The Teapot Dome Scandal by Laton McCartney / It reads like a miniseries

[eleny]

The greed, philandering, oil, graft, immense sums of money to be made from being in government - it's a story about the big and how they fall. This book kept making me compare it to the current administration. The excesses following the Clinton administration have a lot in common with Harding's boys after the Wilson years. The fox was in the hen house and if they hadn't been stopped there wouldn't have been a feather left.

The book is written in a style that reads like a movie. I don't know how Layton did it since there's so much involved. There's money hungry oil men, corrupt politicians, secret passageways, private rail cars, floosies, murder and too much money changing hands all playing out against the backdrop of Washington D.C. and the wild west.

My mother was born in 1917 so I'm wanting to read about her era. This narrative is a terrific start. When I wake up in the morning thinking about a book, it's a treat. I'm a third of the way through and already want to read his other books.

Btw, it's got a Notes section at the back that details sources for each chapter in a conversational style, a bibliography and a very decent Index. It just came out February 5th.

[rusty quoin]

1. It sounds really good, and your comparison to this administration

is interesting, Bush to Harding, and Clinton to Wilson. But what is really scary is what came soon after Harding, The Great Depression. Bush brought nothing but fear, anxiety, and misery to this country.

[eleny]

2. At least Harding .... well, you know.....

Signed up for harp lessons.

[Richardo]

3. Thanks for the heads-up, eleny!

Since I'm not at the bookstore anymore I'm mot as aware of the new stuff. I've always wanted to know what was behind Teapot Dome and why it was such a significant scandal - this sounds perfect. :thumbsup:

[eleny]

4. I heard the author interviewed the other morning

It was on a local talk show and the interview lasted an hour. Hopefully he'll be on C-Span soon. :hi:

[Sequoia]

5. Finally !!

My SO and I have been searching for a good book on this very event; it's been hard to find. Thank you.

[eleny]

6. I think you'll like this one...

When our local talk radio guy puts his interview with the author online, I'll post the url. The author is as interesting to listen to as his book is to read.

[Sequoia]

7. Thanks.

[Sequoia]

8. This should be made into a movie!!

I'm almost finished with this book, and what a jaw dropper it is. I lived in Los Angles a long time, and liked to visit the La Brea tar pits which..What...Doheny....pumped and stuff? The same Doheny Drive Doheny that was in the Teapot Dome...wow, you'd never know from looking at the history of La Brea Tar Pits. And Sinclair..now, there's a trip down memory lane. I remember our dad pulling into those gas stations in NC with the little green dinasour logo and one summer the stations were giving away plastic dinos if you filled up your tank.

I was reading this and did a google on Cheney Teapot Dome and boy did a lot of stuff appear...Enron is our Teapot Dome scandel. However the new crooks haven't been hauled before the court and I bet old what's his face never died and is living in some other country. Heart attack and then creamation...sure...!

[eleny]

10. Hi again - (One small spoiler from the beginning of the book)

I'm only halfway finished. Unfortunately, I had some library books come in that I was waiting to read. All of a sudden I was at the top of the list for several. But Teapot is on my bedside table and I'm itching to get back to it. I like how there are photos published inside. As I read I would keep checking to keep them in my mind's eye.

I was surprised about the Doheny history. I guess I never knew that La Brea was an oil source. Interesting that you know the places so well. I'm more familiar with Wyoming since we're here in Colorado.

One book that came in for me from the library was "Blood on the Street" about the dot com bubble bursting. That cast of characters is another pack of thieves. Soon as I finish this one I can get back to Teapot and can hardly wait! I'm not so good at reading more than one book at a time even though I've done it on occasion.

Hope it does make it to the screen some day. There are some wild and wooly characters in Teapot. I particularly like how that one girlfriend decided to take aim when her man was going to leave her. What I thought was so wild is how he had his brother marry her so she would have the family name. Then he sent the brother to live out of state. Talk about getting around propriety! :D

[terrya]

9. I'm reading it right now.

I got a copy from the Chicago Public Library. God, is it good. It DOES read like a movie...you find yourself casting the movie (Brian Dennehy as Warren G. Harding, maybe?)

"Teapot Dome" is terrific so far.

[eleny]

11. I'm glad you're enjoying it

I still have to finish it. Library books came in and regretfully I had to set it to the side. But I know that some interesting history is waiting for me as soon as I finish this last library book. :D

[Hamlette]

12. I read this on your recommendation

wanted to let you know I loved it! I've been stuck on mysteries for 6 months, first non-fiction/history I've read since last summer and I used to read non-fiction exclusively.

thanks for the recommend!