Although Africa has long been known to be rich in oil, extracting it hadn't seemed worth the effort and risk until recently.
Author(s): John Ghazvinian
352 Pages
Political Science, International Relations
Description
Book Synopsis
Although Africa has long been known to be rich in oil, extracting it hadn't seemed worth the effort and risk until recently. But as the geopolitics of oil shift, with the price of Middle Eastern crude skyrocketing and advancing technology making reserves easier to tap, the region has become the scene of a competition between major powers that recalls the nineteenth-century scramble for colonization there. But what does this giddy new oil boom mean--for American energy security, the world, and Africans themselves? John Ghazvinian traveled through twelve African countries--from Sudan to Congo to Angola--talking to warlords, industry executives, bandits, activists, priests, missionaries, oil-rig workers, scientists, and ordinary people whose lives have been transformed--not necessarily for the better--by the riches beneath their feet. The result is a high-octane work of narrative investigative journalism that reveals the challenges, obstacles, reasons for despair, and reasons for hope emerging from one of the world's energy hot spots.
This unflinching report from the front lines of the new oil rush reveals:
The Resource Curse: Why the discovery of black gold often leads to poverty, corruption, and conflict, transforming the lives of ordinary people for the worse.
The New Scramble for Africa: A firsthand look at the fierce competition between America, China, and Europe for control over Africa's untapped reserves.
Oil Politics: Candid interviews with a stunning range of players--from warlords and bandits to oil executives and activists--who are shaping the continent's future.
On-the-Ground Reporting: A gripping travelogue through twelve African nations, from the swamps of the Niger Delta to the gleaming corporate offices of the world's largest oil companies.
From the Back Cover
"Perceptive Untapped drills home the point ... that a thoughtful strategy to lift the neglected bottom billion must compete against the global oil giants going about their business -- and the one billion people in countries at the top, and the four billion in the middle, whose consumption habits stand behind these multinationals."--The New York Times With the price of Middle Eastern crude oil skyrocketing and advancing technology making reserves easier to tap, Africa a region long known to be rich in oil has become the scene of a competition between major powers that recalls the nineteenth-century scramble for colonization there. But what does this giddy new oil boom mean for America, for the world, for Africans themselves? To find out, John Ghazvinian traveled through twelve African countries from Sudan to Congo to Angola talking to warlords, industry executives, bandits, activists, priests, missionaries, oil-rig workers, scientists, and ordinary people whose lives have been transformed not necessarily for the better by the riches beneath their feet. The result is a high-octane narrative that reveals the challenges, obstacles, reasons for despair, and reasons for hope emerging from the world s newest energy hot spot. "Like the cars that might one day make the Western world a bit less reliant on crude oil, Untapped is a hybrid; part travelogue, part analysis and part lament. It is also well timed." The Economist "[A] deftly reported book ... "--GQJOHN GHAZVINIAN has a doctorate in history from Oxford. He has written for Newsweek, the Nation, Time Out New York, and other publications. Born in Iran and raised in London and Los Angeles, he currently lives in Philadelphia, where he teaches in the Critical Writing Program at the University of Pennsylvania. "
Review Quotes
PRAISE FOR UNTAPPED "[A] riveting account and superb analysis of what African oil means to a fuel-hungry world and to the African nations involved."--The Boston Globe "Perceptive . . . Untapped drills home the point . . . that a thoughtful strategy to lift the neglected bottom billion must compete against the global giants going about their business."--The New York Times
Dimensions (Overall): 8.05 Inches (H) x 5.4 Inches (W) x .89 Inches (D)
Weight: .8 Pounds
Suggested Age: 22 Years and Up
Number of Pages: 352
Genre: Political Science
Sub-Genre: International Relations
Publisher: Mariner Books
Theme: Trade & Tariffs
Format: Paperback
Author: John Ghazvinian
Language: English
Street Date: April 14, 2008
TCIN: 90028763
UPC: 9780156033725
Item Number (DPCI): 247-04-4885
Origin: Made in the USA or Imported
If the item details aren’t accurate or complete, we want to know about it.
Shipping details
Estimated ship dimensions: 0.89 inches length x 5.4 inches width x 8.05 inches height
Estimated ship weight: 0.8 pounds
We regret that this item cannot be shipped to PO Boxes.
This item cannot be shipped to the following locations: American Samoa (see also separate entry under AS), Guam (see also separate entry under GU), Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico (see also separate entry under PR), United States Minor Outlying Islands, Virgin Islands, U.S., APO/FPO, Alaska, Hawaii
Return details
This item can be returned to any Target store or Target.com.
This item must be returned within 90 days of the date it was purchased in store, delivered to the guest, delivered by a Shipt shopper, or picked up by the guest.