Oil‪!‬

Oil!, published in 1927, is Upton Sinclair’s sprawling social novel about the rise of the American oil industry and the corrupting influence of capitalism. Loosely based on the Teapot Dome scandal, the novel follows Bunny Ross, the idealistic son of an oil tycoon, as he becomes disillusioned by the ruthless greed and political manipulation surrounding his father’s business. Sinclair critiques class inequality, labor exploitation, and moral compromise with journalistic detail and socialist fervor. The book inspired the 2007 film There Will Be Blood.