You might expect this to be a typical "the sky is falling" type book. Its not. Its very well reasoned, researched, has a broad view of history and states reasonable conclusions without too tight timelines. Very good education!!

frightening

This book was certainly no letdown from past Stephen Leeb books. There are many insightful and very realistic views of the possibilities of not just the United States, but the world as a whole, when the oil crunch really begins to hit hard. More than investment advice as his past books lean toward, this books seems to be almost an outcry for action to prevent a series of unfortunate events as a result of the greatest problem our civilization will have to face--the coming energy crisis.

It does a good job of explaining in simple terms what the problem of "peak oil" is and why it will happen. It then goes on to predict it will happen before the end of this decade...

This book made me a lot of money... but I think by accident.

I have learned that we live in a time of crisis with an energy war. It appears that the war started in the early 70's even before the Carter Administration.

Exellent and objective analysis of energy economics from 2005 (published in 2006), which have proven to be disturbingly accurate. Criticisms of this book, based on the investment advice it gives, are overdone, as investment strategies comprise very little of the book, itself. The book is more about the social and economic consequences of a high global demand for oil and an oil supply that is declining.

This book was written in 2006, and the author had tremendous insight into what we are seeing in the economy today - 2008. Oil was less than $50 per barrel, and the author, contrary to government or other experts, was predicting oil to go well over $100 per barrel. In fact, the sub-title of the book is "How you Can Thrive When Oil Costs $200 a Barrel." Seems like this is very likely now, given the basic laws of supply (declinein goil supply) and demand (China, India, etc.). The author also outlines how and why the real estate market might collapse - which we are now in the midst of.

The book provides insights beyond the economy and investing. The author discusses the decline of past civilizations, groupthink and how our world might change if oil or an alternative energy supply is not available. "We will be compelled by circumstances ... to conduct the activities of daily life on a smaller scale ... the downscaling of America .. the complexity of human enterprise will also decline in all fields ...." He suggests that we all may be forced to live more simply as the Amish live.

It may be a little late to take advanatge of some of the investing insight (recommendations)in the book, but it still provides valuable insight - on several fronts.

A book about the coming energy crisis. His main prediction, $200/barrel of oil in 2010, did not come true. One of the more entertaining, wrong books I have read.

April 2010
This s a pathetically bad book.

The author has a hysterical style of writing. Mr. Chicken little.

The author thinks the next decade will be a near perfect repeat of the 1970's, and what worked then will work in the next decade.
And what didn't work in the 70's will be a failure once again.

Myself, I believe in peak oil;
I have no doubt we'll see $10 a gallon gas before too many years.

But half the oil used in the US is used by transportation.
Most in personal driving around.
This isn't necessary for the economy to prosper.

When gas goes to $10, my bet is that people will use a lot less.
And get rid of the gas guzzlers they currently like.
And public transportation will be used a lot more.



The book was written in 2006, before the housing crisis.

Page 179, the author says: "we think real estate still has merit as an investment, just as it did in the 1970s.
The trigger that could pop the real estate bubble would be higher interest rates..."

Less than 2 years from meltdown and he didn't have a clue about
the rotten lending or the prime slime borrowers.

Gold did well in the 70's, so it's certain to do well in the next decade.

He has no imagination at all.
The future will be a simplistic repeat of the past.

This is based on the audio download from [www.Audible.com].

Narrated by: Brian Emerson

A thoughtful approach to the explanation as to why oil will be in short supply and how the world will react to it. According to the author, the coming oil crisis will not be a temporary blip like that of the 1970s...this one will be ongoing and life altering.

I particularly liked, this example highlighting the urgency for finding an new energy source. Think of a granary. Your neighbor owns it. You get all your food from them. You know that the silo is never able to be filled. More is going out than going in. You know they will run out at some point. Wouldn't you look for another source of food? Now imagine the neighbor does not like your family. Wouldn't looking for another source of food be a top priority? This put it in perspective for me.

As for how to make money in this crisis...well that's one man's opinion. I'm not an expert in investments but I'll be monitoring his choices.

Wish I had read this two years ago. It is scary how on the money this guy was. Hopefully that changes real soon.