--- product_id: 129146778 title: "Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth" price: "€ 23.51" currency: EUR in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.hr/products/129146778-blowout-corrupted-democracy-rogue-state-russia-and-the-richest-most store_origin: HR region: Croatia --- # Ranked #32 in Russian History Meticulously researched investigative journalism 4.8/5 star rating from 10,421 readers Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth **Price:** € 23.51 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Summary > 📖 Unlock the secrets behind the world’s most destructive industry — before everyone else does! ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth - **How much does it cost?** € 23.51 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.hr](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/129146778-blowout-corrupted-democracy-rogue-state-russia-and-the-richest-most) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Key Features - • **Top-Ranked Insight:** Join thousands who rated this a must-read in political corruption and Russian history. - • **Narrative That Hooks:** Rachel Maddow’s storytelling makes complex issues gripping and accessible. - • **Eye-Opening Revelations:** Discover the hidden environmental and political costs of the oil & gas industry. - • **Unmasking Power Dynamics:** Dive deep into the corrupt nexus of oil, politics, and global influence. - • **Essential for Thought Leaders:** Equip yourself with knowledge shaping today’s geopolitical and environmental debates. ## Overview Blowout by Rachel Maddow is a critically acclaimed, bestselling investigative book exposing the corrupt influence of the oil and gas industry on global politics, especially Russia’s rogue state tactics. With a 4.8-star rating from over 10,000 readers, it combines meticulous research and compelling storytelling to reveal the environmental, political, and economic consequences of fossil fuel dominance. ## Description desertcart.com: Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth: 9780525575474: Maddow, Rachel: Books Review: A brilliant deep dive into the geopolitics of the fossil fuel companies - a wake up call to action! - This is for sure some of Rachel Maddow's best work. And that's saying something given her prior achievements in relationship to ‘deep-dive’ journalism. It should be required reading for anybody who wants to understand how we got on the near precipice of the staggering environmental catastrophe known as ‘global warming’ and now increasingly referred to with that other euphemism - ’climate change’. The book is riveting, charming, infuriating, and brilliant in its depiction of the co-option of many governments, particularly our own, in the breakneck sociopathic/utilitarian exploitation of natural resources, in the service of unlimited fossil fuels, long-term environmental consequences be damned. All skillfully rationalized (jobs, energy independence, 'progress,' etc.) And yet I have to say, despite my enormous respect for this book, it comes up short framing the bigger picture of how something this catastrophic might really have happened. Standing back a goodly distance, one has to say that one common denominator is that we find sociopaths or at least individuals with significant sociopathic features in leadership positions within both powerful global corporations and within many governments. Rachel's book is littered with them - they are the stars and cast of her story. They simply do not care about the consequences to others of their exploitation of the environment, do not care that they are sacrificing the long-term planetary health for short-term gain, and simply do not care in anything but the most token fashion about the world's citizens, especially the less fortunate and less privileged ones who will certainly bear the extremely punitive impacts of climate change in the intermediate term. Not only do they not care but I believe many of them are genuinely psychologically incapable of caring. On the other hand, they care greatly about money, and the acquisition and corrupt exercise of power. And that's the problem. What the hell are we doing? Rachel talks about how real democracy is the only answer to this – but it's worth remembering that our increasingly manipulated democracy just gave the reins of an aggrandized presidency to Donald Trump, perhaps our second clearly sociopathic president since WWII. But they are everywhere. That is the question which the book begs but does not ask explicitly: why do we so often put sociopaths in charge – not in one place but all over the place? Can't we see who they are? This is really the disturbing question that Rachel does not ask us clearly enough to ponder. Why do we find people like Trump, Putin, Duterte, Erdoğan and yes, paradigmatically Hitler, worthy of leadership and the public trust? How did Putin become the richest and most powerful man in the world running what is essentially a Mafia state with nuclear weapons, working to destabilize and undermine all the Western democracies? What is wrong with us, that as sheep that we repeatedly and willingly enable the most ruthless of wolves? Even a cursory review of our history forces a conclusion that this alarming trend of populist naïveté, and the serial give away of power to the sociopathic is nothing new. If anything, quite the opposite. We apparently have been suckers for a never-ending parade of sociopathic and narcissistic leaders who have charmed us, seduced us and demagogued us into giving them power for as long as we have had human history, often times by channeling populist fear and hatred for out groups and other all-too-convenient scapegoats. The worst forms of tribalism appear to be the best friends and core weaponry of the worst sociopathic leaders. While they don't care about the environment, or the masses they exploit, they do