Crude World: The Violent Twilight of Oil Hardback - 2009

Summary

Media reviews

“Peter Maass takes a fascinating, nightmarish journey to the far end of the pipeline. If you want to know the true cost of America's oil addiction—and if even you don't—you should read this book.”
           -Elizabeth Kolbert
 
“With the clarity of a hard-boiled investigator and the grace of a fine writer, Peter Maass reveals how oil has cursed the countries that possess it, corrupted those who want it, and wrought havoc on a world addicted to it.  Brilliant and compelling.”
            -Robert B. Reich
 
“Crude World gets its energy from Peter Maass’s exhaustive investigation and first-hand experience and results in an illuminating narrative of the true impact of the global dependence on oil. His engaging historic perspective brings clarity to what should come next.  This book is essential reading for these times and for anyone interested in making the right decisions about our energy future."
            -Robert Redford
 
“Getting off oil is a great idea for a lot of reasons, like saving the planet's climate. But Peter Maass gives us another set of bonuses. If you think drug dealing is a dirty business, then meet the biggest drug of all.”
           -Bill McKibben
 
“Impressively well informed . . . Maass is a keen observer, a fine storyteller and forceful writer, and his book is a readable gem for anyone seeking a primer on the history of oil and its geopolitical ramifications.”
            -Adam Lashinsky, San Francisco Chronicle
 
“Perpetually informative . . . Maass’s book is in a class by itself, as he constructs his relentless indictment on a foundation of first-rate reporting and superb writing.”
           -Steve Weinberg, USA Today
 
“Maass inserts himself into the story, teases out its human drama and does not shy from issuing a personal verdict. This can be tricky territory; not every first-person journalist emerges with his credibility intact. But Maass, whose judgments are always informed by the historical record, extensive interviews and time on the ground, pulls it off.”
            -Mark Sorkin, The Nation
 
“Riveting . . . What journalists like Maass do best is dig beneath all the nation-building plans, appeals to the national interest and professions of selflessness on the part of politicians and investors.”
            -Robert Vitalis, London Review of Books
 
“Unflinching . . . Engrossing . . . Equal parts Heart of Darkness and Mad Max.”
            -Charles Homans, Washington Monthly
 
“Powerfully written.”
            -Michael Hirsh, The New York Times Book Review
 
“A spare, engaging work of reporting.”
            -Robert D. Kaplan, The Wall Street Journal
 
“Bravely reported . . . Compelling.”
            -Carlo Wolff, The Boston Globe
 
“A lucid account that places readers in the big picture . . . [Peter Maass’s] truths are painful and unavoidable . . . Maass may . . . be a hero; he has written a very brave book.”
            -Dan Dervin, Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
 
“Maass is a disciplined reporter and crafts a fine tale. Crude World is a chilling read—excellent and informative along the way.”
            -Arthur Jones, Energy Metro Desk
 
“Sharp . . . Maass succeeds in portraying an energy crisis mostly ignored or misunderstood in the developed world.”
            -Michael Peel, Financial Times