Joe Hill [Paperback]

Gibbs Smith (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1969

The definitive study of Joe Hill, American labor martyr, proletarian fold hero, and song writer.
"Joe Hill became symbollic of the kind of individual sacrifice that would make a revolutionary new society possible. Thus labor radicals, communists, and novelists and playwrights such as John Dos Passos, Wallace Stegner, and Barrie Stavis used the circumstances of Hill's convictions and manner of his death to create a legend that transformed 'just another forgotten migrant worker' into 'The Man Who Never Died," as the song which Paul Robeson enthralled audiences in the 1930s and 1940s had it . . . Gibbs Smith has served us well be recapturing the memory of a man whose songs, to quote another wobbly, evoked the spirit of radicals who were the 'very epitome of guts and gallantry,' a handful of homeless heroes touched by true romance. Men and women whose spirits were stirred far above their belly-need; men and women inspired by visions of heaven on earth. Now, as then, society needs such men and women."
--Melvyn Dubofsky, The New York Times Book Review

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Joe Hill's songs From greenhorn Swede to rebel true-blue Charged with murder A guilty man? Unexplaine gunshot wound Utah, the Wobblies and Joe Hill "My dear Governor Spry . . ." "Don't waste time in mourning: organize!" "I don't want to be foud dead in Utah" Joe Hill will never die Notes Appendix A Appendix B Bibliography Index

From the Back Cover

The definitive study of Joe Hill, American labor martyr, proletarian fold hero, and song writer.
"Joe Hill became symbollic of the kind of individual sacrifice that would make a revolutionary new society possible. Thus labor radicals, communists, and novelists and playwrights such as John Dos Passos, Wallace Stegner, and Barrie Stavis used the circumstances of Hill's convictions and manner of his death to create a legend that transformed 'just another forgotten migrant worker' into 'The Man Who Never Died," as the song which Paul Robeson enthralled audiences in the 1930s and 1940s had it . . . Gibbs Smith has served us well be recapturing the memory of a man whose songs, to quote another wobbly, evoked the spirit of radicals who were the 'very epitome of guts and gallantry,' a handful of homeless heroes touched by true romance. Men and women whose spirits were stirred far above their belly-need; men and women inspired by visions of heaven on earth. Now, as then, society needs such men and women."
--Melvyn Dubofsky, The New York Times Book Review

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 286 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith (November 1, 1969)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 087905154X
• ISBN-13: 978-0879051549
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #602,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Underrated, April 5, 2000

By 

Michael Coppola (USA!) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joe Hill (Paperback)

It's a shame the publisher is no longer printing this book. In a day and age of extremely poor role models Joe Hill is a breath of relief. These are the kinds of books that should be required reading in history and government classes. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are a democrat. It's no wonder this is on the Rage Against the Machine reading list...

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Did the other reviewers miss the point, or did I?, February 4, 2008

By 

William E. Adams (Midland, Texas USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Joe Hill (Paperback)

This is a well-researched, fairly well-composed telling of the life and the trial and execution of Mr. Hill, which led to the famous and wonderful song, "I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night." However, it convincingly argues that Joe most likely did MURDER two people that night in Salt Lake City in a botched robbery. So the explosive part of the story is not that "The copper bosses killed you, Joe" as the song declares, but that Joe got a fair trial, for his era, even in Utah. He was his own worst enemy during the legal proceedings, unwilling to cooperate with his attorneys and unable or unwilling to declare a credible alibi. This does not negate the power of some of his labor songs, or the power of songs about him, for songs do not have to tell the truth to be good songs. But to see four reviews, none of which point out that Joe was guilty, after all, is amazing. You can't read this book and respect Mr. Hill quite as much after you are done as you did when you were ignorant of the circumstances of the case. The song says "They framed you on a murder charge" and there has NEVER been any believable evidence produced to support the line. I wish the song WAS true, frankly.

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read, January 26, 2005

By 

Emmalee (Aberdeen, SD, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Joe Hill (Paperback)

One of my friends, a Yale student, was reading this during a trip and I picked it up mostly out of boredom, then pratically made myself car sick finishing it on the bus. Anyone with a nominal interest in politics and labor unions should consider this an important part of their required reading, as well as anyone who is simply interested in fascinating and well-written books on subjects that too often disappear into the dusty shelves of public libraries. Pick it up; try it out! Reading is fun.