John Sidoriak Knihy

'Fascinating revelations' Max Hastings, Sunday Times'Wonderfully detailed and colourful' Steven Poole, Daily Telegraph'The book I have long been waiting for... Essential reading' Michael KlarePetroleum has always been used by as an adhesive by Neanderthals, as a waterproofing agent in Noah's Ark and as a weapon during the Crusades. Its eventual extraction from the earth in vast quantities transformed light, heat and power. A Pipeline Runs Through It is a fresh, comprehensive in-depth look at the social, economic, political and geopolitical forces involved in our transition to the modern oil age. It tells an extraordinary origin story, from the pre-industrial history of petroleum through to large-scale production in the mid-nineteenth century and the development of a dominant, fully-fledged oil industry by the early twentieth century.This was always a story of imperialist violence, political disenfranchisement, economic exploitation and environmental destruction. The near total eradication of the Native Americans of New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio has barely been mentioned as a precondition for the emergence of the first industrialised oil region in the United States. Britain's invasion of Upper Burma in 1885 was perhaps the first war fought, at least in part, for access to oil; the growth of Royal Dutch-Shell involved the genocidal subjugation of people of the Dutch East Indies and the exploitation of oil in the Middle East arose seamlessly out of Britain's prior political and military interventions in the region.Finally, in an entirely new analysis, the book shows how the British navy's increasingly desperate dependence on vulnerable foreign sources of oil may have been a catalytic ingredient in the outbreak of the First World War. The rise of oil has shaped the modern world, and this is the book to understand it.

Birmingham people can be found all over the world. The majority stay at home and live in the area where they were born. Some venture to London or other parts of England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. The more adventurous go to English-speaking countries such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. Some go to Europe but they still have easy and quick access to home. Even in English-speaking countries, there are many differences to their lives in Birmingham. The Brummie accent can cause problems and be the source of mirth. Many Brummies can accept the new way of life, but some get homesick and return to Birmingham. These stories are of Birmingham people who lived and worked outside England. They settled in Canada, possibly one of the easiest countries for English people to adapt to the way of life. These stories are fictional but they come from my experience, having travelled extensively in Canada.

Birmingham people can be found all over the world. The majority stay at home and live in the area where they were born. Some venture to London or other parts of England, Scotland, Ireland or Wales. The more adventurous go to English speaking countries and some to non-English speaking countries. Industrial Birmingham during and after Victorian times was a tough hard working city. Birmingham people generally speak with an accent and there were many accent and dialects in and around Birmingham particularly in the Black Country. Sometimes these dialects could be useful. These are stories of fiction but come from some of my life's experiences and knowledge.

The stories are fictional but there are small incidents that come from my experience, having travelled in Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Two young men from Birmingham leave England, individually, to pursue their lives elsewhere in the world; one before the outbreak of World War II, the other in the aftermath. The two separate stories follow 'Ari and Jeff through their life's journeys, encompassing their highs and joys, alongside the less-than-happy times. Offering a vivid and entertaining travelogue embracing the sights and sounds of Africa and New Zealand, the author draws you into the very personal worlds of two ordinary men who each live extraordinary lives.

Expats in Nigeria is an unusual collection of short stories inspired by Keith Fisher's experiences when living and working in Africa during the 1970s and 1980s. He introduces us to many colourful characters and recounts events that are both touching and humorous and which give us a taste of post-colonial Nigeria.This collection is an important glimpse into the social history of the British in Nigeria during those years, and we learn a great deal through Keith's telling of the anecdotes and real-life stories of the people who lived there.Keith developed his interest in short stories having listened to his Uncle Percy, who was a great storyteller.

The stories in this book all take place during a time of upheaval in the country. Independence from the British has happened, but the influence left behind by colonialism is still very much in evidence in the period before the Sudan divides in two. These British expats are in the country for various reasons, some prompted by a desire to visit Africa, others because they want to get away from home. They have different jobs, working for the university, an aid agency or in business, but they are all connected. They are linked by the Sudan Club, the remains of the British colonialist clubs and still the centre of the expat community, to which they are all drawn, and by their experiences of the changes that come with the introduction of Sharia law and the unrest of the divided country.