The Extraction State: A History of Natural Gas in America

Charles Blanchard's "The Extraction State: A History of Natural Gas in America" is a unique, informative and entertaining book on an often overlooked, but critical, aspect of American history and economic development. The book has a nice mix of historical narratives and antidotes, along with detailed political, economic, and policy analysis and natural gas' place in the American energy mix and economy has evolved. I highly recommend this book, well done!

It is rare to find a well-written, comprehensive history of any industry. The Extraction State is an excellent survey of the history of natural gas and how it came to be. The author covers the competition with coal, coke, and oil, and how those products relate to each other. Best of all, the book is unusually well-written, engaging and entertaining the reader along the way. A real winner!

As the only book that I've been able to find on the history of natural gas, this will be a fascinating read for anyone interested in understanding our current energy landscape and how we got here. However, this is not just a dry chronicle that will only appeal to people with a niche interest. The author, through the use of interesting anecdotes and a light-hearted narrative tone, bring the characters in this story to life. This makes for an entertaining read even for those with the most casual interest in history. Highly recommend!

An excellent history of the evolution of natural gas in the US. A surprisingly entertaining book.

As someone working in the industry, i found this book to be very well researched, illuminating, and sometimes funny. Would highly recommend for anyone interested in the history of infrastructure in the US.

Blanchard is a wonderful storyteller. His first novel beautifully details the rich history of natural gas in the USA. A good read for anyone working in commodities or those simply interested in the history of the United States. His book sent me down many related "rabbit holes" to further read into the history affecting energy in this great country. Efficient energy production is critically important to any nation (see what is happening over in Europe) and it is fascinating to read how this all came to be in the greatest industrial superpower known to mankind. Blanchard's humor is a great complement to the subject at hand.