I kind of abandoned tradition this holiday season, perhaps just this once. I haven't listened to my Christmas music because my iPod died. And I haven't read my usual supply of Christmas books because, well, my time for "fun" reading is limited and I made the command decision to branch out and read (mostly) new-to-me books instead of ones I've read multiple times. Considering that from January to May I won't have a spare moment to read anything outside of academia, I feel good about this choice.
So, my latest read was The Jungle by Upton Sinclair.
Holy cow (pun intended).
I hadn't read this in school but I'd heard it was crazy gruesome and disturbing. If you live in a cave like I do, I'll remind you that it's about the stockyards and meat packing plants of Chicago in the early 1900's (late 1800's). Sinclair actually spent about 7 weeks in the packing plants, prepping his big expose that was intended to support unions and overturn the concept of slave-wages in America. In actuality, it grossed people out about the meat plants (not so much about the poor workers) and resulted in America's Pure Drug and Food Act.
The book follows Lithuanian immigrant, Jurkis Klskdj;foiuelkjre;lajsodifja;l (the names are impossible) and his family as they try to make a life for themselves in a dump (literally) in Chicago. Everything bad that can possibly come out of capitalism, Murphy's Law, and our sinful human nature happen to poor Jurgis in this book, I kid you not. His experiences show the reader just about every awful aspect of the plants, the harsh winters, the inedible food, the non-existent hygiene, diseases that result from all of the aforementioned, and just how badly institutions can take advantage of people.
The book's gruesome reputation is well-deserved. You won't want to chow down on say, beef jerky, while you read this. Turns out Sinclair was a huge proponent of Socialism and the book ends with a honkin explanation of that philosophy. The book, though, in total, is engaging and easy to read. Despite the fact that all hell breaks loose and people's ears freeze off and there are more dead horses and pigs than you'll ever be able to get out of your head, it's a fascinating window into a dark part of early America.
Also? If we ever end up with a boy rabbit, we're naming him Upton.
I read The Jungle a few years ago and I still feel haunted by the part when the little boy who was swept down the flooded street (or gutter?? it's been a while). I was also creeped out by the book, but "liked" the story until I got to the soapbox ending.
ReplyDeleteYour post reminded me that I meant to read A Christmas Carol this year...