Customer Reviews

The Story of Reo Joe: Work, Kin, and Community in Autotown, U.S.A. (Critical Perspectives on the Past)

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If you're interested in the socio-economic aspects of how certain segments of the population empowered their masculinity within the familial bonds of the REO factory, this is a well-researched and well-thought out read that will probably bring you some enlightenment.

On the other hand, if you're like me - someone who grew up near the REO factory, who is simply interested in some history, maybe some stories about the factory and geography around it, and the important figures in its history, you may find this a bit droll.

You won't find any mention of the year the railroad spur was built through the factory, or how many trainloads of freight went in or out the doors. You won't learn much about the fire truck accessory factory on the other side of Cedar that took advantage of the location next to the REO factory. (Or was it part of the REO factory? I didn't learn from this book.)

In other words, it's a social studies tome, not a history of Diamond REO. Although I picked up a few interesting tidbits as I read, this did not turn out to be the book I was looking for.

**To be fair, the book is advertised as exactly what it is. There are so few choices when it comes to books about REO, though, that I decided to take a chance on it.