Togrul Bagirov Blog

Yet another very good review of The Great Game, this time from the BlueInk agency. Here’s a snippet of the book review:

“Set in Russian-controlled Baku, Azerbaijan, Togrul Bagirov’s The Great Game: Story of the First Oil War transports readers to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, during the ruthless fight for control of oil as the Russian Revolution gathers momentum in the background….

Carefully researched, the novel closely follows the political and industrial landscape of Baku and the events taking place on Russian territory at that time. The narrative explores the culture of the Baku people, the devastating poverty among the working class, the upheaval surrounding the revolution, and the business rivalries that characterized the oil industry.”

The Great Game: Story of the First Oil War

It is great to see such positive reception of this historical novel. Previously very good reviews praising the book have been published by IndieReader and by Foreword Magazine and Clarion Reviews. In addition to these book review agencies many individual readers have also been praising the book on different booksites.

It is with great appreciation that we accept the very high 4.8 rating from the authoritative IndieReader for the historical novel The Great Game: Story of the First Oil War. Additionally, having received such a very high rating, IndieReader placed this book on its “IR Approved” featured list by recommending it to the readers relying on these ratings and reviews for their reading list.

“He peoples the tale with figures like a (fictional) gorgeous female spy, and there are times when readers may feel they can almost touch one of the bejeweled Fabergé eggs Nobel collected and smell such Azerbaijani delicacies including caviar, shahslik and baklava. Bagirov paces the story nicely, as it grows from a boyhood adventure into coming-of-age tale into ascension to manhood and responsibility. This book’s appearance at a time when climate change threatens to bring THE GREAT GAME of the global petrochemical industry toward an end invests this title with a certain significance.“

The entire review and high rating can be viewed here.

The paperback and ebook versions of The Great Game can be purchased at the leading bookstores online.

A solid four star review of The Great Game by the Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews:

“In Togrul Bagirov’s captivating historical novel The Great Game, a man is driven by his intellect and his desire to do good….
The book’s outward focus is on the First Oil War. It details period economic inequalities and the geopolitical race to secure oil; historical figures, including Lenin and Stalin, factor in. Still, the spotlight finds, and remains focused on, Emanuel. The book’s personalization of the historical record makes its story both more dramatic and more sympathetic.“

We are honored that all reviews of The Great Game receive very high marks from independent and authoritative reviewers. Our historical novel deserves such high praise, it was a labor of passion for the author, Dr. Togrul Bagirov.

The book has been published, and is gathering favorable reviews. If you wanted to learn more about the Nobels and other prominent families of the time, about the beginnings of the oil industry and the turning of oil into the #1 strategic commodity to this day, and much more, then this book is a must read.

https://booklocker.com/books/10717.html

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Story-First-Oil/dp/0985197315/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49155603-the-great-game

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-great-game-togrul-bagirov/1135429336

https://reedsy.com/discovery/book/the-great-game-the-story-of-the-first-oil-war-togrul-bagirov

Inspired by true historical events, The Great Game is a gripping narrative of the personal ambitions and geopolitical interests in the fight for oil that played out on the shores of the Caspian Sea. The struggle to control Baku’s oil pitted the richest families of the time against each other – front and center are the Nobels locked in a rivalry with the Rothschilds and the Rockefellers. Darkening the plot further were the Communist revolutionaries Vladimir Lenin and Joseph Stalin.

The novel takes us on a journey where Baku is transformed into the world’s oil center by the turn of the 20th century through the technological innovations and business ingenuity of the Nobel family. It offers a glimpse into the life of that period – widening economic inequality, immense personal hardships, family separations, broken promises and hearts.

Based on extensive research, The Great Game offers a captivating account of the rise of oil as the world’s top strategic commodity while simultaneously drawing us into the heart of the personal stories and rivalries of the early oil barons in Baku.

Dr. Togrul Bagirov has authored numerous books, and has also written many journal and newspaper articles. Dr. Bagirov has been a regular commentator on the subjects of energy security for many business TV channels worldwide, including the RBC Network. Dr. Togrul Bagirov also has participated in a number of global economic fora, including the Davos World Economic Forum and Salzburg World Economic Forum, and he has made presentation at many relevant international conferences and seminars. If that isn’t impressive enough, Togrul Bagirov also serves as a trustee for several charitable nonprofits in the fields of arts, cinema and music.

In addition to everything else, Dr. Togrul Bagirov’s main claim to fame is likely his role as a senior expert in global energy security at the United Nations, as well as chairman of the Baku Nobel Heritage Fund. Both positions are very important, especially when you consider the dual problems of climate change and the increased use of oil. This year, the demand is expected to grow yet again, and that growth could reach more than five percent.

Togrul Bagirov made that prediction recently on a news program on business TV network, and he’s often very prescient. Togrul Bagirov took the time to explain why; he noted that the geopolitical and economic situation in the world is leading to such growth, as well as a significant increase in prices, which can be both good and bad, depending on your perspective. He believes the current range of about $70 per barrel is about right because it benefits both oil producing countries and consumers.