Internal Combustion is a compelling tale of the intrigue and manipulation that has led the world to an avoidable oil addiction that can be ended today. Using thousands of previously uncovered documents, Edwin Black traces energy cartels and special interests back nearly 5,000 years, from the little-known efforts of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford to mass-produce electric cars; through the oil-lobby's killing of synthetic fuels and other alternatives, to the present day oil crisis and beyond. Black showcases overlooked alternatives that could eliminate oil usage, and he offers an energized plan to kick our oil habit.Internal Combustion has already contributed to a much-needed national debate at a crucial time. It aims to change everything, not by reinventing the wheel, but by excavating it from where it was buried a century ago.