The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World

( 13 )

Overview

A master storyteller as well as a leading energy expert, Daniel Yergin continues the riveting story begun in his Pulitzer Prize–winning book, The Prize. In The Quest, Yergin shows us how energy is an engine of global political and economic change and conflict, in a story that spans the energies on which our civilization has been built and the new energies that are competing to replace them.

The Quest tells the inside stories, tackles the tough questions, and reveals ...

See more details below
Paperback
$14.32
BN.com price
(Save 28%)$20.00 List Price
Pick Up In Store

Pick Up In Store

Reserve and pick up in 60 minutes at your local store

Other sellers (Paperback)
  • All (31) from $5.99   
  • New (21) from $6.07   
  • Used (10) from $6.29   
The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World

Available on NOOK devices and apps  
  • Nook Devices
  • NOOK HD/HD+ Tablet
  • NOOK
  • NOOK Color
  • NOOK Tablet
  • Tablet/Phone
  • NOOK for Windows 8 Tablet
  • NOOK for iOS
  • NOOK for Android
  • NOOK Kids for iPad
  • PC/Mac
  • NOOK for Windows 8
  • NOOK for PC
  • NOOK for Mac
  • NOOK Study
  • NOOK for Web

Want a NOOK? Explore Now

NOOK Book (eBook)
$9.99
BN.com price

More About This Book

Overview

A master storyteller as well as a leading energy expert, Daniel Yergin continues the riveting story begun in his Pulitzer Prize–winning book, The Prize. In The Quest, Yergin shows us how energy is an engine of global political and economic change and conflict, in a story that spans the energies on which our civilization has been built and the new energies that are competing to replace them.

The Quest tells the inside stories, tackles the tough questions, and reveals surprising  insights about coal, electricity, and natural gas. He explains how climate change became a great issue and leads readers through the rebirth of renewable energies, energy independence, and the return of the electric car. Epic in scope and never more timely, The Quest vividly reveals the decisions, technologies, and individuals that are shaping our future.

Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Daniel Yergin's 800-page book The Prize; The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power won the 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction. In the nearly two decades since then, readers have eagerly anticipated his follow-up to this ongoing story. The Quest doesn't disappoint. This equally mammoth book describes the central role that energy plays in global politics, economic development, and climate change. In a story that extends from burgeoning Chinese cities to remote Saudi oil fields to closed Washington boardrooms, the man generally regarded as America's preeminent energy expert reveals the continuing struggle for the world's most precious resource. One early reader called The Quest "a profound, unique, and brilliantly written book about some of the most important issues of our times.

THE NEW YORK TIMES (Dwight Garner)

“Mr. Yergin is back with a sequel to The Prize. It is called The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, and, if anything, it’s an even better book. It is searching, impartial and alarmingly up to date… The Quest will be necessary reading for C.E.O.’s, conservationists, lawmakers, generals, spies, tech geeks, thriller writers, ambitious terrorists and many others… The Quest is encyclopedic in its ambitions; it resists easy synopsis.” 

THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW (Fareed Zakaria)

“An important book… a valuable primer on the basic issues that define energy today. Yergin is careful in his analysis and never polemical… Despite that, The Quest makes it clear that energy policy is not on the right course anywhere in the world and that everyone—on the left and the right, in the developed and the developing world—need to rethink strongly held positions.”

USA Today
“The Quest is a book—a tour de force, really—that evaluates the alternatives to oil so broadly and deeply that the physical tome could double as a doorstop… It is best read slowly, perhaps one chapter per day maximum, if the goal is to actually absorb the rich detail and sometimes complicated workings described by Yergin.”
The New York Times
Mr. Yergin is back with a sequel to The Prize. It is called The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, and, if anything, it's an even better book. It is searching, impartial and alarmingly up to date… The Quest will be necessary reading for C.E.O.'s, conservationists, lawmakers, generals, spies, tech geeks, thriller writers, ambitious terrorists and many others… The Quest is encyclopedic in its ambitions; it resists easy synopsis.” 
The New York Times Book Review
An important book… a valuable primer on the basic issues that define energy today. Yergin is careful in his analysis and never polemical… Despite that, The Quest makes it clear that energy policy is not on the right course anywhere in the world and that everyone—on the left and the right, in the developed and the developing world—need to rethink strongly held positions.
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

“A sprawling story richly textured with original material, quirky details and amusing anecdotes... The tale is generously sprinkled with facts debunking common misperceptions, and Mr. Yergin sagely analyzes how well the energy industry really works.”

