Set against a backdrop of murder, intrigue, and industrial labor conflict in the early twentieth century pearl button industry, Shell Games graphically portrays one of the most important battles in the fight for safe and humane working conditions. Filtered through the thoughts and emotions of Pearl McGill, a woman who stood heroically against the injustices destroying the lives of so many around her in the shops and factories, this conflict vividly comes to life and underscores many of the concerns contemporary workers still encounter. >
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"Shell Games is a history of American labor through the eyes of the brave and personable heroine Pearl McGill. This is a story of friendship, romance, family, and community conflict, the story of an all-American girl thrust into a high stakes political mystery. Shell Games is history at its most lively and dynamic." --Kate Rousmaniere, Department of Educational Leadership, Miami University, Ohio
"The story of Pearl McGill's rise as an unlikely teen heroine for America's early 20th Century labor struggle is one of courage and passion. Through meticulous research, Jeffrey Copeland paints a vivid and accurate picture of what is arguably one of the most defining periods of Muscatine's storied pearl button industry, a microcosm of the world of American industry of the era." --Kristin McHugh-Johnston, Past Director, Muscatine History and Industry Center and author of Muscatine: Images of America
Hi - and thanks for visiting my Amazon.com author site! I'm glad you're here!
I was asked to provide a "brief biography" here, so I'll try to throw out a few chunks of what I do. In my "day job," I'm Head of the Department of Languages and Literatures at the University of Northern Iowa. I dearly love my work at the University, but nothing gives me greater pleasure than putting words to paper. In particular, I love writing what is called "literary nonfiction." Literary nonfiction is the art of putting true stories/events into the voices of the people who lived those stories/events -- to help make the stories come alive. Knowing an event took place is one thing; knowing WHY the event took place is something else again. The WHY of history is what is most interesting and fascinating to me.
Also, in literary nonfiction, all events in the story must be true. The job of the writer is then to add meat to the story by sharing WHY the characters acted the way they did. This is why it typically takes me a year and a half to write a book. I take a year to do my background research. Then, it takes me about six months to do the actual writing of the book. I love digging through museums, archives, and record centers to find out the background for the stories. I also interview as many people as I can find who knew the main characters so that I know such things as how they dressed, their mannerisms, how they spoke, and what they liked/disliked in life. For me, this is like putting together one gigantic jigsaw puzzle--and I love every minute of it!
For my new book, Shell Games, which was released on March 15, 2012 (and is available now on Amazon.com), I ended up with the most complicated jigsaw puzzle I've ever seen in my life, and I can't begin to put into words how much fun I had writing that book once I found all the major puzzle pieces. I hope you enjoy this new book, which is called: "Shell Games: The Life and Times of Pearl McGill, Industrial Spy and Pioneer Labor Activist." The story, which is another piece of literary nonfiction, has murder, mystery, mayhem -- and a pretty fair love story to boot! While doing the background research, I also uncovered a "cold case" murder. In a special section at the end of the book, I present the information about the murder, and then I invite the reader to write to me and tell me who he/she thinks really did the murder. I get chills every time I think of that crime!
I also keep busy with my hobbies when I'm not writing or working at the university. I love to travel and see new places with my wife. I have been to Europe, South and Central America, and islands all across the Caribbean. However, there are many places, especially here in the U.S., that I'd still like to see. I also collect and restore antique cars and motorcycles; at present, I have seventeen of them -- of all types and varieties.
If you'd like more information about me and my writings, there are two additional places you might want to check out. This site does not allow hyperlinks, so please "copy and paste" the following addresses into your browser. The first one is for my author blog site, which can be found at the following address: http://jcopelandauthor.blogspot.com/
In addition, please check out my author website at this address: http://www.jcopelandauthor.com/
I hope you enjoy my books!
Jeffrey
P.S. Shell Games is now officially An Amazon Best seller in Midwest Biography!
I am from family that made their living along the Mississippi during the years of clamming and pearl button cutting. I had no idea what conditions were like and what it took for a Union to be organized to make working and living conditions better for the laborers. This book gave me the insight as to what the lives of my ancestors endured to make a living in the Muscatine area during these times. Jeffrey S. Copeland spun a very interesting story of Pearl McGill, and kept me reaching for the book every free moment until finished. I have come to realize due to the extreme harvesting of the clams that there was an environmental impact on the River, and now I understand that generations later I have to step up and find a way to become a steward to the River. The Afterword is intriging and I appreciate the research that Mr. Copeland had put into exploring the murder. Perhaps the mentioned "good friend" was a Union buster.
This was a very interesting and informative book. I had no idea that workers in the pearl button industry along the Mississippi River endured such bad working conditions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This was an informative look at the beginning of a labor union for these workers, showing why unions were needed and how they were formed.
Most of all, this is simply a good read. I picked it up every chance I got; it was a page-turner for me, and I really wanted to continue reading to see how the plot unfolded.
The main character, Pearl McGill, is from a small Iowa town; she is perceptive and intelligent and she had a lot of influence in the beginnings of the labor union movement. The author, Dr. Jeffrey Copeland, has done his research well, so the entire book rings true.
I'd be very interested in reading another book by this author (I've already read "Inman's War", a terrific book), perhaps even a book that continues on with Pearl's life. I'm positive there's another good novel wrapped up in the rest of her life!
Shell Games is a thoroughly intriguing, entertaining, inspiring and educational book. Once started, I could not put the book down. Dr. Copeland did a superb job of weaving in history with suspense and little love story too. I appreciated that Dr. Copeland included the message that not all owners were evil and in fact owners made decisions that would sustain the business for the well-being of both owners and workers. It was so fun to become wrapped up in Pearl's adventurous life and ethical decision-making. She was a heroine and am so glad to have discovered her through Dr. Copeland's book. I am now going to read Olivia's Story.
