THE KINGS OF BIG SPRING God, Oil, and One Family's Search for the American Dream

Bryan Mealer's father was part of the Texas oil boom of the 1980s, feeling like a king in his longtime friends' company. Mealer tells his father's boom-and-bust story as part of a century-long saga of his family and town. With a Texas accent and a soft-spoken tone, Mealer recounts scenes of drinking and drugs, divorce, and tragedy. Listeners will sympathize with a daughter who raises her siblings in the void left by their mother's neglect and with men who rebuild their lives after financial setbacks. Mealer gives listeners a very personal history lesson, showing how changing times and economic cycles affect both a town and a family. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2018]