We’ve paired Energy at the Crossroads: Global Perspectives and Uncertainties by Vaclav Smil with Sustainable Energy: Choosing Among Options by Jefferson W. Tester, Elisabeth M. Drake, Michael J. Driscoll, Michael W. Golay, and William A. Peters for day 43 of our 50th anniversary series.
Daniel M. Kammen reviewed Energy at the Crossroads in the December 12, 2003 issue of Science. Here’s an excerpt from the review:
“Energy at the Crossroads, his 18th book, is an informative and often personal account of our collective energy history, which draws on Smil’s experience to put many of the trends in energy production and economics into perspective.
Smil starts by examining trends in both the supply mix and energy consumption over the last century. He provides a captivating account of the growth of the hydrocarbon economy and foreshadows his main theme of the need, yet difficulty, of altering this carbon-rich energy diet. He surveys coal, oil, and gas supplies as well as the reserves of hydrocarbon resources that are currently (although perhaps only temporarily) seen as ‘noneconomic.’”
“At last, sustainable energy can be taught from a single textbook—one that is balanced, worldly, comprehensive, and challenging. Watch out, teachers! Science and engineering students are going to demand courses that use this book.”
—Robert Socolow, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University
Our 50 influential journal articles are listed here. The articles are in chronological order and will be freely available through the end of 2012.
For information about the MIT Press’ history, check out our 50th anniversary page.