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My last Nonfiction November read for 2024. This book was excellent. It was about Janesville, Wisconsin and what happened in the 5 years after the GM plant in town closed. I‘m glad I got to this one finally.

The story of GM‘s recovery after the Great Recession is mostly depicted in media I have seen as a triumphant recovery. This book looks at the reality of what happened to average Americans when the GM plant in their town closed and stayed that way. It‘s clear from their experience that government and private programs, including retraining, are inadequate, allowing many to fall through the cracks. Excellent, balanced reporting.

Really interesting: the story of a Wisconsin city where the main industry is a GM plant (like the closest city to my high school village) that completely shuts down. Goldstein looks at how people pull together, create new resources to support each other, and introduce new employers, but also have to go long distances to keep earning an income, suffer family strain, and get mixed political support.
#Nonfiction2021 #Hope #WorkingClass

#FirstlineFridays @ShyBookOwl
At 7:07 a.m. the last Tahoe reaches the end of the assembly line.

Would Janesville become a #ghosttown when the GM plant closed down, or would it rise from the ashes of globalisation?

I found this book fascinating, depressing and, yes, inspiring in places. The author spent 5 years with everyday families in the aftermath of the closure so there‘s real insight into how people, and big business, react after such an event.

3.5 stars. A solid book recounting if the lives of the people of Janesville in the wake of the GM plant closing at the start of the recession, throwing thousands out of work. The tone of the book felt too chatty for me, and some the chapters absurdly short, but the author did a good job bringing across the frustration of people doing everything they can to stay afloat when barriers keep being thrown in their way.

So apologies for filling up your Litsy feed but I‘m catching up with reviews from this week...! This is the (true) story of a town in Wisconsin and what happened to its inhabitants when the GM plant shut down. In the first few chapters I thought it maybe a bit dry but it quickly became a thoroughly engrossing read. I was really rooting for all of the characters, although of course there are no glib happy endings to this American tale.

This book follows residents of Janesville, Wisconsin as they experience the 2008 recession and resulting shutdown of the GM plant at the heart of the local economy. The lives of the auto workers really resonated with me; their choices mirrored those faced by steelworkers, including my dad, when the mill closed in my hometown. Despite occasionally stilted writing, this was an absorbing look at a town faced with a changing world.

Finished this a week ago and I‘ve already recommended it to 3 people. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A close look at families affected by the 2008 closing of the GM factory that employed many in town. Listened to the audio book, which is how I like to consume non-fiction, and I heartily recommend the audio. It‘s an easy story to follow, compelling and straightforward. Sometimes heartbreaking but always respectful of the individuals and their choices. A great read!

I can‘t even describe how good this book is. It covered so much about Janesville after the GM factory closed down. I loved and cried at the personal stories and still can‘t stand Paul Ryan. #nonfiction #audiobook

Well written book. I have met a few former GM'ers that switched careers after the closing of this plant. I live right outside of Janesville.

Ugh.. this is tough to relive... I was hit hard by Walker since I'm a county employee....

This Ode to a resilient town follows some of the middle class residents of the WI in the aftermath of the closing of the G.M. assembly plant that employed many residents. The book begins just before its closing in 2008 and follows the political and social drama that ensued as not just the people who worked in the plant, but the people who manufactured their car seats, as well as those who transported and cars to and from the train station. ⬇️

In the midst of reshuffling and organizing all of my bookshelves this weekend, I finally made a library-only shelf. It sits right next to one of my reading chairs and will keep things a bit less cluttered. #shelfie

#MiaCat is not going to allow me to add this book to my #BuJo #LitsyAtoZ #CatsOfLitsy

My view from the stationary bike as I listen to this book. #BonBonCat #CatsOfLitsy #PayItForward

Reading a book about the closure of the GM plant near my home town and just getting to the part where the new governor attacks the State workers (me) when this came up on my FB feed. 8 years ago. It was Bitter. It‘s been hard but good to read about more of the story. My dad lost his long held UNION dairy job in 1990, he was only 43, but he only knew dairy for 24 years. He took less pay, 3rd shift, an hour away...so overall this is a tough one. 💔

A very cozy morning here with rain and gloom outside. We have jorums of coffee ( @KVanRead 😆) and books and a very snuggly Doggie in his dapper sweater. Then dinner and Settlers on Catan with friends tonight. Yay!

Saturday morning vibes. That mug is ridiculous but it‘s also the biggest one we‘ve got so it‘s my weekend go-to.

Drinking coffee out of my new mug from @LeshaMac , reading, and watching Groundhog Day this morning.

