Professor Ed Lorenz wrote a wonderful classic book “The nature and theory of the general circulation of the atmosphere” that was published by WMO in 1967. It set up the dynamical framework for the atmospheric general circulation, the governing equations and their approximate forms, including the energetics, and then he presented and discussed the observations, processes revealed, laboratory, theoretical and numerical models. The historical review and the background framework are every bit as useful today, as are the many insights into processes. What have changed are the observations, the ability to analyze those into global fields, and the computers and modeling capabilities. In this tribute to Ed Lorenz, we provide a more up to date view of the energy cycle in the atmosphere and its role in the larger climate system.