“Journalist Nick Niarchos digs into the global minerals trade at the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a hub in the vast supply chains that have brought misery to many and immense profits to a few . . . Told with journalistic flair . . . His book will have readers rethink the ethics of extraction—you’ll never look at your phone or your EV in quite the same way again. An eye-opening and sobering investigation that challenges us to consider the suffering embedded in our everyday devices.” —Kirkus (starred review)
“This is a bold and original book, a deep exploration of the way in which the batteries powering our most antiseptic seeming technologies—smartphones and electric cars—are connected to a world of conflict and predation. Drawing on his own dauntless reporting in over a dozen countries, Nicolas Niarchos distills this complex subject, finding its dramatic essence—a tale of rapacious colonialism, Cold War spy games, dazzling technical innovation, big business rivalry, big power geopolitics, and incalculable (and ongoing) human cost. By connecting Congo's present to its past and future, and tracing the links in the supply chain to demonstrate the way in which this story morally implicates us all, Niarchos has produced an unflinching, landmark work on the nature of extractive capitalism.” —Patrick Radden Keefe, New York Times best-selling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing
“With forensic research and vivid reporting, Niarchos unpacks the dirty paradox of clean energy: a technology celebrated as the key to a sustainable future, yet one that exacts a devastating human and environmental cost in Congo. Expansive and eye-opening, it is essential reading for our age.” —Clarissa Ward, author of On All Fronts
“The Elements of Power is a terrific book—punchy, intelligent, and critically attuned to its subject’s moral and technical complexities. Niarchos’s lively storytelling and wonderfully diverse characters make his history of batteries at once sobering and fun to read. There isn’t a dull moment in it.” —Atossa Araxia Abrahamian, author of The Hidden Globe: How Wealth Hacks the World
“In this fascinating book, The Elements of Power, Nicolas Niarchos tells how the convulsed history of the Congo and its strategic minerals have played a vital role in fueling today’s Big Tech revolution. In a cruel paradox, Congo’s role as a key provider of the minerals that are helping drive the world’s energy transition—the lithium-ion battery—has also condemned it to inequality, social instability and seemingly endless cycles of armed conflict. This disturbing reality is one of the epic stories of our time, and Niarchos tells it skillfully, with narrative verve, keen insights, and an admirable attention to factual detail. That he has done so after years of firsthand research that included dangerous field forays in the Congo is an accomplishment that deserves high praise. The Elements of Power is, quite simply, a firecracker of a book, a must-read for anyone seeking clarity in the murk of today’s world.” —Jon Lee Anderson, author of To Lose a War: The Fall and Rise of the Taliban
“Niarchos's The Elements of Power is one of the most illuminating reads of and for our times. Hard-hitting stories of corporate invention and greed, government corruption, and human exploitation will make you question the devices we use almost constantly. Niarchos brilliantly investigates and dissects the brazen profiteering of some of the world's most sought-after commodities and the lives it affects. An unmissable book in this day and age.” —David de Jong, author of Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany Wealthiest Dynasties
“Intrepid reporter Niarchos exposes how the green transition is a dirty and violent tale – with the lithium-ion battery at the heart of the geo-politics and history -- in which the rich world’s luxury beliefs about climate crisis ignore the poverty and environmental despoliation unfolding in Africa.” —Aidan Hartley, author of The Zanzibar Chest
“What begins as a book about batteries becomes a riveting journey through lithium-ion technology and its global consequences. From colonial Congo to Cold War rivalries to China’s rise, it reveals how genius, ambition, and exploitation built the supply chains powering our devices, cars, and life-saving medical tools. Fair, compelling, and meticulously researched, it captures both the promise and the human cost of the battery revolution. Essential reading for anyone interested in technology, politics, and the forces shaping our future.“ —Mohamedsalem Werad, editor and cofounder, Sahrawi Voice
