In an attempt to reverse a certain lack of book-reading, I have turned to the internet and my sweet wife to help me retain some level of literacy. I have created a Goodreads account, with lists of previously-read, currently-reading, and hope-to-read-in-future books. It's turned into my default place to list all the books of which I have read reviews and recommendations. I've also been scavenging WorldCat for book info. It's great for locating books, and libraries that have them available, within a specified distance. In fact, I've had better luck finding books in the Houston Public Library system (and other nearby libraries) using Worldcat than with HPL's own search engine. My wife is also offering to borrow books from college/university resources to which I wouldn't otherwise have access. This is one of the many benefits of marrying a college professor.
So, what's on my radar? Three books about Texas oilman Tom Slick. He liked petroleum, world peace and large monsters (wikipedia entry & Cryptomundo post).
King of the wildcatters the life and times of Tom Slick, 1883-1930
". . . The growth of Slick's oil business paralleled that of the modern petroleum industry. He began his career in the oil fields of western Pennsylvania before 1910. Failures there prompted his move to Oklahoma. In 1912 he received the financial backing to drill one more well, which turned out to be the discovery well for the vast Cushing Field. In 1929 he sold his Oklahoma holdings in the Prairie Oil and Gas Company—the largest sale of oil properties by an individual to that date. . ."
Catherine Nixon Cooke: Tom Slick Mystery Hunter!
". . .Slick created five scientific research foundations, developed new species of cattle and grasses, discovered major oil fields, loved several beautiful women, searched for the "Abominable Snowman", wrote two books on world peace, and produced several inventions that changed the world. . . all before he died in 1962 at 46 years old. . ."
Tom Slick: True Life Encounters in Cryptozoology
". . . Fascinating accounts of Slick's early brushes with adventure (such as his stepfather's abduction by George "Machine Gun" Kelly in 1933, and his early explorations of Loch Ness) are followed by his later expeditions into Nepal and the Pacific Northwest in search of the Yeti and its counterpart, the Sasquatch. . ."
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