THE ECONOMIST

 “Mr Yergin’s previous book, The Prize, a history of the global oil industry, had the advantage of an epic tale and wondrous timing… The Quest, as its more open-ended title suggests, is a broader and more ambitious endeavour… The Quest is a masterly piece of work and, as a comprehensive guide to the world’s great energy needs and dilemmas, it will be hard to beat.” 

THE FINANCIAL TIMES

“It is a cause for celebration that Yergin has returned with his perspective on a very different landscape… [I]t is impossible to think of a better introduction to the essentials of energy in the 21st century. In Yergin’s lucid, easy prose, the 800 pages flow freely… The Quest is… the definitive guide to how we got here.”

THE NEW YORK TIMES
“Mr. Yergin is back with a sequel to The Prize. It is called The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, and, if anything, it’s an even better book. It is searching, impartial and alarmingly up to date… The Quest will be necessary reading for C.E.O.’s, conservationists, lawmakers, generals, spies, tech geeks, thriller writers, ambitious terrorists and many others… The Quest is encyclopedic in its ambitions; it resists easy synopsis.” 
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW
“An important book… a valuable primer on the basic issues that define energy today. Yergin is careful in his analysis and never polemical… Despite that, The Quest makes it clear that energy policy is not on the right course anywhere in the world and that everyone—on the left and the right, in the developed and the developing world—need to rethink strongly held positions.”
USA TODAY

“The Quest is a book—a tour de force, really—that evaluates the alternatives to oil so broadly and deeply that the physical tome could double as a doorstop… It is best read slowly, perhaps one chapter per day maximum, if the goal is to actually absorb the rich detail and sometimes complicated workings described by Yergin.”

