Favorite Books

Overview

America’s electrical grid—an engineering triumph of the twentieth century—is increasingly misaligned with twenty-first-century needs. As new energy sources scale, the grid often becomes the bottleneck. The book explores how culture, institutions, technology, and politics intersect in the ongoing transformation of electricity infrastructure.

About the Author

Gretchen Bakke holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Cultural Anthropology. Her research focuses on the chaos and creativity that emerges during social, cultural, and technological transitions. She has spent more than a decade studying the changing culture of electricity in the United States and is an assistant professor of anthropology at McGill University.

Overview

When blackouts happen, they may surprise customers—not insiders. This book argues that “near-misses” can be profitable under certain market structures, while fragility increases. It unpacks arcane rules and governance dynamics and proposes actions that can reinforce the grid that supports the economy and daily life.

About the Author

Meredith Angwin is a chemist who led projects to lower pollution and increase reliability on the electric grid, including nitrogen oxide control for gas turbines and corrosion control in geothermal and nuclear systems. She has participated in grid oversight and served on committees supporting consumer engagement with ISO-NE.

Overview

As demand grows, electricity remains difficult to supply reliably at scale. This book ties electrification to development outcomes—women’s rights, inequality, and climate challenges—through reporting across diverse regions, and examines system requirements for dependable power in a changing world.

About the Author

Robert Bryce is the author of multiple books on energy and innovation. His work has appeared in major publications and he has delivered hundreds of invited talks. He is also a documentary producer focused on electricity and society.

Overview

This narrative follows the unraveling of PG&E through catastrophic failures and legal/political fallout, connecting deregulation, incentives, infrastructure neglect, and the rising wildfire risk that now challenges utilities across the West.

About the Author

Katherine Blunt covers renewable energy and utilities for The Wall Street Journal. Her reporting on PG&E has received multiple honors and contributed to Pulitzer-finalist work. She is based in San Francisco.

Overview

The book argues for a coherent national modernization strategy that supports affordability, reliability, security, and sustainability. It reviews the history of electrification, evolving resource mixes, and the governance web that shapes infrastructure outcomes.

About the Author

Mason Willrich is an independent energy consultant with decades of leadership experience across the electric utility industry, independent power, academia, and government. He has authored multiple books on energy and policy.

Overview

Being an engineer today means being far more than an engineer. The book argues for socially responsible engineering at scale—integrating ecological thinking, intellectual property considerations, business context, and the social impact of technology.

About the Authors

David Douglas has held senior roles in cloud computing and sustainability leadership in the technology sector, focused on eco-responsible products and environmental initiatives.

Greg Papadopoulos served as CTO/EVP R&D at Sun Microsystems, with experience spanning scalable systems and technology leadership.

John Boutelle is a long-time freelance writer who has worked with and interviewed hundreds of engineers and executives across diverse global enterprises.

This toolkit describes how extractive projects can support community development and provides 20 practical tools usable from exploration through closure and post-closure.

Overview

A practical manifesto reframing corporate engagement with society, drawing on leadership experience and research into how connected leadership can improve long-term performance.

About the Authors

John Browne served as chief executive of BP (1995–2007). Robin Nuttall is a former McKinsey principal. Tommy Stadlen is a technology entrepreneur and former consultant.

Overview

Introduces Environmental and Economic Sustainability Assessment (EESA), integrating life-cycle analysis, risk assessment, cost-benefit analysis, and sensitivity analysis to support rational sustainability decisions.

About the Author

Paul E. Hardisty is an environmental scientist and author with global experience across industries and environmental challenges.

Overview

A practical guide for managers operating in poor and politically unstable societies to analyze and improve company–community interactions so operations succeed and communities benefit.

Overview

An execution-focused roadmap for leaders to respond to environmental pressures while creating long-term growth through innovation, efficiency, and risk reduction.

Overview

Brings together interdisciplinary research on corporate citizenship and corporate responsibility, examining implications for firm theory, global governance, and public goods.

About the Editors

Andreas G. Scherer (University of Zurich) and Guido Palazzo (University of Lausanne) are scholars in business administration and business ethics.

Note

“How much energy does it take to make energy?” Uses published data and life-cycle assessment to chart energy intensities of various oils; free download (per source note).

Guidance for developing and implementing local content strategies across oil and gas projects.

Overview

Provides concrete tools for measuring and increasing social and environmental impacts using metrics and best practices that businesses can implement.

About the Authors

Marc J. Epstein is a scholar and practitioner in sustainability performance measurement and governance. Adriana Rejc Buhovac is an academic in strategic management and corporate sustainability.

Overview

Argues that the benefits of cheap, reliable energy are underweighted in public debate and that evaluating energy choices should focus on overall human well-being and resilience.

About the Author

Alex Epstein founded the Center for Industrial Progress and is a commentator on energy, ethics, and environmental philosophy.

Overview

Traces the Cognitive, Agricultural, and Scientific Revolutions and explores how shared myths, institutions, and technologies enabled large-scale cooperation and modern societies.

About the Author

Yuval Noah Harari is a historian and philosopher, author of multiple bestsellers, and cofounder of Sapienship.

Explores how partnerships are brokered in development contexts and what makes collaboration effective in complex stakeholder environments.

Overview

Explains seven sustainability strategies that can increase profits while reducing risk, supported by a simulator-style approach for executives to explore outcomes.

About the Author

Bob Willard is a former senior manager who focuses on corporate sustainability and the quantified business case for sustainability.

Overview

Builds the case that climate change is a systems problem tightly coupled to economic and political structures, and highlights movements pursuing alternatives.

About the Author

Naomi Klein is an award-winning journalist and author writing on climate, politics, and economic systems.

Overview

A follow-up to Cradle to Cradle, extending eco-effective design concepts into practical examples of products, buildings, and systems aimed at improving natural and social outcomes.

About the Authors

Michael Braungart is a scientist and founder of EPEA. William McDonough is an architect and leader in sustainable development and design.

Overview

A broad introduction to sustainable development theory and practice, updated with SDG coverage and case studies spanning global-to-local contexts.

Often referenced as the “Green Book” policy guidance to augment the EPA’s “Red Book” on risk management (per source note).

Recommends that EPA adopt a sustainability paradigm considering environmental, social, and economic impacts (with health explicitly included), plus principles to underlie policies and programs.

Good-practice guidance for designing and managing strategic community investment programs in emerging-market contexts.