Oil! by Upton Sinclair on Free Audio Book Download

The two main characters of вЂњOilвЂќ are James Arnold Ross, called вЂњDadвЂќ, and his son James Jr., called вЂњBunnyвЂќ. 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 SinclairвЂ™s novels, themes concern social conflicts and injustices, labor vs. management, democracy vs. socialism, and morality vs. immorality. In this story, BunnyвЂ™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 fatherвЂ™s ethics. Bunny is a seeker for truth, throughout the story, as he grows through several decadesвЂ”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, вЂњthe third revelation.вЂќ The film вЂњThere Will Be BloodвЂќ bases much of its story on this book.