What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sons of Adam
An epic tale of brothers divided, family rivalry, fortunes lost and won, set against the dramatic background of the early days of the oil industry. Two boys are raised as brothers. Alan is the son of the lord of the manor, with all the privileges which come with that birthright. The other, Tom, is the son of the gardener. Together, they learn to argue, fight and bond in friendship. Social difference divides their paths as adults but nothing can break their bond until a tragic misunderstanding occurs in the trenches of World War I. Now instead of the closest of friends they will be the bitterest of rivals in a burgeoning oil. From the early days of drilling in Persia, to wildcatting in Texas, to the corridors of Whitehall and Washington, this is the story of two remarkable men and the very different women who loved them.
646 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
19 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Harry Bingham
48 books704 followersHarry Bingham is best known for his Fiona Griffiths crime series, which has drawn rave reviews from critics, authors and readers alike.
If you've read and enjoyed one of Harry's books, make diddle-darn sure that you've signed up to the Fiona Griffiths Readers Club, by hopping right over here:
http://www.harrybingham.com/lev-in-gl...
You'll get a free, lovely welcome gift - and you'll be the very first to know when Fiona Griffiths is back with a further adventure . . .
If you've read and enjoyed one of Harry's books, make diddle-darn sure that you've signed up to the Fiona Griffiths Readers Club, by hopping right over here:
http://www.harrybingham.com/lev-in-gl...
You'll get a free, lovely welcome gift - and you'll be the very first to know when Fiona Griffiths is back with a further adventure . . .
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 3, 2013
Very good commercial novel for those that love to read Jeffrey Archer, Ken Follett, Sidney Sheldon... This is the only title by this author translated into Serbian (never translated into Croatian)... If you can get it, find his novel MONEY MAKERS, perfect!
April 15, 2008
My favorite of the three Harry Bingham books I've read to date, this is saga set from early 1900's about two brother who fall out over a misunderstanding during 1st world war and the subsequent rivalary in business that ensues (oil business). Great read and storyline. Highly recommended.
October 23, 2012
Zwei Buben kommen am gleichen Tag und Ort zur Welt und wachsen wie Brüder zusammen in Kameradschaft und Freundschaft auf. Kaum das sie erwachsen sind, werden sie im 1. Weltkrieg als Soldaten eingezogen. Durch Lügen und Mißverständnisse während des Kriegsgeschehens werden sie jahrzehntelang jeglichen Kontakt zum jeweils anderen vermeiden. Ihren gemeinsamen Jugendtraum wollen sie sich nach Ende des Krieges beide (jeweils alleine) realisieren: Nach Öl bohren. Schlußendlich sind beide in der Ölbranche äußerst erfolgreich und der 2. Weltkrieg bringt sie wieder zusammen.
Sehr gut erzählter und historisch gut aufbereiteter Unterhaltungsroman - sehr kurzweilig!
Sehr gut erzählter und historisch gut aufbereiteter Unterhaltungsroman - sehr kurzweilig!
May 13, 2014
I found this very interesting, slightly 'formulaic' with the two brothers theme, but nonetheless enjoyable. Very informative about its subject, moving along at a lively pace, and overall very well written, which in itself is a bonus in these days of Kindle self-publishing.
http://ebookproofreader.wordpress.com/
http://ebookproofreader.wordpress.com/
March 29, 2015
I liked it very much. In a way it reminded me of Jeffrey Archer's novel, Kane and Abel. A story about two men who were closer than twins and who became rivals in the oil industry. Starts in the late 1890s and goes through WWII. Good read.
June 29, 2018
Amazingly good book, but I felt that the ending was a bit rushed and too over the top when I think about the character and feel of the book up until then.
Very much recommend to read it though for those who would like a mini saga.
Very much recommend to read it though for those who would like a mini saga.
December 28, 2012
A family tale that takes you on an interesting journey.
August 2, 2013
This book is a complete waste of time with an idiot plot. I hate tom, th wives are bland, cardboard cut outs and the 'plot' could be resolved in seconds. Aviod
September 10, 2016
Compared to 'Talking to the Dead', which I absolutely loved - this was disappointing. It felt flat, lacking in sparkle, and simplistic. Pity.
June 7, 2013
Absolute epic story
March 18, 2026
The Sons of Adam is an ambitious and gripping novel that blends personal drama with sweeping historical change, set against the rise of the global oil industry. At its core, it is a story about friendship, class, and rivalry—but what elevates it is the scale on which these themes unfold.
