• The Big Rich

  • The Rise and Fall of the Greatest Texas Oil Fortunes
  • By: Bryan Burrough
  • Narrated by: James Jenner
  • Length: 22 hrs and 11 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (679 ratings)

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The Big Rich  By  cover art

The Big Rich

By: Bryan Burrough
Narrated by: James Jenner
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Publisher's summary

Best-selling author Bryan Burrough reveals how four Texas oil tycoons transformed America. Rising from humble beginnings through hard work and shrewd dealings, they shifted the balance of power in American politics.

While hobnobbing with movie stars and presidents, the Big Rich also created the legend of the swaggering Texas oilman with island hideaways and sprawling ranches.

©2009 Bryan Burrough (P)2009 Recorded Books, LLC
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: History

Critic reviews

"John Dunning is a master." ( USA Today)

What listeners say about The Big Rich

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Overall
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating Story, Well Researched, Good Reader

I had heard of many of the people and happenings that were covered in this book. However, I didn't know the details and how the people fitted together. This book put things in perspective and made a fascinating overview. Highly recommended!!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Well written!

An amazing contemporary history of Texas Oil. I had to put the ear buds in when I parked the car and went in the store!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

S/b Required reading to 7th Grade Texas History

This is a good read. Truth better and stranger than Fiction. The Men in the book indelibly shaped modern day Texas and left a mark on the world's economy and politics. Even in 2021 the USA is being impacted politically by the organizations some of these men established or maintained and funded in the early and mid 1900's. Yep men in this group originated the far right, If you are a Texas native or grew up in Texas, then you had 7th grade TX history. The big rich are equally important to TX history as Sam Houston and the Austin Brothers. Where Houston and Austin founded the country/nation of Texas that became a US state. The oil men of the big rich founded the economy of Texas. Making TX central to the US economy and the world economy. But how the mighty falls. That was sad to see. If you were in Texas in the 80's sad to live. It is good to know your history, provided you learn from it. :) I recommend every Texan read this book. Note the double standards, the nepotism, the short sightedness, the putting all your eggs in one basket that lead to the downfall. At the same time note the risk taking. Do you have the stomach to take those big risk? That one characteristic, taking risk, made these men great.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Big Rich must read

Fascinating study on how truly far reaching the Texas oil fortunes made during the Great Depression were. The Big Rich details the bold moves these men made to become billionaires and sadly the bold (boneheaded) moves many of their kids made to lose huge chunks of their fortunes. Must read

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great history

This was a great historical look at Texas. I just wish the narrator had pronounced the name of the city and company called Humble correctly, the “H” is silent.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

A Much Neglected Topic

Bryan Burrough in The Big Rich has done readers of history a great service in bringing to life the rise and fall of the greatest oil fortunes. To understand Texas and the current oil debates, this volume offers wonderful insight. Bryan Burrough (as in Barbarians at the Gate, Public Enebmies, and Dragonfly) brings the oil era into clear focus and major players into view. This is capitalism in action as we will never see again. Fortunes were built and many were never envisioned. They were just men taking chances. The Hunts, Muirchisons, Richardsons, and Cullens - what a crew! Burrough brings them all to life. Well written in Burrough's style and read very well by James Jenner.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Should be required reading for Texans.

So much history, an incredible job by author and narrator. Lessons of success and failure.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

American's Rich and Famous

Great book about the history of some of America's rich and famous people. This book discribes how history was made along with riches.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it.

Amazing read. Now I know where this absurd so called "conservative " ideas originated, lol.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great read...very well done narration a really i

Excellent book... Well written well narrated and covering an amazing story. As a non Texan I had never heard much about these guys.

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1 person found this helpful