Workers rally in favor of union. Wealth inequality is only getting worse.
Headlines familiar to today’s readers wouldn’t have been foreign to the early 1900s reporter of Jess Walter’s The Cold Millions. Set primarily in Spokane, Washington, the novel examines the struggles of miners and day laborers.
Brothers Rye and Gig are among those who scrape by on odd jobs. Tired
of the hustle, they gravitate to the union hall, not only to fight for their
rights, but for the free breakfast. When a policeman is found dead, the tension
between the workers and management escalates. Gig ends up in prison, and Rye
strikes an unsavory deal with the richest man in town, Brand.
Fans of historical fiction and contemporary lit will both
find something to love in this story. One of my favorite scenes takes place
between the retiring vaudeville actress and her successor. Read the excerpt.
This book also checks off a box from my reading
challenge. Find other Washington State Award Winners here.
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