Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream (Paperback)

by Bruce Watson (Author) "The workday started with whistles..." (more)
Key Phrases: good old picket line, wool trust, strike committee meeting, New York, American Woolen, Mayor Scanlon (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Well sourced, evenhanded and briskly paced, Watson's account of the dramatic textile mill strike in Lawrence, Mass., during the icy winter of 1912 presents a panoramic glimpse of a half-forgotten America, one in which violent agitation and swift repression were often the order of the day. The story of how a polyglot mass of immigrants hailing from Syria to Scotland cohered into a powerful bargaining force is riveting in itself, and Watson (The Man Who Changed How Boys and Toys Were Made) places that struggle within the larger currents of reform that were slowly reshaping America. The cast includes self-made mill owner William Wood, who simply couldn't understand how "his" workers could betray him; Joseph Ettor, the union organizer who slept in a different bed every night to avoid reprisals; fiery Big Bill Haywood and Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of the IWW and muckracker Ida Tarbell. The bloody strike was repressed from public memory in the hyperpatriotic years of WWI, later idealized by the labor movement in ways that downplayed union violence. This book's subtitle, and its contents, suggest that the "American Dream" enjoyed by the nation's middle class had to be taken by force by the working class and is by no means a permanent entitlement. (Aug.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
American labor history receives a stirring but studiously balanced narrative in Watson's recounting of the 1912 strike against the textile mills of Lawrence, Massachusetts. What started as a spontaneous protest against a reduction in pay rapidly escalated into a battle between labor and capital. Coming a year after an infamous sweatshop fire in Manhattan (see David von Drehle's Triangle, 2003), the Lawrence strike drew press and congressional attention to the lot of the mill workers, whose low wages left them almost destitute. Watson, however, does not inveigh in simplistic fashion; rather, he explains Lawrence's mid-1800s industrial beginnings, its transformation by the immigrant influx in the two decades preceding the strike, and the economics of the industry. Also demurring from demonizing the mill owners (one was just as proletarian as any picketer), Watson wisely allows the strike's actors to orate, march, or stand trial through the ebb and flow of the strike. Effecting a realistic, street-level vision of the strike, Watson earns and deserves the attention of readers interested in labor and the Progressive Era. Gilbert Taylor
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (July 25, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143037358
• ISBN-13: 978-0143037354
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #197,502 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly readable and meticulously documented account of an important event in the history of the American labor movement, November 24, 2005

By	Paul Tognetti "The real world is so much more... (Cranston, RI USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream (Hardcover)

It was mid-January in the year 1912. Storm clouds were gathering over the city of Lawrence, Massachusetts. But on this occasion the weather was clearly not the issue. Rather, this was the season of discontent for the tens of thousands of workers who labored in the dozens of textile mills that dotted the banks of the Merrimack River. The vast majority of these workers were immigrants hailing from all over Europe who had been attracted to Lawrence by the promise of permanent employment, higher wages and a decent standard of living. It all seemed to good to be true. And indeed it was. The realities of life in these mills would gradually fan the flames of rebellion. When affluent mill owners instituted what amounted to a cut in pay for their workers it proved to be the straw that broke the camels back. In "Bread and Roses" author Bruce Watson brings to life the tragic events of that winter in Lawrence. It is a story that needs to be told and one that our children need to read about.
As events unfolded in Lawrence the battle lines were quickly drawn. During this volatile period in American history labor disputes such as this were sure to attract a variety of charactors each with his/her own political point of view and each with an ax to grind. Labor activists would descend upon Lawrence sensing correctly that the time was right to advance their cause. Enter one Joseph Ettor. Ettor was an organizer for the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World.) He would prove to be the catalyst that would transform what was about to occur in Lawrence from a local dispute into an event that would attract attention nationwide.
As Bruce Watson points out the situation in Lawrence deteriorated rapidly. Although not all of the workers agreed with the strike roughly 2/3 of them walked of the job on January 12th. Mill owners such as William Wood of the American Woolen Mills refused to negotiate. Despite the appeals of Joseph Ettor and others violence would rear its ugly head on a number of occasions. As the strike progresses tensions between the workers continued to escalate. Those who chose to remain on the job were being threatened by the taunts and jeers of those on strike. It was an ugly situation and one that would take a great many weeks to finally resolve.
"Bread and Roses" deserves a spot on the shelves of every library in America. This is an extremely engaging and well written account of an very significant event in our nations history. Bruce Watson places the reader right smack in the middle of these events. You get to know all of the important players in this monumental struggle for the rights of the American worker. And at the same time you will gain an appreciation for all of those tens of thousands of working men and women who had the courage to say "emough is enough" and put it all on the line for what they believed was right. If you have a youngster in high school or college I would strongly suggest you get them a copy of this book. I read "Bread and Roses" in just a few sittings. I could not put it down. Highly recommended!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Knew??, October 19, 2005

By	Stephen Freedman - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream (Hardcover)

I grew up in a town just 15 miles from Lawrence. Given this, one might think that this amazing piece of American history would woven into the local lore. Nothing of the sort. This is beautifully written, displaying exhaustive research and attention to detail. The lives of the immigrant worker community are poignant and graphic. Watson writes with a point of view, no doubt, and tells the story beautifully. I especially enjoyed the depth of understanding the author brings to the major players and important social themes of the period. Many of these same themes continue to play out today. Immensely good reading - couldn't put it down, especially the last 100 pages.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BREAD AND ROSES event, October 16, 2005

By	G. Cooper (La Habra, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Bread and Roses: Mills, Migrants, and the Struggle for the American Dream (Hardcover)

I loved this story! Many years ago, I read about "Big Bill" Haywood and about the IWW. Every detail stuck with me. Watson fleshed out the man well, as he did all the characters involved in the 1912 Lawrence, MA, textile strike. Nevada Jane, wife of "Big Bill," is a case in point. She's not a key player in this tale, but nevertheless she piqued my interest.

In fact, the "self-made" capitalist, who owned the mill, and the soldiers, who "owned" the streets of Lawrence, are mirror images of what the U. S. is becoming. However, I'm not the teller of this story. READ THE BOOK!