Book · 2017 · Science
Energy
A Beginner's Guide
- mentions
- 2
- people
- 2
- podcasts
- 2
- episodes
- 2
- recommendations
- 0
I was reaching over to my bookshelf to grab this book because i feel like you must be one of the few people who has read the energy in civilization.
The best things said about it
I just finished this book "Energy and Civilization," this like Vaclav Smil's, like this super dense tome about sort of the progression of different energy systems in human civilization.
Alex Honnold The Rich Roll Podcast · Mar 2021 Why people recommend it
Energy by Vaclav Smil is a sweeping, highly detailed examination of how energy systems have evolved alongside human civilization, charting power sources from ancient biomass to modern industrial grids. On This Week in Startups, Molly Wood reached for her bookshelf to mention the tome while asking Shayle Kann about his reading habits concerning energy matters. Kann responded that he had only managed to read part of the book, characterizing it as a dense and challenging read. Similarly, on The Rich Roll Podcast, endurance athlete Alex Honnold shared that he had just finished reading Smil's comprehensive work while on a trip to Guyana, noting that the text provided deep context on the historical progression of human energy infrastructure. Across both podcasts, the book is portrayed as an authoritative yet formidable resource that demands substantial intellectual commitment from its readers. The commentators underscored its value for anyone seeking a rigorous, macro-level perspective on the technological and historical drivers of global energy consumption.
Every mention
Alex Honnold I just finished this book "Energy and Civilization," this like Vaclav Smil's, like this super dense tome ab… 1
“I just finished this book "Energy and Civilization," this like Vaclav Smil's, like this super dense tome about sort of the progression of different energy systems in human civilization.”
Molly Wood i was reaching over to my bookshelf to grab this book because i feel like you must be one of the few people… 1
“i was reaching over to my bookshelf to grab this book because i feel like you must be one of the few people who has read the energy in civilization”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“and then now I've you know having a blast energy and civilization is the book that Molly Molly held up and you know so for those those leadership teams they're not used to transitions”