Oil!

“Passionate. . . . [The] lively satirical account of capitalist greed . . . and socialist struggle,” that inspired the film There Will Be Blood (The Guardian).

From the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Jungle, a novel set against the backdrop of the political corruption fueling the California oil industry during the Harding administration. Oil! is a tale of the capitalist insatiability that comes between an oil baron and his son, whose growing sympathies with the labor movement and socialist ideals fuels the riff between them. Peopled with politicians, financial investors, oil magnates, a Hollywood star, and a crusading evangelist, Oil! is also a spirited social commentary on the class struggle at the heart of the divide in post–World War I America. Written by an author heralded for his compelling narratives exploring themes of social justice, Oil! is as relevant today as it was when it was first published in 1927.
“A marvelous panorama of Southern California life. It is storytelling with an edge on it.” —The New Republic

“A tremendous piece of work.” —The Nation