Literary Labor: Novels About Work and the Working Class

Posted on Friday, September 6, 2024 by David Litherland

Person Smashing Pick Axe On Ground

Labor Day’s more than just a three-day weekend, an excuse for a late summer barbeque and the last chance to wear white (not sure where that rule even came from, to be honest). For most folks, it’s hard to imagine working without lunch breaks, safety regulations and reasonable working hours. But all of those benefits we take for granted were hard won over a long struggle for worker’s rights, as well as tragedies that led to regulation, like the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire.

Since the Industrial Revolution, the worker’s rights movement has improved the lives of a majority of the populace, but not without strife and conflict. Early worker’s rights movements were suppressed by factory owners, strikes were broken up by police, big business and even the military, and unions were made suspect in the public eye due to propaganda. It’s only through persistence, activism, and regulation that we have the rights we do today (as well as the aforementioned three day weekend). Dive into the literature of the past, present, and future of work and the workers who do it, featuring the lives of those you can thank for the eight-hour workday, the woes of those used and left behind by big business, and working what-ifs on what automation will do to labor.

Book Cover for "The Cold Millions"The Cold Millions” by Jess Walter

The year is 1909. Labor in mining, logging and other manual work in the Pacific Northwest is plenty, but controlled by just a few large businesses. The area becomes a hotbed of worker unrest and a beacon to all who would fight on either side of the struggle. Labor organizers, strikebreakers, socialist firebrands and agent provocateurs descend onto Spokane’s powder keg of discontent.

Zooming in from the broad view, “The Cold Millions” follows Rye and Gig Dolan, two itinerant workers who get caught up in the Spokane free speech protests and riots. Gig is incarcerated with hundreds of the other protestors, in a jail meant to hold dozens. Rye, wanting to save his brother, meets a varied cast of characters that take from both Jess Walter’s fiction as well as the historical reality of the labor movement. Early Reston, a man who may just be a true believer in the philosophy of anarchy (or may be a police plant to rabblerouse and provoke), Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a firecracker labor organizer willing to put herself on the front line, even while 7 months pregnant (and also one of the real life co-founders of the ACLU), and Lemuel Brand, a mining magnate with a bone to pick against agitating workers, all pull Rye into their tumultuous conflict as he just tries to keep his brother safe.

This book has the laudable distinction of being an educational experience, a crystal clear window into history, while also remaining a drama-filled page-turner. As someone who is not often drawn to historical fiction, Jess Walter’s extensive research and mastery of storytelling makes the story feel real and its world lived-in. Which, of course, it is, since the main events of the story truly happened. A better bit of historical fiction on the topic I defy you to find.

Last Night at The Lobster” by Stewart O’NanBook Cover for "Last Night at the Lobster"

Red Lobster: known for its remarkably delicious cheddar bay biscuits, a seemingly endless (if mediocre) supply of shrimp, and for declaring that their endless shrimp is the main factor that has driven them into bankruptcy. This most recent corporate hullabaloo has brought Stewart O’Nan’s novel “Last Night at the Lobster” back into the limelight. Inspired by stories of workers showing up at restaurants to learn that their job no longer existed, this novel showcases the fragility of an employee’s livelihood when a big business decides to cut corners.

On the eve of the Great Recession of 2008, Red Lobster manager Manny DeLeon is faced with the inevitable closure of his restaurant. Tomorrow, his Red Lobster will cease to be, and he and only four of his employees will get to be transferred to the franchise owner’s Olive Garden down the road. It’s December 20, a snowstorm is blowing in, and Manny must reconcile his personal relationship with his girlfriend, his lover, and his coworkers while grappling with the futility of working at a place that will not exist tomorrow.

This novel manages to capture the paradoxical drudgery and chaos that simultaneously occur within a food service job. Minutes drag by, but the stress of lunch rush piles on. Smoke breaks are hours away, yet flit by in an instant. And, on top of all of the responsibilities and chores a worker is set at, there’s still a living, vibrant person in there, who’s own experiences color their day-to-day tasks. O’Nan’s dedication to displaying the whole and entire truth of the last day of a restaurant can get plodding at times, but it accurately reflects the minimum-wage food service worker’s experience, especially how the effects of the whims of a far-off corporate owner can toy with a worker’s life who’s just trying to get by.

Book cover for "Player Piano"Player Piano” by Kurt Vonnegut

Of course, it wouldn’t be a blog of mine without a venture into science fiction. The specter of AI automation has been haunting the labor market recently, providing big businesses an excuse to get rid of skilled labor in favor of quickly constructed and janky computer-generated art, writing, and more. While this feels like a very modern problem, the idea of over-automation of labor has been at the forefront of many a science fiction writer over the years. One of the most prominent is Kurt Vonnegut’s “Player Piano.”

