Mr. Yergin talked about his book The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money and Power, published by Touchstone Books, about the history of the oil industry and its influence on world politics and economy. His research for the book included over sixty interviews with leading figures in the oil industry, oral histories, and governmental publications. Mr. Yergin named George Bissell as the father of the oil industry for first conceiving the idea of drilling for oil. Mr. Yergin also speculated on the future of U.S. oil reserves and the oil industry in general. He examined American oil production and consumption and predicted future oil dependence. He also related the Persian Gulf war to the oil power base of the Middle East.