Oil!


Read by Bob R

(5 stars; 2 reviews)

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 (26 hr 26 min)

Chapters

Preface 2:00 Read by Bob R
The Ride 1:07:15 Read by Bob R
The Lease, Parts 1-5 41:08 Read by Bob R
The Lease, Parts 6-9 34:50 Read by Bob R
The Drilling, Parts 1-5 44:24 Read by Bob R
The Drilling, Parts 6-8 44:36 Read by Bob R
The Ranch, Parts 1-5 43:41 Read by Bob R
The Ranch, Parts 6-9 37:09 Read by Bob R
The Revelation, Parts 1-4 40:53 Read by Bob R
The Revelation, Parts 5-7 40:27 Read by Bob R
The Wildcat, Parts 1-4 40:00 Read by Bob R
The Wildcat, Parts 5-8 46:25 Read by Bob R
The Strike, Parts 1-4 47:36 Read by Bob R
The Strike, Parts 5-9 50:08 Read by Bob R
The War, Parts 1-5 36:18 Read by Bob R
The War, Parts 6-9 22:40 Read by Bob R
The Victory 1:00:13 Read by Bob R
The University, Parts 1-5 34:18 Read by Bob R
The University, Parts 6-11 43:33 Read by Bob R
The Rebel, Parts 1-6 34:50 Read by Bob R
The Rebel, Parts 7-11 37:01 Read by Bob R
The Siren, Parts 1-6 32:59 Read by Bob R
The Siren, Parts 7-12 35:17 Read by Bob R
The Monastery, Parts 1-7 44:46 Read by Bob R
The Monastery, Parts 8-14 33:49 Read by Bob R
The Star, Parts 1-7 40:56 Read by Bob R
The Star, Parts 8-16 49:27 Read by Bob R
The Vacation, Parts 1-6 44:11 Read by Bob R
The Vacation, Parts 7-11 33:56 Read by Bob R
The Killing, Parts 1-5 29:22 Read by Bob R
The Killing, Parts 6-10 38:47 Read by Bob R
The Exposure, Parts 1-5 36:33 Read by Bob R
The Exposure, Parts 6-11 40:52 Read by Bob R
The Flight, Parts 1-7 42:54 Read by Bob R
The Flight, Parts 8-11 30:23 Read by Bob R
The Penalty, Parts 1-5 31:27 Read by Bob R
The Penalty, Parts 6-10 28:36 Read by Bob R
The Dedication 54:20 Read by Bob R
The Honeymoon, Parts 1-7 47:08 Read by Bob R
The Honeymoon, Parts 8-15 41:16 Read by Bob R