Oil Museum of Canada hosts Book Launch Event

Oil Springs, ON - Oil Museum of Canada, National Historic Site, is hosting a Book Launch Event celebrating the release of the book Crude Genius by author Gary May on Sunday, August 28 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Crude Genius explores the making of international oil baron, William H. McGarvey. McGarvey was the former mayor of Petrolia and an oil man who left to seek his fortune in the international oil fields.  He was crowned the “Petroleum King of Austria,” dubbed “Europe’s Rockefeller," and advised the British government in the great debate over converting its naval fleet to oil fuel in preparation for World War I. His story is one that links Canada, the US, Austro-Hungary, Russia, and Romania.

The early story of how the petroleum world evolved remains wrapped in obscurity. Crude Genius fills in an important gap in that history.

Following a career as a journalist and editor for the London Free Press and the Ottawa Citizen, Gary May has penned four books on Canada’s early oil innovators. It was 1974 when Gary first encountered the amazing story of Lambton’s oil pioneers who helped open oil fields in 86 far-flung countries starting in 1873. He has been fascinated by their stories ever since. Gary’s first book, Hard Oiler! was published in 1998 and last year, he published a new edition with additional information and detail.

Stop by the Oil Museum of Canada Sunday, August 28 from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. for a meet and greet with author Gary May and to purchase your very own signed copy.

Admission to the event is free and you can learn more online.

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Please contact:

Erin Dee-Richard
Curator/Supervisor, Oil Museum of Canada
County of Lambton
519-834-2840
Email Erin Dee-Richard