The Oil Crisis of 1973-1974: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History & Culture) [Paperback]

Karen R. Merrill (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312409222 | ISBN-13: 978-0312409227 | Publication Date: February 22, 2007 | Edition: First Edition

In a year that saw both the formal end to the Vietnam War and the unfolding of the Watergate scandal, the oil crisis of 1973-1974 dealt a critical blow to the American psyche. After decades of wealth and prosperity, stagflation and gas shortages hit Americans in their own pockets. They faced hard questions about a national culture of consumption that had ravaged the environment and left the U.S. dangerously dependent on foreign oil -- and at the mercy of nations who could and would use oil as a political weapon. Karen Merrill offers a thorough examination of this watershed event with a collection of primary sources ranging from industry and government memos to contemporary news coverage and political cartoons. Her introduction provides historical perspective on U.S.-Middle East relations, as well as insights into oil's role in shepherding in a new era of environmental awareness within the American consumer culture. Useful pedagogical tools include questions for consideration, a chronology of events, and a bibliographic essay.

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About the Author

KAREN R. MERRILL (Ph.D., University of Michigan) is associate professor of history at Williams College, where she also serves as director of the Center for Environmental Studies. Professor Merrill has long had an interest in the political history of natural resources in the United States, and in 2002 she published Public Lands and Political Meaning: Ranchers, the Government, and the Property between Them, which won the Robert G. Athearn Book Award from the Western History Association. She is also the editor of The Modern Worlds of Business and Industry: Culture, Technology, Labor (1998). Having written widely on the history of the American West, she is currently working on a collection of essays about the significance of western oilmen in national and international politics during the twentieth century.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Bedford/St. Martin's; First Edition edition (February 22, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312409222
• ISBN-13: 978-0312409227
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #70,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Oil & Energy

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0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars meh, November 26, 2010

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This review is from: The Oil Crisis of 1973-1974: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History & Culture) (Paperback)

this book, while full of relevant information on the time period, did not cover many personal experiences at all. Also, their are not references to art of the time or entertainment, which directly reflects the news and feelings of the time! the book simply ends with no closure and offers only one political view, which appears mostly leftist. There is a series of questions in the back, i believe, and a timeline, which are great! they were my favorite parts of the book. Merrill comes with her credentials, but this book is EXTREMELY brief. This would be great in addition to another text on the time period, a more complete text that is.

Good luck with this read and any assignment attached to it :}