The Prize

Summary

A panoramic history of petroleum, tracing the industry from its 19th-century origins through the rise of the Seven Sisters, the OPEC era, and the Gulf War. Yergin shows how oil reshaped national economies, drove geopolitical realignments, and underwrote the modern way of life, drawing on corporate archives and interviews with executives and statesmen. Released as the first Gulf War unfolded, it became an essential guide for readers trying to understand energy and power in the 20th century.