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| Loray Mill Strike, Gastonia, 1929 |
Dear Bookclub,
Wiley Cash's "The Last Ballad", based on the true story of the Loray Mill Strike in Gastonia, North Carolina in 1929, reads like Chuck McShane's historic account, "Strike!" in "Our State", a North Carolina magazine. Fred Beal is real. As is - or was - Ella May Wiggins.
Please delve into McShane's January 2014 published account for more great pictures and the complete story:
https://www.ourstate.com/loray-mill-strike/
To be fair, Cash's historic novel brilliantly wove rich character development into the historic account. Our group of six, shared thoughts about Cash's imagining, notably Ella's situation, marveling at her committed yet doomed journey. In contrast, Claire, Katherine (Kate) and Richard, being more complex characters given the tangled circumstances, tossed about our feelings. Chillingly, this was not that long ago, and although the labor movement brought about great change, many of today's conditions still beg for change.
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| Harper Collins Publisher employees participate in a one-day strike in Manhattan, July 20, 2022. |
For more on U.S. labor support being at a 57-year high:
https://www.npr.org/2022/08/31/1120111276/labor-union-support-in-us
My suggestions for an upcoming read:
"The Lioness" Chris Bohjalian *chosen (January)
"On Animals" Susan Orlean *chosen (December)
"Lessons in Chemistry" Bonnie Garmus
Up next:
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| Marie Benedict & Victoria Christopher Murray |
Happy reading,
LK
