T. Boone PickensReseñas

Pickens, Boone (Subject)

The life and many restarts of T. Boone Pickens will hopefully give anyone hope that it's never to late to start over. At 80 years old, he is still starting new projects and enterprises that may not even reach fruition during his lifetime, but he does it because he wants to see it happen, and because it's something that needs to happen.

Starting as a geologist for big oil, Pickens became an oil expert. He made his fortune being able to predict trends and follow it up with innovative ideas. Unlike most men in his position, he freely admits that our dependence on oil is devastating unless we do something yesterday, and he's got some ideas in the works. Early on, he was a proponent for natural gas use for transportation instead of energy production, his argument is quite compelling. More recently, he's seen the necessity of water reserves and wind power.

Along with a very interesting life, Pickens writes out what his proposed energy plan for our future looks like. This is where his genius shines through, not because he has a perfect plan, because he's the first to admit it has flaws, but because he is the only one who says "money be damned, let's secure our future." Since he's not in anyone's pocket, he can speak frankly without repercussions, and he's proven himself right enough times that he is a man worth paying attention to.

Wow. Seriously. Pickens is brilliant. He really knows how to make money. And is *reall* detached from regular folks it seems. He talks about having holes in his socks because he is frugal, but he flys his private jet around to make sure he doesn't miss his alma mater's football games.... go figure. More power to him I guess.

There isn't really a ton for any of us to learn from this book I don't think. However, it is a fascinating look into high finance and wealth.

It is also a must read because of his insider insights into the energy problems our country will be facing in the next decades. He pushes the technologies that he is invested in (understandably), but he makes a convincing case for the 'energy war.' He believes that or recent wars are all oil wars and that our president has a case for declaring war on our energy problems. He says that executive powers would be necessary to move us into alternative energy fast enough to save our status as a super power.

Definitely something to consider coming from a man who made billions in oil.