Energy and Civilization

A History

By: Vaclav Smil

Narrated by: David Colacci

Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terra-forming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative erosive effects of raindrops. Life on Earth depends on the photosynthetic conversion of solar energy into plant biomass. Humans have come to rely on many more energy flows-ranging from fossil fuels to photovoltaic generation of electricity - for their civilized existence.

In this monumental history, Vaclav Smil provides a comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society, from pre-agricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fuel-driven civilization. Humans are the only species that can systematically harness energies outside their bodies, using the power of their intellect and an enormous variety of artifacts - from the simplest tools to internal combustion engines and nuclear reactors. The epochal transition to fossil fuels affected everything: agriculture, industry, transportation, weapons, communication, economics, urbanization, quality of life, politics, and the environment. Smil describes humanity's energy eras in panoramic and interdisciplinary fashion, offering listeners a magisterial overview.

©2017 Massachusetts Institute of Technology (P)2018 Gildan Media

Worth finishing

Though a struggle in some more numerical parts, this book is well worth finishing. I may not have caught everything, but I feel I've just taken a bath in knowledge. and I am inspired to change and make a difference.

A very detailed historical book about energy

Through out the existence of civilization, energy has played an enabling role for our survival and technology. Vaclav Smil starts with fire (using foraged wood) and it’s role for hunters and gatherers. He examines agricultural methods in different civilizations; how many calories per hectare and how many calories were needed for survival. He follows humanity as it moves from wood to coal to petroleum and looks at the impact on society.

This book is a bit niche and can be weighty at times. It’s best enjoyed if you are really looking at studying the role of energy throughout history. Smil does a great job at detailing specific historical data although it can get a bit bogged down for amateurs.

Lastly, you will want to increase the speed of the audio. The narrator reads so slowly.

Excellent deep dive to energy and civilizations

An excellent deep dive to energy and civilizations through millenia and perspectives for today. Recommend.

Awesome

This book makes the complex history and relationship of energy and human civilization accessible to most audiences. Well done!

Encyclopaedic

Energy and Civilization is an incredibly important and even more difficult book to go through. The author makes little effort in making the message simple; one might be forgiven to think that at times he deliberately complicates matters to keep the readers on the toe.

The book is filled with information. There is barely a string of three to five sentences where one is not hit with some more data. Staggeringly, there is hardly anything in the reams of data that will appear familiar to most readers. In a vast majority of cases, it will require a deliberate effort to appreciate the true meanings of the numbers presented, given the plethora of nomenclatures used throughout and highly inconsistently.

And despite the denseness, the book is a must-read. The patient will walk away with a deep appreciation of not just the author's monumental efforts but also why our progress should be viewed through the prism of our energy usage. From the sources of energy at every stage to the prime movers and the eventual use cases, the history of civilization yields a different meaning when presented through energy statistics.

One may not remember any of the numbers presented beyond a few weeks, but most readers are likely to perceive many everyday events or occasions after reading this book.