Energy in world history

α - Bill Gates' review

omega - Well this changed how I viewed history forever...

useful reference for construction, transportation, weapon tech, etc.
I bet this book could be condensed into several well constructed graphics.

The history of civilization as viewed through the lens of energy use. From the animate sources of man and animal to inanimate fossil fuels and renewable energies.

Ultimately, the book shows how the availability and use of energy forms a framework within which the development of civilization can occur, but doesn't necessarily drive how it develops within that framework.