Oil!

Oil!
In Oil! Upton Sinclair fashioned a novel out of the oil scandals of the Harding administration, providing in the process a detailed picture of the development of the oil industry in Southern California. Bribery of public officials, class warfare, and international rivalry over oil production are the context for Sinclair's story of a genial independent oil developer and his son, whose sympathy with the oilfield workers and socialist organizers fuels a running debate with his father. Senators, small investors, oil magnates, a Hollywood film star, and a crusading evangelist people the pages of this lively novel.
Customer Review: intellectual treat
The handling of social issues was much more diverse than the movie "There Will Be Blood." The oil man is not nearly as bad in the book, but the industry is a pathetic mess.
Customer Review: Great Story, but a long listen
I purchased the audiobook version of 'Oil', because I remembered enjoying reading 'The Jungle' in High School. This was a good story, and even though it is set in Southern California in the 1920's the story largely transcends time. However, and this is a big however it was VERY detailed, so much so that it detracted from the story and was too long to listen to it (20+ hours). Go with the abridged version if it is available.