Basically a long news feature. No analysis, just description of one WI town that could be the subject of a Springsteen song. Events depicted are recent and familiar to anyone following the news. More interesting are the stories of individual residents whose lives are upended by the closing of several large plants in town, including GM‘s truck assembly. What do you do when all the jobs disappear and you can‘t sell your house, or don‘t want to move?

Janesville, Wisconsin had a proud tradition of GM auto workers, until one day the plant closed leaving thousands out of work. This is a common story but one that I have not seen explored to the depth that Goldstein does with this book, focusing on the daily tribulations of a handful of families and community leaders affected by the closure. This is not about happy endings but about endurance, survival and the resilience of a community.

During the 2008 recession, GM shut down a large number of plants in the US, most notably the one in Janesville WI. This is the story of its aftermath, from 2010-2015; written by WaPo reporter Amy Goldstein. It's more like textbook style, but with great data graphics at the end. It's good but it is no American Fire....

I flew through this well-written look at economic and social problems (and their political connections and implications) in a small Wisconsin town. Not the most uplifting of books with which to start 2018, but definitely a good read! My mom was a teacher in Janesville in her younger years, so that was another big point of interest for me. Loved how the author grounded her narrative in the experiences of families in the town, with much compassion.

Good start to 2018 with this book 👍 After reading about the experiences of those in this small WI town that were devastated by a GM plant closing in the late 2000s, I have a deeper understanding of recent election results. And how empathy, rather than political divisiveness, might lead us to some peace. Had I been living in such a town, I would have felt quite conflicted as to my vote. Highly recommended. 4.5/5 ⭐️ #nonfiction

I had a ten dollar coupon I had to use by the end of the month, so of course I was very frugal and only bought one book. Ha ha! Like that would ever happen with me. Here's the damage. All nonfiction, so I've got new options for #nonfiction2018 challenge. #bookhaul #tbr

Compassionate and sobering. The story of what happens to a middle class US town when the auto industry it's built on disappears. Highly recommended for readers interested in history and business.

Saw this was only 2.99 in Kindle. It‘s been on my wishlist forever so had to get it. @BookishMarginalia @WanderingBookaneer I think we talked about this one, but I can‘t remember which one you had on the table that was similar to this?

Why does the author keep referring to the jobs center as the former Kmart building? The first time was ok. I am half way through the book and she is still doing it

This book is sad, eye opening, frustrating, maddening, inspirational, and every emotion you can think of. Amy Goldstein immersed herself in this town and legit cares for it and the people and it shows in her writing and careful portrayal. It's a very political story but she does a phenomenal job of removing her biases. This a fascinating look at what happened during the Recession and afterwards and for me, is on par with Matthew Desmond's Evicted.

Spent part of my day reading the first bit of Janesville.

Update - This reminds me a lot of Evicted - the whole idea that stability and community depend upon outside factors beyond individual family choices. It's a long form journalism look at how the closing of the GM plant had a wide ranging impact on the Janesville community. Definitely an important and interesting read.

Janesville is the city nearest me so of course, I need to read this.

This book bridged the WI I left 20 years ago to the WI that exists today. Empathetic writing of all sectors of Janesville that showed the impact of GM closing in a community that was based on the auto industry. The education sections were surprising and me reconsider some of my beliefs. Unions, Paul Ryan, Walker, education, business recruiting, and nonprofits were written about objectively and proved just how complex society is. Superb.

Interesting look at what happened in Janesville after GM decided to close their factory. I learned a lot about how the effects of the closing rippled through the community in both predictable and surprising ways. I was hoping for insight into factors that impacted the election, but I didn't find that here.

4 stars - With our family's personal connection to Janesville, I found this book moving in so many ways. All the feels! The writing was very well-done.

Television crews from as far away as the Netherlands and Japan have come to film this moment, when the oldest plant of the nation's largest automaker turns out its last.

So the closing of the assembly plant, two days before Christmas, is well recorded.

This is the story of what happens next.

Well, I was planning on not buying any books (other than #BOTM) because of #summersantagoespostal, but how could I not celebrate World Book Day? The only bookstore near me here on vacation is Barnes and Noble, so here's my #bookhaul today! Definitely some Litsy influence here!

Just finished this and I still have tears in my eyes. What a mostly heartbreaking uniquely American story. It takes so much courage to reinvent yourself again and again while supporting a family. Full review on my blog next week.

An intimate look at what happens to a small town when the factory that was the towns main employer shuts down.Told from the point of view of the people of the town by Amy Goldstein a Pulitzer Prize winning author.Sounds fascinating &very timely.