Chick (economic and social history, U. of Edinburgh, UK) recounts the history of the development of electricity and energy policy in Britain, France, and the US since 1945. Comparing the countries, he considers five political themes: security, pricing, investment, forms of ownership and industrial and market structure, and the early development of the European Coal and Steel Community and the efforts of the European Commission to promote competition in national and transnational electricity markets in Europe. The book is intended for students and scholars of environmental studies, politics, economics, and business and industrial history. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)