Uprising

Uprising by Margaret Peterson Haddix

This is gripping historical fiction that you will not be able to put down! Three teenage girls, two immigrants and one society girl, who through odd turn of events during the 1909-1910 shirtwaist strike become friends. The history of the shirtwaist strike and the shirtwaist factory fire of 1911 are fascinating, and the story of the three girls is heart wrenching. This is a story of the past and of today. Haddix does not pontificate, she doesn't need to. The parallels between immigration and exploitation of workers (and outsourcing to countries where labor laws don't exist or aren't enforced) then and now are clear. This is a great read, but it is also an important read. It is an opportunity to discuss the most pressing issues in politics and our global economy. The author's note points out that the fire of 1911 was the worst workplace disaster in American history until September 11th. What has changed, what hasn't changed?

My folks and I listened to this on a long drive. Dad reads mostly non-fiction, an occasional mystery, and everything by Jon Hassler. He couldn't wait to get back in the car to hear what happened next. He was impressed by the writing and thinks it's something everyone young and old should read.

PS: This story also brought us all to tears so have tissues ready!