Energy and Civilization
A History
by Vaclav Smil
Recommended by Bill Gates and Nat Eliason
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Should I read this?
Recommended by 3 sources and appears in Energy, Most Recommended Books, and Finance.
A comprehensive account of how energy has shaped society throughout history, from preagricultural foraging societies through today's fossil fueldriven civilization.Energy is the only universal currency; it is necessary for getting anything done. The conversion of energy on Earth ranges from terraforming forces of plate tectonics to cumulative er...
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Why recommended
Recommended by 3 sources and appears in Energy, Most Recommended Books, and Finance.
Recommended by notable people
People and public figures who have recommended this book.
Recommendation Signals
Recommendation proof is sourced from public posts, interviews, reading lists, and cited references.
Bill Gates
Co-founder of Microsoft; co-chair of the Gates Foundation
“Goes deep and broad to explain how innovations in humans’ ability to turn energy into heat, light, and motion have been a driving force behind our cultural and economic progress over the past 10,000 years.”
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Not sure if this is the right fit?
Consider The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis. Recommended by 18 sources.
“Michael Lewis chronicles the friendship and intellectual partnership of Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, who championed the idea that cognitive biases shape our choices. The narrative reads like a buddy story, weaving their discoveries into personal anecdotes and the drama of their collaboration. You'll grasp key ideas—loss aversion, framing—through their story, but the book focuses on biography, not application. Helpful for understanding behavioral economics' origins; less useful if you want actionable advice. The emotional arc of their relationship can overshadow the science.”
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Each recommendation is collected from a public source — interviews, articles, or curated lists — and linked to its original URL. Books with many verifiable recommendations from respected people rank higher.