“Back to School” Reading List

We have a lot going on this week, so here is a
short post this morning on some suggested reading for the “Back to School”
season. Enjoy!

The Quest: Energy,
Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World by Daniel Yergin (2011)

For you energy enthusiasts, Daniel Yergin – acclaimed author
of The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil,
Money & Power – continues the story in his new book, The
Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World. I
haven’t read it yet, but I’m told Yergin dives into the world of renewable
energy, taking on the task of investigating biofuels, wind and solar energy and
the implications that these alternative energy technologies may have on the
future energy landscape.

Water: Asia’s New
Battleground by Brahma Chellaney (2011)

I’m still reading this book, but Water:
Asia’s New Battleground is a must read for security-types. Author and
renowned Indian strategist Brahma Chellaney explores the world of water and
security across the vast expanse of Asia – from the Middle East to Southeast
Asia. So far it’s a compelling read that demonstrates how water is shaping the
geopolitical balance in a region of the world that is experiencing critical
economic and social inflection points.  

Forecast: The
Consequences of Climate Change, from the Amazon to the Arctic, from Darfur to
Napa Valley by Stephan Faris (2008)

An oldie but a goodie: Stephan Faris’s Forecast:
The Consequences of Climate Change, from the Amazon to the Arctic, from Darfur
to Napa Valley still tops my
list of must-read climate change and security books. I reviewed
the book here on the blog last December. What I particularly enjoy about Forecast is that Faris demonstrates that climate change poses not
just challenges for developing countries, but developed countries as well. He
points to Napa Valley and the Florida Keys as two areas in particular here in
the United States that are already feeling the economic implications of climate
change.