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Miriam Pawel
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The Union of Their Dreams: Power, Hope, and Struggle in Cesar Chavez's Farm Worker Movement Paperback – October 6, 2010

by Miriam Pawel (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 50 ratings
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A generation of Americans came of age boycotting grapes, swept up in a movement that vanquished California's most powerful industry and won dignity and contracts for impoverished farm workers. Four decades later, United Farm Workers leader Cesar Chavez's likeness graces postage stamps, and schools and streets are renamed in his honor.
But the real stories behind la causa-both its historic accomplishments and tragic disintegration-have remained buried. Pulitzer-winning journalist Miriam Pawel has changed our understanding of the UFW forever, crafting a powerful, poignant account of a movement and the people who made it. A tour de force of reporting and a spellbinding narrative, The Union of Their Dreams is a major contribution to the history of labor, civil rights, and immigration in modern America.

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  1. Print length
    384 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    October 6, 2010
  4. Dimensions
    6.13 x 1.01 x 8.19 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    1608190994
  6. ISBN-13
    978-1608190997
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“A provocative glimpse into recent history, Pawel's exposé offers deep insight into the nature of mass movements.” ―Los Angeles Times

“In this sympathetic yet courageously honest narrative ... Miriam Pawel pays tribute to the dreams of a generation of young Americans dedicated to social justice and the dignity of labor.” ―Kevin Starr

“This incisive and sensitive study makes a major contribution to our understanding of Cesar Chavez and the poor people's movement he led.” ―David G. Gutiérrez

“Miriam Pawel combines the skills of an historian and an investigative reporter to tell the story of the remarkable people upon whose dreams the farm worker movement was established, moved forward, and forever changed the nation.” ―William Deverell

About the Author

Miriam Pawel is an award-winning reporter and editor who spent twenty-five years working for Newsday and the Los Angeles Times. She was recently an Alicia Patterson Foundation Fellow and a John Jacobs Fellow at the Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bloomsbury Publishing (October 6, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1608190994
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1608190997
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.13 x 1.01 x 8.19 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 50 ratings

About the author

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Miriam Pawel

Miriam Pawel

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Miriam Pawel is an author, journalist and independent scholar who has spent most of the last decade writing about California farmworkers, agriculture, Cesar Chavez, and the United Farm Workers union. Her latest book, "The Crusades of Cesar Chavez," has been hailed in starred reviews as the first and definitive biography of this iconic leader. The biography picks up from where her first book left off; "The Union of Their Dreams" is the story of the heady and life-changing days of the farm worker movement, told through the eyes of eight key participants. Pawel worked for 25 years as a reporter and editor. Her recent work was supported by a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Humanities. To learn more, visit http://miriampawel.com, which features the new blog, "Field Notes," and links to multi-media websites for "The Crusades of Cesar Chavez" and "The Union of Their Dreams."

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
50 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Laura R
5.0 out of 5 stars important history
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2023
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Years ago I purchased this book in anticipation of a presentation (as I found out later, by someone very active in giving historical perspectives for this book). It was fascinating reading about the history of organizing the migrant workers who harvest the fields that provide much of our food and drink. I loaned my copy to someone a few years later and never got it back but wanted it for reference, so this was my second purchase of this book. Some of the main characters are gone but others are still involved in union activities. A great history and good read.
One person found this helpful
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Joslyn M. Padilla
5.0 out of 5 stars WRATH OF GRAPES!
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2012
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After recently visiting the National Cesar E. Chavez Memorial I learned about this book through a fellow sister. It was very enlightening in that it paralleled my life as a community organizer and supporter of the UFW. Ms. Pawel did her homework chronicalling how the UFW grew from a movement to a Union. I learned that Worship is the fanatical side of love as hate is its sinister counterpart. As it always has been, PEOPLE ARE THE MAKERS OF HISTORY. Cesar E. Chavez sparked the flame of peonage in the fields of America and most importantly inspired many of us to DARE TO STRUGGLE...DARE TO WIN!
3 people found this helpful
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LiteBlue Gator
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Decades of Struggle
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2013
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Mr. Chavez will forever remain an iconic leader. From his activism timeline of 1952-1993 the struggle was on to raise the living statndards for so many. United Farm workers have a strong foundation today because Cesar and his leadership teams built the movement. Nothing good is ever done without adversity and reading this book you will find out about the barriers UFW had to deal with inside and outside the Union as the rising tide lifted all boats.

"Keep the children stupid and we will always have our cheap labor supply. Keep them stupid, and we will always have them for our needs."

Find out about the Mexican and Filipino merger on the prized commodity. And the battles between the Teamsters and the UFW.

Mr Chavez believed that the Union has a responsibility to the membership to change the quality of life.

Find out about the two Germans, Boycott and Huelga.

"It is our sweat, our backs, our muscle that have made the farmers of the Imperial Valley the rich men they are today."

There is so much more in this well written book about the conditions in the fields with none of the basic protections and rights afforded almost all other workers in the USA.

We are all reaping the benefits today of the UFW in the food we eat and the struggle will forever continue.
2 people found this helpful
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DHK
5.0 out of 5 stars Startling sad insights into a movement I was once part of ...
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2010
Verified Purchase
I worked with Chavez in the early years -- around '62 and '63 and was no longer there when the events described in this book took place. The book is well-written and engaging, perhaps more so for me, as I knew many of these people. I appreciate having this information, but it makes me terribly sad that our idealistic movement went so far wrong, that our efforts to improve the lives of farm workers were becoming so successful when they were so badly undermined by the man who had been responsible for so much good
11 people found this helpful
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Esmeralda Rodriguez
5.0 out of 5 stars Impeccably written, painstakingly researched page-turner
Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2009
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With the humanity and rigor of Studs Terkel and Lincoln Steffens, The Union of Their Dreams tells a more revealing and nuanced story than any more traditional history of this important 20th century movement could have done. The author has perfect pitch in her choice and treatment of the characters through whose remarkable experiences the story is told. Though sad in some ways, it actually inspires and affirms hope for the future of farm worker organizing while at the same time giving an exciting behind-the-scenes accounts of past successes and failures, and the lessons both taught.
10 people found this helpful
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eliot hall
5.0 out of 5 stars a great read
Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2009
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For all of us baby boomers who remember the grape and lettuce boycotts, this was a fascinating behind-the-scenes story about what was going on during those times. I was hooked on the characters and finding out what happened to them and how the story ended. I recommend this book for people interested in social change and community organizing. It's a fast read, poignant, inspiring and sad all at once.
5 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book! Easy read!
Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2019
Verified Purchase
Very good book. This book provided great insight to the personal struggle that immigrant farm workers faced.
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Carlingas
5.0 out of 5 stars Great!
Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2018
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Delivered in week. Great!
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