Dwight Garner
…a sequel to The Prize…and, if anything, it's an even better book. It is searching, impartial and alarmingly up to date…[Yergin's] masterly book…will be necessary reading for C.E.O.'s, conservationists, lawmakers, generals, spies, tech geeks, thriller writers, ambitious terrorists and many others.
—The New York Times
Fareed Zakaria
…an important book…a valuable primer on the basic issues that define energy today. Yergin is careful in his analysis and never polemical…The Quest makes it clear that energy policy is not on the right course anywhere in the world and that everyone—on the left and the right, in the developed and the developing world—needs to rethink strongly held positions.
—The New York Times Book Review
USA TODAY
“The Quest is a book—a tour de force, really—that evaluates the alternatives to oil so broadly and deeply that the physical tome could double as a doorstop… It is best read slowly, perhaps one chapter per day maximum, if the goal is to actually absorb the rich detail and sometimes complicated workings described by Yergin.”
Los Angeles Times
“The book then takes us on an exploration of the energy industry and its history, touching down in so many remote corners of the globe, filled with such a huge cast of sinister business magnates, visionary scientists, political scoundrels and con men that it sometimes reads like a novel.”
The Wall Street Journal
“[A] sprawling story richly textured with original material, quirky details and amusing anecdotes... The tale is generously sprinkled with facts debunking common misperceptions, and Mr. Yergin sagely analyzes how well the energy industry really works.”
The Economist
 “Mr Yergin’s previous book, The Prize, a history of the global oil industry, had the advantage of an epic tale and wondrous timing… The Quest, as its more open-ended title suggests, is a broader and more ambitious endeavour… The Quest is a masterly piece of work and, as a comprehensive guide to the world’s great energy needs and dilemmas, it will be hard to beat.” 
The Financial Times
“It is a cause for celebration that Yergin has returned with his perspective on a very different landscape… [I]t is impossible to think of a better introduction to the essentials of energy in the 21st century. In Yergin’s lucid, easy prose, the 800 pages flow freely… The Quest is… the definitive guide to how we got here.”
Dwight Garner
“Mr. Yergin is back with a sequel to The Prize. It is called The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, and, if anything, it’s an even better book. It is searching, impartial and alarmingly up to date… The Quest will be necessary reading for C.E.O.’s, conservationists, lawmakers, generals, spies, tech geeks, thriller writers, ambitious terrorists and many others… The Quest is encyclopedic in its ambitions; it resists easy synopsis.” 
Fareed Zakaria
“[An] important book… a valuable primer on the basic issues that define energy today. Yergin is careful in his analysis and never polemical… Despite that, The Quest makes it clear that energy policy is not on the right course anywhere in the world and that everyone—on the left and the right, in the developed and the developing world—need to rethink strongly held positions.”
Walter Isaacson
"This fascinating saga is the definitive book on the most important of global issues, the quest for sustainable sources of energy. Dan Yergin, the prominent energy expert of our times, weaves together security and environmental concerns to explain the system we have toady and to analyze the sensible paths forward. This is one book you must read to understand the future of our economy and our way of life."
Doctor - Henry Kissinger
"The Quest by Daniel Yergin, one of the world's most experienced and influential authorities on global energy, may well become the definitive work on the science, history, and economics of this most complex and important subject. This masterful and illuminating book on one of the most vital issues of our time, one that will powerfully influence international politics, economics, and nations worldwide, should be essential reading for policymakers everywhere."
Steve Coll
"In the magisterial style of his earlier global narrative of energy politics, The Prize, Daniel Yergin has again delivered a sweeping, authoritative account of the science, economics, and geopolitics of energy. His writing, as ever, is clear and intelligent, and his subject could hardly be timelier."
Senator - Richard Lugar
"The Quest superbly captures the great questions of energy and security that face our nation in this risky world. Daniel Yergin identifies the key issues, demonstrates their urgency, and lays out the choices. He does so with such deep expertise and with such vivid narrative writing as to make this book both important and compelling. It can help us see our way to a safer and sounder energy future."
Library Journal
Twenty years after Yergin made news—and best sellers lists—with The Prize, he returns to reexamine the energy crisis. With corporate mergers and the scramble to control the resources of the former Soviet Union, oil is a bigger headache than ever, while nuclear, coal, and natural gas pose problems of their own. Then there's wind and solar energy. Given Yergin's fluency with energy issues, their vast importance, and the success of the last book, consider multiples. With a national tour.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9780143121947
  • Publisher: Penguin Group (USA)
  • Publication date: 9/26/2012
  • Pages: 832
  • Sales rank: 52,796
  • Product dimensions: 5.40 (w) x 8.30 (h) x 1.60 (d)

Meet the Author

Daniel Yergin

DANIEL B. YERGIN is one of the most influential voices on energy in the world and a highly respected authority on international politics and economics. Dr. Yergin received the Pulitzer Prize for The Prize, which became a number one bestseller. He received the United States Energy Award for “lifelong achievements in energy and the promotion of international understanding.” He is the chairman of IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates. His other books include Commanding Heights: The Battle for the World Economy; Russia 2010; and Shattered Peace.

[www.danielyergin.com]

