As an ongoing feature, staff members at the Des Moines Public Library will recommend a business-related book to add to your reading list. Find this and more books like it at any of the Des Moines Public Library’s six locations and online at dmpl.org. And find information on how to get a FREE library card and all its benefits at dmpl.org/get-carded.

Des Moines Public Library business book pick:
“The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives,” by Ernest Scheyder

Why you should read it:
In “The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives,” journalist Ernest Scheyder examines the global race to secure critical minerals like lithium and copper — essential for electric vehicles, clean energy and tech innovation. As demand surges, conflicts have erupted between mining interests, environmental groups, Indigenous communities and governments. Scheyder explores the human and environmental costs of extraction, the limits of recycling, and the geopolitical challenge of reducing reliance on China. With clear analysis and compelling reporting, “The War Below” offers essential insight into the high-stakes battle over the resources powering the global energy transition.