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Which side are you on?
355 pages
A wry, melancholic, and deeply personal love letter to the American labor movement from a lawyer who has spent his life fighting its losing battles.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a dimly lit Chicago dive bar with a brilliant, slightly cynical, but fundamentally idealistic labor lawyer who is pouring his heart out over a beer. The pace is surprisingly brisk for a book about labor law, propelled by a voice that is wry, self-deprecating, and fiercely intelligent. It immerses you in a mood of gritty melancholy, capturing the slow, painful decline of American unions while refusing to give up the ghost. The prose is conversational yet sharp, effortlessly translating complex legal battles into deeply human stories of coal miners and steelworkers. It will delight readers who crave political non-fiction that is as emotionally resonant and darkly funny as it is intellectually rigorous, offering a stubborn spark of solidarity amidst systemic defeat.
- Mood
- melancholic
- gritty
- reflective
- urgent
- Tone
- wry
- self-deprecating
- passionate
- cynical
- earnest
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- decline of the working class · bureaucratic disillusionment · stubborn solidarity · the dignity of labor · systemic injustice
- The writing
- Conversational, witty, and sharply observant, blending complex legal analysis with the intimacy of a self-deprecating memoir.
- The arc
- Moves from youthful, fiery idealism through the grinding disillusionment of legal bureaucracy, ultimately landing on a stubborn, melancholic commitment to the cause.
- Who it's for
- Readers who care deeply about social justice and labor history but prefer their political non-fiction delivered with a dose of dark humor and personal vulnerability.
Content notes
- economic hardship
- systemic injustice
- corporate exploitation
About the book
A lawyer's personal and professional labor history, particularly of the West-Virgina area coal and Chicago-area steel workers.
Description from Open Library.
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