Vaclav Smil's new book is extensively researched, clearly written, and utterly sad.
Bryan Alexander's review of How the World Really Works
4/5: This is a gripping and intense book, one which will leave most readers more knowledgeable and less happy. How the World Really Works has one clear point to make: that transitioning the world away from fossil fuels is much, much harder than it seems. To make this case Smil presents a torrent of research and calculations on a planet-wide range of issues, from how to fix nitrogen to the amount of oxygen available to humanity. Clearly organized and written, Smil hammers this point home relentlessly. Complete decarbonization of the global economy by 2050 is now conceivable only at the cost of u...
