by Steve Coll
First published 1987
The year is 1984. Getty Oil, once a titan of the American oil industry, stands on the brink of collapse. As the company's power structure crumbles, a battle for control erupts between the aging patriarch J. Paul Getty and his ambitious grandson, Gordon Getty. In this gripping true story, award-winning journalist Steve Coll takes readers inside the boardrooms and backrooms, where ruthless executives clash and family loyalties are tested to the limit. The taking of Getty Oil is a captivating tale of corporate intrigue, personal vendettas, and the high price of unchecked ambition.
Genres: 20th-century, business, non-fiction, true-crime, american-history
Vibes: captivating, gripping, thought-provoking
Tropes: ambition-gone-wrong, family-feud
Setting: United States
Period: 1984
550 pages · Paperback · Open Road Media