The novel follows two boys—Alan, born into privilege, and Tom, the gardener’s son—who are raised side by side yet shaped by vastly different expectations. Their early bond feels genuine and deeply human, which makes the eventual fracture between them all the more powerful. When their relationship collapses in the chaos of World War I, the emotional weight carries forward into their adult lives, where they become rivals in the emerging oil economy .
What I found especially compelling is how Bingham intertwines personal conflict with global transformation. The backdrop of early oil exploration—from Persia to Texas—doesn’t just serve as scenery; it actively drives the plot and the characters’ ambitions. The industry itself becomes almost a character: volatile, high-stakes, and morally ambiguous.
Bingham’s writing is confident and immersive. He handles large spans of time and geography with ease, moving from battlefields to boardrooms without losing narrative momentum. The pacing is strong throughout, and there’s a real sense of propulsion as fortunes rise and fall. At the same time, the emotional core never gets lost—particularly in the portrayal of pride, resentment, and the lingering echoes of childhood loyalty.
One of the novel’s strengths is its exploration of class. The contrast between Alan and Tom is not simplistic; instead, it shows how deeply social structures shape opportunity, identity, and even moral choices. Their rivalry feels inevitable, yet still tragic—driven as much by circumstance as by personal flaws.
If there’s a weakness, it’s that the scale of the story can occasionally come at the expense of depth in some secondary characters, particularly the women, who sometimes feel less fully realized than their male counterparts. Still, this does little to diminish the overall impact of the narrative.
Ultimately, The Sons of Adam is a rich, sweeping novel that combines the intimacy of personal drama with the grandeur of historical change. It’s a story about how lives diverge, how ambition can both build and destroy, and how the past—especially shared beginnings—never truly lets go.
The novel follows two boys—Alan, born into privilege, and Tom, the gardener’s son—who are raised side by side yet shaped by vastly different expectations. Their early bond feels genuine and deeply human, which makes the eventual fracture between them all the more powerful. When their relationship collapses in the chaos of World War I, the emotional weight carries forward into their adult lives, where they become rivals in the emerging oil economy .
What I found especially compelling is how Bingham intertwines personal conflict with global transformation. The backdrop of early oil exploration—from Persia to Texas—doesn’t just serve as scenery; it actively drives the plot and the characters’ ambitions. The industry itself becomes almost a character: volatile, high-stakes, and morally ambiguous.
Bingham’s writing is confident and immersive. He handles large spans of time and geography with ease, moving from battlefields to boardrooms without losing narrative momentum. The pacing is strong throughout, and there’s a real sense of propulsion as fortunes rise and fall. At the same time, the emotional core never gets lost—particularly in the portrayal of pride, resentment, and the lingering echoes of childhood loyalty.
One of the novel’s strengths is its exploration of class. The contrast between Alan and Tom is not simplistic; instead, it shows how deeply social structures shape opportunity, identity, and even moral choices. Their rivalry feels inevitable, yet still tragic—driven as much by circumstance as by personal flaws.
If there’s a weakness, it’s that the scale of the story can occasionally come at the expense of depth in some secondary characters, particularly the women, who sometimes feel less fully realized than their male counterparts. Still, this does little to diminish the overall impact of the narrative.
Ultimately, The Sons of Adam is a rich, sweeping novel that combines the intimacy of personal drama with the grandeur of historical change. It’s a story about how lives diverge, how ambition can both build and destroy, and how the past—especially shared beginnings—never truly lets go.
January 1, 2024
Well written I suppose. I am a fan of the authors Fiona Griffiths series, but I don't think I am a fan of a saga. It skips along too quickly for me but of course I had to keep going until the end!
June 17, 2020
Read this many years ago and I still think about it till this day
March 30, 2016
Didn't give the oil industry much thought until I read this book. Interesting mixture of fact and fiction which I thought worked very well. The story is interesting and the characters had me wanting to care about them, strange for me to worry for a driller in Texas. I agree with some points made about the storyline being very linear. But I'm not sure the oil part would have worked any other way. The war part of the story didn't play a strong enough part, maybe because of the early presentation and plot hook. With more thought, maybe the author could have used flash backs to link the emotions to the past, (this is what the story is about) instead. Doing this, the author could build further the emotions driving the two men in detail with out giving out for the ending. All in all a fresh read that gets better right up to the end.
December 31, 2012
NOT A BAD READ
December 10, 2013
Great story at core, but I felt reading was a little slow in parts. Another book that was read over a period of a month or so, in dribs and drabs so perhaps I didn't get the full benefit of flow.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews