Blood of the Earth

Dilip Hiro
January 2007     ISBN: 1560255447

This vivid history of oil--and the way it revolutionized civilian life, war, and world politics--sets the stage for the coming oil wars of the 21st Century.

When the Great Powers switched from coal to oil to run their navies just before World War I, it heralded a change in global politics comparable to the introduction of gunpowder in 1040. Oil became the chief strategic weapon of war. The victors' conclusion that oil--the "blood of the earth"--proved to be the "blood of victory" in that war has applied to all major conflagrations since.

With petroleum becoming an indispensable part of modern life--from fertilizers and gasoline to plastics, polyethylene, and pharmaceuticals--it has emerged as the prized commodity for which wars are fought.

"Deeply informed."
--Noam Chomsky

"Dilip Hiro is the quintessential non-aligned journalist. He is the master chronicler of some of history's most epic battles. He is the master chronicler of some of history's most epic battles. The victors may think they write history, but Dilip Hiro has managed to crash their party with every book he produces."
--Jeremy Scahill, author, Blackwater

"Blood of the Earth is the best basic text on energy, and compulsory reading for all of us interested in India's long-term security interests."
--Talmiz Ahmad, India's ambassador to the UAE, in Outlook India magazine

Dilip Hiro writes regularly for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Observer, Sunday Telegraph, Guardian, and The Nation. His 28 books include The Iranian Labyrinth, Secrets and Lies: Operation "Iraqi Freedom" and After, and The Essential Middle East: A Comprehensive Guide.