I read this one 4.5 months ago. It was my last book of 2024, so I'm getting closer to getting caught up on this blog once and for all. I really liked this one. I'm a sucker for books about the unjust sufferings people have to go through, like Grapes of Wrath or Les Miserables. Something about them just lets you connect with the characters in a more compassionate way. I found this book to be incredibly fascinating. It was super interesting learning about the sufferings of the working class in the Chicago meatpacking plants around the early 1900's. Sinclair paints such a clear picture that you feel pretty immersed in the time and place of the story. As it turns out, this book is one of the more impactful books of all time in that it eventually led to changes in more effective oversight in ensuring the proper sanitation of food production. Which, I think, is not quite what Sinclair was aiming for. I think he was hoping to draw more attention to the unjust nature of wages and labor more so than food sanitation. Sinclair said about this book that he aimed for the public's heart but instead hit it in the stomach. Anyway, really good book. The only thing keeping it from a 9/10 or even possibly a 10/10 is the over-the-top socialism toward the end combined with the out of place, seemingly never-ending, socialism speech at the conclusion of the book. I like my socialism in more subtle doses, Grapes of Wrath style, than the in-your-face socialism presented here. Too preachy and off-putting which I felt spoiled a lot of the message he had effectively established through the characters and story. Still enjoyed this one overall even though I didn't decide to become a commie because of it.
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