In a not-too-far-off future, Vonnegut paints a picture of the absolute triumph of industry: a factory with no assembly line workers, no warehouse teamsters, no humans at all, except for engineers and managers. Where did all the workers go? They’re just across the river, in a town with no jobs, technically provided for but languishing at the lack of anything meaningful to do. The story follows Dr. Paul Proteus, the scion of a man who controlled the nation’s industrial arm during the last World War, as he comes to terms with an industry devoid of humanity, becomes involved with a Luddite movement which wants a return to human labor, and struggles with a company that wants to keep its labor costs down, especially when the cost is actually paying workers.

This novel addresses a common misconception with labor. In reality, most people want to work! Even when given benefits and opportunities to do less work (whether that be in the form of reasonable work breaks, adequate social programs, or the like), most folks want a chance to do something with their time and labor. As long as that labor is fairly compensated, you’ll find plenty of people willing to work.

So, next time you find yourself at a Labor Day cookout or relaxing on a late-summer day off, remember to tip a hat or raise a glass to all of us, the workers! If you want more reading on the topic, check out my booklist here.

In Solidarity,

David L.

Reader Review: A Walk in the Park

Posted on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 by patron reviewer

A Walk in the Park book coverFull of mishaps and adventure, “A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon” is an eye-opening account of a man’s trek through the base of the Grand Canyon and the many dangers he encountered there. This book goes past the knowledge that most of us have about the national park, exploring the history of the canyon and the indigenous people who call(ed) it home. I love this book because it helped me to think about the impact we all have on our environment and how important it is to conserve these awe-inspiring landmarks.

Three words that describe this book: Adventurous, hiking, conservation

You might want to pick this book up if: You enjoy outdoorsy nonfiction narratives

-Alexandra

This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.

Nonfiction Roundup: September 2024

Posted on Monday, September 2, 2024 by Liz

Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in September. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.

Top Picks

Connie book coverConnie: A Memoir” by Connie Chung (Sep 17)
Connie Chung is a pioneer. In 1969 at the age of 23, this once-shy daughter of Chinese parents took her first job at a local TV station in her hometown of Washington, D.C. and soon thereafter began working at CBS news as a correspondent. Profoundly influenced by her family’s cultural traditions, yet growing up completely Americanized in the United States, Chung describes her career as an Asian woman in a white male-centered world. Overt sexism was a way of life, but Chung was tenacious in her pursuit of stories — battling rival reporters to secure scoops that ranged from interviewing Magic Johnson to covering the Watergate scandal — and quickly became a household name. She made history when she achieved her dream of being the first woman to co-anchor the CBS Evening News and the first Asian to anchor any news program in the U.S. Chung pulls no punches as she provides a behind-the-scenes tour of her singular life. From showdowns with powerful men in and out of the newsroom to the stories behind some of her career-defining reporting and the unwavering support of her husband, Maury Povich, nothing is off-limits — good, bad, or ugly. So be sure to tune in for an irreverent and inspiring exclusive: this is CONNIE like you’ve never seen her before. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: September 2024”

Staff Review: Practice by Rosalind Brown

Posted on Friday, August 30, 2024 by Karena

What do you think of when you think of an indulgent read? Is it romance? Fantasy? A cozy mystery? Me, I like a good nothing novel. If Goodreads users are complaining that “nothing happened,” or, better yet, that they were bored, my interest is immediately piqued. I don’t need things to happen! Enough with the happenings, already. Give me a book about a person sitting in a room. Maybe standing, or stretching, occasionally. Thinking. Give me “Practice,” British author Rosalind Brown’s exquisite first offering to the world of nothing novels.

The protagonist and subject of “Practice” is Annabel, and I mean subject in a true scientific sense. Annabel is her own meticulous observer, the architect of her Practice by Rosalind Brown book coverenclosure, always thinking about how to optimize, how to adjust her conditions. And for what? What is the subject’s task? Today, it is to write an essay about Shakespeare’s sonnets. And we need only concern ourselves with today. (We will find that for a subject as sensitive as Annabel, this task is enough for a whole day, enough for a whole book.) Continue reading “Staff Review: Practice by Rosalind Brown”

Crafternoon News

Posted on Wednesday, August 28, 2024 by cs

Last time our “Crafternoon” project was yarn-covered jars and in June we did mirrored button, bead and mosaic wall art. One of our goals with “Crafternoon” is to provide new skills with a project that hopefully you can use — and maybe even develop an ongoing interest. Imagine my excitement when we received an email from a participating patron with a thank you and pictures of what she has continued to do with these crafts.

“I just wanted to send a quick thank you for hosting the “Crafternoon” sessions. I am really enjoying them and love learning the new skills.  Here is a picture of my completed yarn wrapped jar from Saturday and button projects I have made for my sisters using buttons my mom saved throughout the years.” -“Crafternoon” Participant

Collage of button and mirror crafts

This is exactly what we are going for. Yay! Next month, we are going to be using scrabble tiles, and in October we will be doing an “Introduction to Embroidery” class with a part 2 to follow in early 2025. Think “stars” for November and “BYOC” (bring your own craft) for December. And, don’t worry, we have already begun developing other exciting classes for 2025!