care deeply about money and power. And they are good at acquiring and keeping it - and getting more of it! But it's never enough, as nothing seems to fill a hidden emptiness. And yet this answer itself is also unsatisfying - and gets each of us off the hook. We have to confess that our own utilitarian attitude towards Nature, that the biosphere on this planet is just a pile of resources to exploit without concern, and not something that we have to shepherd and care for, this exploitive and utilitarian attitude has been the invisible partner and enabler of our sociopathic corporate and government leadership around the exploitation of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have powered the wonders of our technological civilization, but that has led us to a fundamental overconfidence. We have too much faith in technology – technology cannot fix everything, and it cannot replace a fatally damaged ecology. One thing is clear – we are running out of time in which to figure these things out, to save the good and even wondrous parts of our technological civilization. Rachel's brilliant book hopefully will motivate us to take desperately needed action . . . and soon, and to better see through the fog of lies by those with the sickest of motives. As she says, real democracy must win out, or it, and much of the biosphere, dies in a sixth mass extinction that already has a scary level of momentum. Review: Blowout: A Must Read for Thoughtful People - I have just finished the most astonishing book I have ever read in my 77 years, and I have read a lot of great ones! Rachel Maddow's newest book, Blowout (Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth) is a powerful, meticulously researched, and highly disturbing story of the devastation being caused by the corrupt practices of the world's major oil and gas companies, including our own.. I have to admit that I knew very little about this subject before reading this book, but Ms. Maddow writes in an easily readable style, and she brings the facts and the individuals involved to life in a most fascinating way. I couldn't put the book down. Her vivid descriptions of the terrible effects on people, animals, climate, and the environment (think multiple earthquakes!) caused by fracking and horizontal drilling are shocking. The nasty politics and cover-ups of the facts, the efforts to mislead and misinform the public, and the history of the tax "loopholes" that line the pockets of the incredibly rich principals of these corporations, will horrify those uninitiated with the facts. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking that Rachel Maddow is a woman who might consider engaging a bodyguard for her protection. She is a very brave author indeed! ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #172,376 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #53 in Russian History (Books) #124 in Political Corruption & Misconduct | | Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (10,422) | | Dimensions | 6.3 x 1.29 x 9.5 inches | | Edition | First Edition | | ISBN-10 | 0525575472 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0525575474 | | Item Weight | 1.56 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 432 pages | | Publication date | October 1, 2019 | | Publisher | Crown | | Reading age | 1 year and up | ## Images ![Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71EpFUTKCsL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A brilliant deep dive into the geopolitics of the fossil fuel companies - a wake up call to action! *by D***T on October 1, 2019* This is for sure some of Rachel Maddow's best work. And that's saying something given her prior achievements in relationship to ‘deep-dive’ journalism. It should be required reading for anybody who wants to understand how we got on the near precipice of the staggering environmental catastrophe known as ‘global warming’ and now increasingly referred to with that other euphemism - ’climate change’. The book is riveting, charming, infuriating, and brilliant in its depiction of the co-option of many governments, particularly our own, in the breakneck sociopathic/utilitarian exploitation of natural resources, in the service of unlimited fossil fuels, long-term environmental consequences be damned. All skillfully rationalized (jobs, energy independence, 'progress,' etc.) And yet I have to say, despite my enormous respect for this book, it comes up short framing the bigger picture of how something this catastrophic might really have happened. Standing back a goodly distance, one has to say that one common denominator is that we find sociopaths or at least individuals with significant sociopathic features in leadership positions within both powerful global corporations and within many governments. Rachel's book is littered with them - they are the stars and cast of her story. They simply do not care about the consequences to others of their exploitation of the environment, do not care that they are sacrificing the long-term planetary health for short-term gain, and simply do not care in anything but the most token fashion about the world's citizens, especially the less fortunate and less privileged ones who will certainly bear the extremely punitive impacts of climate change in the intermediate term. Not only do they not care but I believe many of them are genuinely psychologically incapable of caring. On the other hand, they care greatly about money, and the acquisition and corrupt exercise of power. And that's the problem. What the hell are we doing? Rachel talks about how real democracy is the only answer to this – but it's worth remembering that our increasingly manipulated democracy just gave the reins of an aggrandized presidency to Donald Trump, perhaps our second clearly sociopathic president since WWII. But they are everywhere. That is the question which the book begs but