The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and PowerThe Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power
Score Modern
What it's about
Daniel Yergin's history of oil, from the first well in Pennsylvania in 1859 through John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, the race for Middle Eastern oil, two world wars fought partly over fuel, the oil shocks of the 1970s and the Gulf War. It's the story of the wildcatters, tycoons, generals and statesmen who fought for the commodity that shaped the modern world.
Why it's worth reading
It's the definitive history of oil and won the Pulitzer Prize, and it explains a remarkable amount of twentieth-century history along the way. It reads like a series of thrilling stories.
You'll love it if you liked
The Making of the Atomic Bomb
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11Good to know
At over 900 pages it's a big commitment, and it ends in the early 1990s. Updated editions include an epilogue.
By the numbers
- Readers97 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics67 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller27 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #24 of the 198 history books we rank
- #74 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #141 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
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Quick answers
Is The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power worth reading?
Yes. It's the definitive history of oil and won the Pulitzer Prize, and it explains a remarkable amount of twentieth-century history along the way. It ranks #141 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 85.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power about?
Daniel Yergin's history of oil, from the first well in Pennsylvania in 1859 through John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil, the race for Middle Eastern oil, two world wars fought partly over fuel, the oil shocks of the 1970s and the Gulf War. It's the story of the wildcatters, tycoons, generals and statesmen who fought for the commodity that shaped the modern world.
How long does it take to read The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power?
About 22 hours (885 pages), or about 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What awards has The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power won?
Pulitzer Prize (General Nonfiction) winner (1992).
What should I read after The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power?
If you liked it, try The Making of the Atomic Bomb by Richard Rhodes, American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin or The Looming Tower: Al Qaeda and the Road to 9/11 by Lawrence Wright.