This concise accessible introduction to the history of oil tells the story of how petroleum has shaped human life since it was first discovered oozing inconspicuously from the soil. For a century human dependence on petroleum caused little discomfort as we enjoyed the heyday of cheap crudea glorious episode of energy gluttony that was destined to end. Today we see the disastrous results in environmental degradation political instability and world economic disparity in the waning years of a petr