Upton Sinclair (1878–1968)

Functions as more of a political treatise of sorts rather than a straightforward narrative, which exposes the ill-treatment of low-wage workers, particularly cheated immigrants, in early 20th century America. Through the medium of a tragic fable, Sinclair strives to represent Capitalism at its worst, and with bitter and explicit detail, sheds light on the injustice and evils that would be potentially concealed by the untrained eye. He advocates the cause of Socialism in its place and he makes a remarkably convincing argument for the undecided.

Personally, I found the story itself too tedious and predictable, and the characters a bit cold and detached; too much of a cautionary tale to make for a pleasurable read (like Black Beauty or The Red Pony for people). Nonetheless, the book is well-written with a sense of poignancy, and the concepts are both significant and inspiring.
… (mere)

Entertaining and an interesting (albeit sarcastic?) description of the life of a would-be millionaire in the 1920s. However, I was confused by the plot: it doesn't follow the hero's journey or other story arc structure; instead it is an almost linear narration of events without much conflict. The conflicts that do happen are relatively minor and don't impede the main character in any way. I guess the main focus is the slow corruption of the main character, without much opposition from or interaction with other parties.

Books this reminded me of:
- [b:Reminiscences of a Stock Operator: With New Commentary and Insights on the Life and Times of Jesse Livermore|6582969|Reminiscences of a Stock Operator With New Commentary and Insights on the Life and Times of Jesse Livermore (Annotated Edition)|Edwin Lefèvre|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1347582395l/6582969._SX50_.jpg|97175]
- [b:What Makes Sammy Run?|101191|What Makes Sammy Run?|Budd Schulberg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1171476932l/101191._SY75_.jpg|981633]
- [b:The Richest Woman in America: Hetty Green in the Gilded Age|13330601|The Richest Woman in America Hetty Green in the Gilded Age|Janet Wallach|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1346291013l/13330601._SY75_.jpg|18538251]
- [b:The Gospel of Wealth and Other Writings|318179|The Gospel of Wealth and Other Writings|Andrew Carnegie|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1349085995l/318179._SY75_.jpg|308969]
… (mere)

I remember hearing about this book in my high school Literary Criticism competition studies (I always got Upton Sinclair and Sinclair Lewis). I knew he'd written about poor conditions in meat packing plants, but I didn't realize that the book was a novel with a plot. Frankly, it was pretty depressing. Listening to descriptions of the lives of the characters, often barely scraping by and nearly starving, made me feel incredibly privileged to be in my current position, having quit a job of my own volition and being able to comfortably spent 4 months looking for one I like better.… (mere)