How did the discovery and exploitation of oil reserves in the Middle East fundamentally alter global geopolitics and the balance of power between 1890 and 1973? Leonard Mosley, a seasoned biographer and investigative journalist, utilizes extensive archival research and interviews with key industry figures to document the rise of the oil cartels. He presents a framework that tracks the transition from colonial-era concessions to the assertion of national sovereignty by oil-producing states, illustrating the interplay between corporate interests and government policy.

Experts recognize this work as a comprehensive historical account of the early oil industry's influence on international relations. Readers frequently note the dense, detail-oriented prose that provides a clear timeline of the complex negotiations defining the era.