show cause and effect, or even for that matter correlation. It's just stated as fact. In discussing a decades old wager between Ehrlich and economist Julian Simon, Rubin acknowledges that Ehrlich's 1960s projection of widespread famine and resource scarcity in the face of increasing population lost out to Simon's prediction of adaptability, innovation and declining resource prices. Rubin's book assumes the very adaptability and innovation that proved Ehrlich wrong are now at their limits, and that growth will cease - a very, very tall assumption. As the former chief economist for a major bank, Rubin is used to delivering both detailed analyses to sophisticated captains of industry and mass market messages to the bank's' rank and file customers. This book is aimed squarely at the mass market. It deserves the undoubtedly wide readership it will garner, though unfortunately what makes the book so accessible - its lack of hard data - is also its major weakness. A thought provoking, optimistic, and very readable book. If you have an interest in energy, finance, geopolitics and you followed the news in the last 5 years, I would say that you already know about 85 % of the content of the book. What is more appealing in this book is that all facts and events are united to give an overview of the actual situation (with a possible overcome for the future). Overall, it's worth the reading and gives perspective to a complex matter. I really enjoyed his insight and how he placed