Read More Show Less

Table of Contents

Maps and Charts xi

Introduction 1

Prologue 9

Part 1 The New World of Oil

1 Russia Returns 21

2 The Caspian Derby 44

3 Across the Caspian 65

4 "Supermajors" 84

5 The Petro-State 108

6 Aggregate Disruption 127

7 War in Iraq 143

8 The Demand Shock 161

9 China's Rise 190

10 China in the Fast Lane 211

Part 2 Securing the Supply

11 Is the World Running Out of Oil? 229

12 Unconventional 244

13 The Security of Energy 266

14 Shifting Sands in the Persian Gulf 285

15 Gas on Water 312

16 The Natural Gas Revolution 327

Part 3 The Electric Age

17 Alternating Currents 347

18 The Nuclear Cycle 364

19 Breaking the Bargain 382

20 The Urgency of Fuel Choice 399

Part 4 Climate and Carbon

21 Glacial Change 423

22 The Age of Discovery 436

23 The Road to Rio 457

24 Making a Market 475

25 On the Global Agenda 493

26 In Search of Consensus 509

Part 5 New Energies

27 Rebirth of Renewables 527

28 Science Experiment 553

29 Alchemy of Shining Light 569

30 Mystery of Wind 595

31 The Fifth Fuel-Efficiency 620

32 Closing the Conservation Gap 632

Part 6 Road to the Future

33 Carbohydrate Man 649

34 Internal Fire 671

35 The Great Electric Car Experiment 692

Conclusion: "A Great Revolution" 718

Acknowledgments 726

Photo Credits 730

Notes 732

Bibliography 770

Index 788

Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 13 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(8)

4 Star

(4)

3 Star

(1)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 13 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted August 11, 2011

    The Guide to our Modern Energy World

    Daniel Yergin's The Quest is likely to become the standard introduction to energy in classrooms, boardrooms, and living rooms across America. It is a valuable primer for the educated reader that simply wants to learn more about energy, and an excellent refresher for those already familiar with the field.


    The Quest begins with a survey of the recent evolution of the world of oil. Yergin has an unparalleled understanding of the significance of historical events and turning points for the modern industry. He narrates and analyzes the collapse of the Soviet Union, Asian Financial Crisis, Hugo Chavez's "Bolivarian Revolution," and China's surge in energy demand together with other critical junctures for world oil markets. Yergin shows how the fortunes of nations and the global economy rise and fall with the price of oil. He then moves on to the topic of energy security -- how hurricanes, crisis in the Persian Gulf, heatwaves, earthquakes and unexpected technical failures can have cascading social consequences.


    The Quest then branches out beyond oil -- providing a history of the modern electrical system and a survey of some of the major choices confronting policymakers and industry leaders today. Its analysis of nuclear power is timely -- especially in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.


    Understanding oil and the world of electricity is essential for understanding the second half of the book -- which focuses on climate change and renewable energy. Yergin's Quest offers an illuminating history of the science and of climate change and the policy reaction to climate change. The story commingles a familiar cast of characters (Margret Thatcher, Al Gore, Dwight D. Eisenhower) with a less well known group of scientists, policy entrepreneurs, eccentrics and environmental leaders.


    Finally, The Quest chronicles the "mini-histories" of emerging energy fields -- wind power, solar electricity, etc. He shows how they are changing the economics, geopolitics, and carbon profile of our energy system. Each vignette has a hint of the drama that Yergin brought to the oil sector in his Pulitzer Prize winning volume The Prize.


    There are two areas that bothered me about The Quest. First, it is very long. Fortunately, one does not have to read The Quest serially to enjoy its individual sections. Second, Yergin is reluctant to take the energy industry to task for its intransigence and irresponsibility on environmental issues. (For a biting critique of the energy industry see Naomi Oreskes "Merchants of Doubt." A more measured book is Spencer Weart's excellent volume "The Discovery of Global Warming.")


    Despite these shortcomings, The Quest is an unparalleled resource for understanding the modern energy world. Given its scope, it is actually a fairly concise introduction to our energy future.

    8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 7, 2011

    A must read...

    Rarely do I write reviews of books I read, movies I watch, restaurants I eat at, etc. Although I occasionally read reviews prior to purchasing, I felt the need to post one for this book. The professional reviews I read were all good so I thought I should give it a read. The book did not disappoint. My background is not in the energy industry but I understand that in the world we live in is changing and that there are 3 cornerstones to that change: energy, security, and innovation. Dan Yergin writes about all three in such an easy-to-read way that I found myself turning page after page (full disclosure: I would not categorize myself as an avid or fast reader). So I would say for the average person, this is a must read.

    I was assigned to read "The Prize" about 5 years ago and was blown away. Not the dull, boring, history lesson one would expect. Yergin's writing style and deep/respected knowledge of the oil and energy industry allows the average reader such as myself to learn and absorb through the stories he tells. The Quest is no different. A must read if you are interested in learning how we got here and where the world is going.

