Vaclav Smil reveals everything there is to know about nature's most sought-after resource 'There is no author whose books I look forward to more than Vaclav Smil.' Bill Gates Oil. Without it there are no planes, no plastics, no petrol. It has started and ended wars. It is the lifeblood of the modern world - and the leading cause of climate change. As humanity faces a reckoning with its dependence upon oil, Vaclav Smil explores the contentious history - and future - of the 'black stuff', from ancient origins to the political and economic shockwaves it has triggered. Informative and thought-provoking, this is an essential guide to one of Earth's most valuable and consequential commodities.