[.uk] The Party's Over: Oil, War and the Fate of Industrial ... (ISBN 0865714827)

Chicken Little Is On the Loose:
Heinberg, like most Malthusians, views the world as a static system and it doesn't work that way. Let's all congregate back here in 10 years or so and see what the facts are. I'll bet the "Peak Oil" theorists will have moved their peak date back considerably.

Cassandra or not, it doesn't matter:
Everyone with a spreadsheet program and Internet access can make his own predictions. Just take the publications of various energy organizations like BP, Shell, Energy agencies regarding available reserves and resources of oil, oil sand, oil shale, gas, coal, uranium and convert them into usable kWh. Then take the worldwide consumption of kWh, as well as consumption per head, and add population growth and economic growth. Project into the future. Oil peak might be bad, but fuel can be created from other sources like gas (GTL - gas to liquid) or coal (CTL - coal to liquid). It all doesn't matter, if you take the kWh or the usable energy content in all resources into account. This excel table will be very enlightening. And it only takes a few hours to make, including the Internet search. Then you can start thinking - if the fossil energy is gone in 20-40 years, how to replace it? And when to start innovation and how long does implementation take. Just think back 20-40 years and about the changes in that time span. THEN you can start panicking or working on solutions for yourself, your family, your community. You can't change the world.

Understand what energy is all about!:
This book covers the topic of how energy has been the most important factor in the evolution of civilization. And how civilization now, is threatened by the depletion of its main source of energy, oil. I got into Heinberg's work after watching The End of Suburbia, where he makes several appereances and quotes ideas from this book. My interest was mainly end of oil and energy alternatives, Party is Over goes all the way back to the beginnings, which is good, but sometimes you feel overwhelmed by so much information. Anyways the facts are good to know and definitely reinforce the concept and value of energy, mainly oil. If you are interested in having a strong fundamental understanding of energy and civilization this is definitely a book you should read. Heinberg really knows what he is talking about, all his arguments are supported with a lot of scientific evidence. I really admire Richard Heinberg's work, but Ive got to say I liked Power Down better, check it out after checking this one, or if you wanna save some money and time just get Power Down.

Or at least the party is winding down...:
This book is one of the many that Heinberg has written on the topic of Peak Oil, in addition of course to numerous online articles that he has posted. Much like his other titles, he does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. Would that more writers and commentators would follow his lead in communicating so directly. This effort is among those texts that should be required reading on this topic. It is indispensable. Heinberg goes at great length into what has precipitated our predicament and he treats options and alternatives in a straightforward and easy to understand manner. He starts by laying a foundation for how the world as we know it has come to be, namely in relation to the enormously generous geological gift we call oil (and other carbon fuel sources). He lays out the trends in oil discovery and its acquisition and how the theorem (or fact) of Hubbert's Peak plays into our current conundrum. Alternative energy sources is given more than adequate treatment, ranging from natural gas (not entirely a true alternative) to nuclear power, biodiesel, and many others. Heinberg wraps it up by a treatment of the consequences on a global, national, local, and individual level. The afterword concludes this effort nicely by touching on current developments in the realm of related geopolitical events. All told, after having read this book, it is no surprise that Heinberg is considered one of the foremost authors and educators on this topic. For more Peak Oil reviews: http://www.peakoilresources.com

Fate of Industrial Societies:
I like Mr. Heinberg's book very much. His knowledge of the oil business and the energy world is impressive. His insight and technical knowledge is also very good in the book. However, Mr. Heinberg is a liberal democrat and is to the far left on every issue. Mr. Heinberg lives in a very simple world. Liberals are good and virtuous and conservatives are neo-facist and anyone who disagrees with the far left must be a Nazi. Of course, this puts Mr. Heinberg in the camp of the good guys. Mr. Heinberg believes that Mr. Bush (one), started the first Gulf War just to help his Oil buddies get rich. I find this explanation too simple and childlike. I find Mr. Heinberg's understanding about Saudis and the Arab People as naive. Having said this, I can overlook Mr. Heinberg's political views and taste and look at the more important message. This is a great book about energy and the future. It is an important message. This is Mr. Heinberg's best work. Regards, Keith Renick, Project Materials Specialist, Central & Western Region, Project Management Team, Riyadh Refinery, Saudi Aramco Oil Co. Retired.