America's Working Man: Work, Home, and Politics Among Blue Collar Property Owners
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Book Overview
Over a period of six years, at factory and warehouse, at the tavern across the road, in their homes and union meetings, on fishing trips and social outings, David Halle talked and listened to workers of an automated chemical plant in New Jersey's industrial heartland. He has emerged with an unusually comprehensive and convincingly realistic picture of blue-collar life in America. Throughout the book, Halle illustrates his analysis with excerpts of workers' views on everything from strikes, class consciousness, politics, job security, and toxic chemicals to marriage, betting on horses, God, home-ownership, drinking, adultery, the Super Bowl, and life after death. Halle challenges the stereotypes of the blue-collar mentality and argues that to understand American class consciousness we must shift our focus from the "working class" to be the "working man."
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0226313662
ISBN13:9780226313665
Release Date:July 1987
Publisher:University of Chicago Press
Length:378 Pages
Weight:1.85 lbs.
Dimensions:1.1" x 6.5" x 9.4"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
Amazing Inside Look
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 16 years ago
This book is a fascinating inside look at a hidden side of the American industrial complex. Having worked in a chemical company for 13 years, I can attest that David Halle's depiction of factory workers is very accurate. I'm amazed he was able to get inside.
Fascinating Insider View
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 20 years ago
It took David 7 years, as a research project, to "infiltrate" a NJ chemical plant, which is what it took to get the workers to trust him and reveal the secrets of how plants are *really* run. I worked for a chemical company for 13 years (not in a plant) and this book was an eye-opener. But then the behaviors of plant personnel made much more sense. The book helped me understand a very serious issue that went on in one of our plants. This information is very pertinent though may be less current due to increased automation of plant functions. A needed social project that involved a enormous commitment!
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