexions ce qui peut parfois déranger un peu la lecture... mais dans l'ensemble, c'est remarquable. Si on le couple avec Energie chez de Boeck, on a des ouvrages qui permettent si ce n'est de maitriser le domaine, au moins de le cerner extrêmement bien. Je recommande vivement... d'autant que la version paperback va être bien moins cher que la version reliée.

6 people found this helpful

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Reid McCormick

history rated by energy...

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 29 September 2022

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I used to think history – as in the subject – was straightforward. Here are the facts and here are when and how everything happened. But as I have gotten older, and somewhat wiser, I realize now that history is a collection of perceptions. History can be viewed from various angles. Each angle provides a unique and valuable piece to the historical record.

There are countless ways to articulate the history of civilization. I think the most popular method is political: Who had power? Who fought who in which war? Another popular method economical: Who had the wealth? Who built what and when?

This book is very interesting because it measures history solely through the use of energy. How much energy did it take to plow a field? How much energy does it take to fetch clean water? How much energy does a modern urban city consume on a given day?

Now, this is a very interesting book, but it is very long and very dry. I found the subject fascinating but even I had a difficult time staying focused.

But just think about all the energy that goes into reading this book. Some tree was cut down, transported to the factory, milled into paper, formed into a book, and then sent to a warehouse. I ordered the book online and a truck delivered it. I then sat under a lightbulb in a climate-controlled house, reading the book while I sipped on some ice-cold water. What is the untold amount of energy consumed here? It really makes you rethink your world?

3 people found this helpful

Jose Manuel Vazquez Colome

Bien en general

Reviewed in Spain 🇪🇸 on 1 October 2022

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Quizás algunas explicaciones deberían darse sin necesidad de recurrir a tanta cita

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Ron L

Wonderful history, a unicorn hope for the future.

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 4 September 2017

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This is one of those books which should be widely read; a concise explanation of “energy” as relates to society beginning with terms and definitions which most people do not consider. Smil starts with the obvious (but often overlooked) statement that we on earth have no source of energy which is not provided by the sun in some form or another.
From there, we start with the calculations regarding the number of calories any human needs to get through the day; pretty basic and clearly explained values.
This is followed by the overall history of energy in human society, beginning with foraging and scavenging societies, using human muscle energy in more effective forms as a result of human reasoning; tools. Accompanied by (largely effective) sidebar notes, the narrative then progresses through the use of draft and ridden animal muscle, direct water and wind power, and then on to the use of ‘stored’ solar energy in the form of carbon and radioactive fuels, to the present. The fragility of society prior to modern use of those ‘stored’ sources is eye-opening and should serve as a corrective to anyone hoping to return to some romantic, pristine, autarky.
I’m sure this was not intended for the general audience; the terminology and notation suggests and requires a certain level of education. But at times Smil seems to change units of measure in what looks a bit of braggadocio. Joules, calories, watts, any will do, but switching back and forth requires mental gymnastics and introduces the chance of errors; there is no reason to make a book less understandable than the transfer of information requires.
Similarly, there is no reason for the pedantry regarding the phrase “Industrial Revolution”; I recall no one using the phrase to mean a ‘revolution’ in X years. As it was intended to mean a rapid change in many social arrangements, it was just that and is a useful shorthand for that phenomenon.
Disregarding such caviling, we are, at well-researched and well-argued length, presented with the uncontroversial fact that we are consuming carbon energy resources far beyond replacement rates and that use is resulting in environmental problems which could be very serious. Fortunately, the author is not given to hyperbole; those environmental problems are neither certain in time or severity.
But as Smil makes clear, there are really few alternatives. Our recent fantasies regarding wind or solar are never going to provide the energy surplus we currently enjoy, even if we had 100% battery storage technology. There is simply not enough ‘instant’ solar energy available to support the style to which we have become accustomed and others hope to achieve.
Citing some studies regarding ‘happiness’ vs wealth which I find far from convincing, the author seems to come down on the side of drastically reduced energy consumption. He never suggests coercion to achieve that end, but it’s doubtful that those who are used to luxury and those who quest for it are likely to voluntarily reduce that standard of living or the desire for it, regardless of Smil’s personal (righteous!) choice of a 1Kw automobile.
Begging to differ, I come down on the ‘let’s develop non-carbon energy’ side; nuclear. And if we are to prevent those possible environmental problems, we’d better get going on developing safe nuclear energy right now, rather than whingeing about the morality of Exon’s profit margin.

120 people found this helpful

Great Book

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 25 August 2022

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A little long and detailed but very informative

One person found this helpful

Wong Tze Fang

Great overview

Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on 16 September 2022

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Not a book for casual reading but provide a comprehensive overview on one of the most important drivers in human development.

ngbpne

Comprehensive content but a hard read

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 28 December 2021

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You will need to be keen to get through this. There is no doubt this is a thoroughly researched and comprehensive perspective on how energy has shaped history and the world we live in. It is a dense and challenging read although it is worth it if you are interested in the subject

One person found this helpful

Amazon Customer

an amazing thinker

Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on 25 August 2022

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one of the most relevant writers on sustainability today- Smil puts energy- of all types- into a global and historical perspective that is revealing, rational and thought provoking.

One person found this helpful

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