does not ask explicitly: why do we so often put sociopaths in charge – not in one place but all over the place? Can't we see who they are? This is really the disturbing question that Rachel does not ask us clearly enough to ponder. Why do we find people like Trump, Putin, Duterte, Erdoğan and yes, paradigmatically Hitler, worthy of leadership and the public trust? How did Putin become the richest and most powerful man in the world running what is essentially a Mafia state with nuclear weapons, working to destabilize and undermine all the Western democracies? What is wrong with us, that as sheep that we repeatedly and willingly enable the most ruthless of wolves? Even a cursory review of our history forces a conclusion that this alarming trend of populist naïveté, and the serial give away of power to the sociopathic is nothing new. If anything, quite the opposite. We apparently have been suckers for a never-ending parade of sociopathic and narcissistic leaders who have charmed us, seduced us and demagogued us into giving them power for as long as we have had human history, often times by channeling populist fear and hatred for out groups and other all-too-convenient scapegoats. The worst forms of tribalism appear to be the best friends and core weaponry of the worst sociopathic leaders. While they don't care about the environment, or the masses they exploit, they do care deeply about money and power. And they are good at acquiring and keeping it - and getting more of it! But it's never enough, as nothing seems to fill a hidden emptiness. And yet this answer itself is also unsatisfying - and gets each of us off the hook. We have to confess that our own utilitarian attitude towards Nature, that the biosphere on this planet is just a pile of resources to exploit without concern, and not something that we have to shepherd and care for, this exploitive and utilitarian attitude has been the invisible partner and enabler of our sociopathic corporate and government leadership around the exploitation of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have powered the wonders of our technological civilization, but that has led us to a fundamental overconfidence. We have too much faith in technology – technology cannot fix everything, and it cannot replace a fatally damaged ecology. One thing is clear – we are running out of time in which to figure these things out, to save the good and even wondrous parts of our technological civilization. Rachel's brilliant book hopefully will motivate us to take desperately needed action . . . and soon, and to better see through the fog of lies by those with the sickest of motives. As she says, real democracy must win out, or it, and much of the biosphere, dies in a sixth mass extinction that already has a scary level of momentum. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Blowout: A Must Read for Thoughtful People *by G***A on November 27, 2019* I have just finished the most astonishing book I have ever read in my 77 years, and I have read a lot of great ones! Rachel Maddow's newest book, Blowout (Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth) is a powerful, meticulously researched, and highly disturbing story of the devastation being caused by the corrupt practices of the world's major oil and gas companies, including our own.. I have to admit that I knew very little about this subject before reading this book, but Ms. Maddow writes in an easily readable style, and she brings the facts and the individuals involved to life in a most fascinating way. I couldn't put the book down. Her vivid descriptions of the terrible effects on people, animals, climate, and the environment (think multiple earthquakes!) caused by fracking and horizontal drilling are shocking. The nasty politics and cover-ups of the facts, the efforts to mislead and misinform the public, and the history of the tax "loopholes" that line the pockets of the incredibly rich principals of these corporations, will horrify those uninitiated with the facts. As I was reading this book, I kept thinking that Rachel Maddow is a woman who might consider engaging a bodyguard for her protection. She is a very brave author indeed! ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I live in Oklahoma *by C***N on October 7, 2019* On Nov 6 2016 we had a 5 magnitude earthquake in Cushing, Ok. I live in a house approximately 2 miles from the epicenter. My home was built in 1922. It is a large 2 story brick home with a terracotta roof. The original roof had been there for 94 years - but no longer. The interior is all plaster both ceilings and walls. So there was damage in every room. Luckily I had earthquake insurance. It took a year to repair at a cost of $98,000.00. There were three chimneys and they all came down. There was no structural damage (except a collapsed ceiling). All the injection wells were shutdown within a 5 mile radius but we continued to have smaller quakes so the radius was extended to 10 miles. The quakes slowly tapered off and now and then we have a tremor but nothing over a 3. Rachel's book is so helpful in helping me understand how this happened. I have lived in Ok most of my life and come from a family that worked for a large oil company and everything she says is true. My great grandson goes to school 4 days a week because that is all his school system can afford. However, the problem of quakes is not over. So far this year Ok has had 202 earth quakes with the last one on Oct 2. Thank you Rachel for writing such a wonderful, engaging, informative book. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.hr/products/129146778-blowout-corrupted-democracy-rogue-state-russia-and-the-richest-most](https://www.desertcart.hr/products/129146778-blowout-corrupted-democracy-rogue-state-russia-and-the-richest-most) --- *Product available on Desertcart Croatia* *Store origin: HR* *Last updated: 2026-07-10*