    2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 1, 2011

    Very informative

    We just know that oil makes the world go round, value of money crash and the nations warring with each other. However, in this book we shall see the significance of its history, where it began and its alternatives. A very informative book for adults.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 16, 2012

    A Must Read Book

    The best way to learn the history and probable future of energy for the population of the world and how it will impact all of us.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted January 26, 2012

    I Also Recommend:

    Sustainable Energy - Without the Hot Air
    The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power
    Power to Save the World: The Truth About Nuclear Energy
    The Wind Farm Scam: An Ecologist's Evaluation
    Smart Solutions to Climate Change: Comparing Costs and Benefits

    Comprehensive study of energy

    This remarkable book covers the whole subject of energy, its history, science, economics and politics. Yergin examines oil, coal, gas (both conventional and unconventional), nuclear power, climate change, the electric age, new energies, and roads to the future. He notes, “In a carbon-conscious world, nuclear power’s great advantages are not only the traditional ones of fuel diversification and self-sufficiency. It is also the only large-scale, well-established, broadly deployable source of electric generation currently available that is carbon free.” US nuclear plants require a licence from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to operate. These licences were originally granted for 40 years. In 1995 the end of the 40 years was coming into view for many plants. Without extensions, US nuclear supply would have shut down. In the mid-1980s, the USA’s nuclear plants worked at only about 55 per cent of their capacity. Now they work at more than 90 per cent of capacity. Yergin points out, “The operating record of the nuclear industry had clearly improved, and substantially so. In fact, companies were coming to the commission to request permission for power upgrades, above what had been their maximum output, because of their increased efficiency. In support of license extension, the NRC launched a crucial new initiative to update the safety system that governed the industry, using new tools and capabilities.” So the Commission extended licences for another 20 years. Germany’s nuclear plants supply a quarter of its electricity. In 2010 a new law extended their life by another 12 years. By contrast, here in Britain, the EU Large Combustion Plant Directive will force the closure of 9.8 gigawatts of oil- and coal-fired generation – 12 per cent of our total capacity - by the end of 2013. The fourth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, issued in 2007, said that the Himalayas’ glaciers, including the Gangroti which feeds the river Ganges, would vanish by 2035, ‘if not sooner’. By contrast, India’s Environment Ministry said that the Gangroti was ‘practically at a standstill’. It turned out that the 2035 date was from a 1999 phone interview with a scientist who later denied ever giving any date! In 1979 President Carter forecast that 20 per cent of US energy would come from solar power by 2000. But by 2010, renewables accounted for just 8 per cent of US energy supply: 1.5 per cent from solar and wind, 6.5 per cent from hydropower and biomass. The fifth fuel is often said to be energy efficiency. A fine example is Japan’s 1998 Top Runner programme which finds the most efficient appliance of its kind, then requires that all such appliances exceed the efficiency of that ‘Top Runner’ by a specified date – as a result, TV sets, for example, improved by 26 per cent between 1997 and 2003. It is not always possible to be self-sufficient economically, particularly for energy sources, but it is possible to be independent, that is, as self-reliant as possible, dependent on no one supplier, by using a diversified range of sources - oil, gas, coal, renewables and nuclear. To rebuild Britain, we need more R&D, consistent, long-term thinking planning and investment, and security and sustainability of energy.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 20, 2011

    Long winded but good

    The book is good not necessarily groundbreaking but good with a lot of info in it, almost too much. I'd recommend it with 4 stars but do think there are a lot of excess words for something that could have been made in point in a lot less. There are parts that are just cumbersome. Still worth it.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted September 28, 2011

    not much

    I did not like the book that much maybe because the plot is kind of confusing and some of the characters were not that interesting.

    0 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 2, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted April 12, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 7, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 26, 2011

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 5, 2012

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 2, 2013

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 13 Customer Reviews
If you find inappropriate content, please report it to Barnes & Noble
Why is this product inappropriate?
Comments (optional)