Oil!

Upton Sinclair
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction

The two main characters of “Oil” are James Arnold Ross, called “Dad”, and his son James Jr., called “Bunny”. The book is loosely based on a real character (Edward L. Doheny) and some real events and locations, mostly in Southern California. The period was World War 1, and the events were not unlike those of the Teapot Dome Oil Scandal during the Harding administration. Like many of Sinclair’s novels, themes concern social conflicts and injustices, labor vs. management, democracy vs. socialism, and morality vs. immorality. In this story, Bunny’s father is a very successful oil entrepreneur, and ultimately a millionaire. There is great love between Bunny and his father, but over time, Bunny begins to question his father’s ethics. Bunny is a seeker for truth, throughout the story, as he grows through several decades—as a youth, as a soldier, as a college student, and as a wealthy oil producer. Religion plays a big role in the story, as one of the characters becomes a charismatic evangelist preaching a new faith, “the third revelation.” The film “There Will Be Blood” bases much of its story on this book. - Summary by Bob Rollins

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  • 1. Preface
  • 2. The Ride
  • 3. The Lease, Parts 1-5
  • 4. The Lease, Parts 6-9
  • 5. The Drilling, Parts 1-5
  • 6. The Drilling, Parts 6-8
  • 7. The Ranch, Parts 1-5
  • 8. The Ranch, Parts 6-9
  • 9. The Revelation, Parts 1-4
  • 10. The Revelation, Parts 5-7
  • 11. The Wildcat, Parts 1-4
  • 12. The Wildcat, Parts 5-8
  • 13. The Strike, Parts 1-4
  • 14. The Strike, Parts 5-9
  • 15. The War, Parts 1-5
  • 16. The War, Parts 6-9
  • 17. The Victory
  • 18. The University, Parts 1-5
  • 19. The University, Parts 6-11
  • 20. The Rebel, Parts 1-6
  • 21. The Rebel, Parts 7-11
  • 22. The Siren, Parts 1-6
  • 23. The Siren, Parts 7-12
  • 24. The Monastery, Parts 1-7
  • 25. The Monastery, Parts 8-14
  • 26. The Star, Parts 1-7
  • 27. The Star, Parts 8-16
  • 28. The Vacation, Parts 1-6
  • 29. The Vacation, Parts 7-11
  • 30. The Killing, Parts 1-5
  • 31. The Killing, Parts 6-10
  • 32. The Exposure, Parts 1-5
  • 33. The Exposure, Parts 6-11
  • 34. The Flight, Parts 1-7
  • 35. The Flight, Parts 8-11
  • 36. The Penalty, Parts 1-5
  • 37. The Penalty, Parts 6-10
  • 38. The Dedication
  • 39. The Honeymoon, Parts 1-7
  • 40. The Honeymoon, Parts 8-15

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Tags: Oil! audio, Oil! - Upton Sinclair audio, Historical Fiction audio, free audiobook, free audio book, audioaz

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