These classes fill quickly and registration typically begins 2 weeks before the class. After that, you will be placed on a waiting list to be called when we have a cancellation. And we make those calls often, so be sure to register for the waiting list. Please remember these classes are for adults only as many of the projects are working with items that may not be safe for kids. See you at the next “Crafternoon”!

Climate Fiction

Posted on Monday, August 26, 2024 by Ida

The selection of Charlotte McConaghy’s novel “Migrations” as this year’s One Read selection has sparked a lot of conversations in the community around the intersection of climate change and literature. There’s no shortage of books in the Cli Fi genre. Like love and loss, climate is a topic that shapes the lives of everyone on the planet. Of course it makes its way into fiction.

Book cover: Parable of the Sower, Octavia ButlerParable of the Sower” by Octavia Butler was published in 1993 and set the standard for many works that followed. It follows the journeys of a highly empathetic young woman named Lauren as her efforts to help her immediate community expand into a mission to rebuild the very underpinnings of society into a more just and sustainable form. In this work, Butler managed to write a story that was both post-apocalyptic and visionary. Continue reading “Climate Fiction”

August 26 Is Women’s Equality Day

Posted on Friday, August 23, 2024 by Jonya

What is Women’s Equality Day? The U.S. Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day” in 1973. The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, mostly peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the United State’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

Image of a woman, arms akimbo, dressed in white with a gold and purple shawl. The capitol building is behind her.The word “suffrage” means the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums. Ellen Carol DuBois began writing “Suffrage: Women’s Long Battle for the Vote” as a tribute to the 75-year-long battle to gain voting rights for women, and with the hope of celebrating the first woman president. It is an event-heavy history book that draws the reader onto stages and street corners across the country, introducing us to the suffragettes and abolitionists of the movement. We learn of the good and the bad; the suffragettes and their male supporters were determined to gain enfranchisement and some of their actions, looking back, are objectionable. Bubois writes unflinchingly about suffragettes who adopted the “Southern Strategy” of disenfranchising African American men in favor of advancing the white suffragette movement. There were also powerful friendships and partnerships between black and white women who together took up the banner of the universal suffrage framework. An excellent book that reminds us of the strength of our past as we face the work of our future. Continue reading “August 26 Is Women’s Equality Day”

Voyage Into Fantasy: Soft Magic Systems

Posted on Wednesday, August 21, 2024 by Michael M

Welcome to what will hopefully become a new blog series, Voyage into Fantasy, where we look at fantasy series and worlds, figure out how they work, and what we love about them. In the first few posts, we’ll be looking at magic systems, specifically what makes a hard or soft magic system, and taking a look at some examples. Let’s start with a brief explanation of magic systems, and then go into soft magic systems.

Simply put, a magic system is the way characters use magic to interact with the world around them, usually with at least some internal structure for what magic can and cannot do and how it works. And the important distinction here is that usually there is some internal structure that an author follows as they are writing, but whether or not that structure is explicitly shown or explained depends on the author and what the story requires. Not every fantasy book or series uses magic at all, and for those that do, it might be a very minor piece of a larger world, or only side characters use magic, so it’s not explored in depth. Continue reading “Voyage Into Fantasy: Soft Magic Systems”

Reader Review: The Way of Kings

Posted on Monday, August 19, 2024 by patron reviewer

The Way of Kings book coverThe Way of Kings” which is book one of  “The Stormlight Archive” series does a lot of heavy lifting in terms of world building for author Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere universe. Much like his other novels the book takes its time to build up character stories through a lot of “showing” rather than “telling” moments. The pacing may feel slow at times but it’s a good simmer that leads to full boil throughout. And much like other Sanderson novels the final parts of the book make for a full on Sanderlanche that makes the book impossible to put down as all the pieces and characters come together for an phenomenal bit of storytelling that leaves you wanting to grab the next book immediately.

I highly recommend this book for fantasy genre fans, but if the size is daunting then I’d recommend giving “Mistborn” a try first. Just, you know, clear your TBR list to make room for this author to take it over.

Three words that describe this book: Bridge. Soul. Honor.

You might want to pick this book up if: You want a well fleshed out world with characters you want to stick with to see their story play out.

-Blake

This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.

Reader Review: The Husbands

Posted on Friday, August 16, 2024 by patron reviewer

The Husbands book cover
After a night out at a bachelorette party, Lauren returns to her London flat to be greeted by her husband. But wait… Lauren doesn’t have a husband! And when her “husband” goes up into the attic to find something, she is astonished when a totally different “husband” comes back down the ladder. What ensues is a unique story where one woman must learn how to be truly happy with what she has.

I loved “The Husbands” for how unique it was. I read it via audiobook, which I highly recommend.

Three words that describe this book: Humorous, unique, thought-provoking

You might want to pick this book up if: You are looking for a summer read that has some substance to it.

-Alexandra

This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.