Rick Bass, a former petroleum geologist and wildlife biologist, is the author of seventeen works of fiction, nonfiction, and memoir, including the novel
Nashville Chrome.
“Rick Bass has accomplished the remarkable feat of doing for oil exploration what Izaak Walton did for fishing.”—Times Literary Supplement (Times Literary Supplement)
“[Bass] knows how to write; and like his oil witchery, this gift is extravagant and natural.”—Time (Time)
“With the awareness and eye of a naturalist and a writer’s gift with language, [Bass] offers a low-key, upbeat work that celebrates youthful energy and optimism.”—Publishers Weekly (Publishers Weekly)
“Oil Notes pierces the human condition and drills deeply into the heart of man’s search for his place on the planet. It is a wildcat find, as rich and textured as the oil Bass sought in this chronicle of life and exploration in Mississippi. His voice hums with the power and rhythm of derricks, pumping language for the last drop of natural beauty.”—Jackson Clarion-Ledger (Jackson Clarion-Ledger)
"An exuberant book, written with care and beauty . . . perhaps a classic in a brand-new form."--Jim Harrison (Jim Harrison)
"Rick Bass is the best young writer to come along in many years. Oil Notes is full of fascinating information and vigorous life."--Annie Dillard (Annie Dillard)