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reader4evr's review against another edition
3.0
I love when nonfiction books are set up like this book because it shows that the author has done some research and in the end I feel like I have learned a lot. One of the main points that I learned about this was the worst workplace disaster up until September 11th happened in New York City.
I loved all of the black and white pictures which brought the book to life making it a great readaloud in a Social Studies class.
I was kind of disappointed there wasn't more about the fire. The chapter that focused on the fire was sad because of how many people just jumped from the building or died because they couldn't get out of the building fast enough. 75% of the book was mainly about immigrants and how factories have developed throughout the years.
I loved all of the black and white pictures which brought the book to life making it a great readaloud in a Social Studies class.
I was kind of disappointed there wasn't more about the fire. The chapter that focused on the fire was sad because of how many people just jumped from the building or died because they couldn't get out of the building fast enough. 75% of the book was mainly about immigrants and how factories have developed throughout the years.
roseleaf24's review
4.0
This moving story of the Triangle Fire and it's place on history explores the state of immigration at the time and gives a full picture of life in the tenement neighborhoods of New York City. The tragic workplace fire was the event that could not be ignored in creating workplace safety and working standards in US policy. Marrin also looks into modern day sweathouses and the debate over whether life would be better for the families who work in them if they were eliminated.
gwen_pageturner's review against another edition
Very informative and lots of details. Particularly enjoyed the images and sketches of the rooms which help depict how cramped and densely packed these living and working conditions were.
carolineinthelibrary's review against another edition
4.0
History of the labor movement and reforms in the early 1900s, centered around the Triangle Shirtwaist Company fire. Great pictures and primary sources.
stevenyenzer's review
2.0
Not knowing this is a YA book made for strange listening when the author defined words like "architect" and "jackhammer." My bad.
megs_k's review against another edition
4.0
I feel it. Still. ~ Rose Freedman (Triangle Fire Survivor)
aoosterwyk's review
5.0
This book was a fast read, probably because it was so interesting. The photographs fill about half of the space so it feels like watching a Ken Burns movie.
The best thing about this book is that it devotes the first half to setting up how such a tragedy could happen. Racism and politics in Europe and Russia are discussed to provide the motivation for the great migration of Jews and Italians to America.
Class relationships are explored and gender issues. Union politics and strikes are also explained with the effect of the fire ultimately responsible for many of the work/safety laws in use today. Overall, this book was terrifically readable and combined individual stories with the great movements of history in a way that will be understandable to middle grade and up. It is especially timely since the factory collapse and fires in Bangladesh textile factories.
The best thing about this book is that it devotes the first half to setting up how such a tragedy could happen. Racism and politics in Europe and Russia are discussed to provide the motivation for the great migration of Jews and Italians to America.
Class relationships are explored and gender issues. Union politics and strikes are also explained with the effect of the fire ultimately responsible for many of the work/safety laws in use today. Overall, this book was terrifically readable and combined individual stories with the great movements of history in a way that will be understandable to middle grade and up. It is especially timely since the factory collapse and fires in Bangladesh textile factories.
beatniksafari's review
2.0
Simultaneously dry and somewhat overblown, Marrin's book skips over some of the more interesting details from a fascinating time in history. Instead, the book focuses on larger patterns (immigration and labor history), without many of the eyewitness accounts and personal narratives that would bring the story more fully to life.
librariandest's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know what to say about this, except I wasn't very impressed by it and I don't understand why it's on the shortlist for the National Book Award. I did learn a lot from it, but I didn't find the writing especially compelling. I also thought the title was misleading, as this isn't a book about the Triangle Fire so much as a book about immigration, labor rights, workplace safety, and the garment industry. I realize that those issues surround the Triangle Fire and it's necessary to talk about them when you talk about the Triangle Fire, but so few pages were spent on the actual Fire--that's why I call the title misleading.
I think my expectations were too high going into this. I expected something on par with [b:They Called Themselves the KKK] (which was truly brilliant) and instead got what I'd call a better-than-average non-fiction book for young people.
So if you're studying how industry, unions, and workers' rights evolved in the United States, this would be a great book to pick up. If you just want to read really great non-fiction, I'd look elsewhere.
I think my expectations were too high going into this. I expected something on par with [b:They Called Themselves the KKK] (which was truly brilliant) and instead got what I'd call a better-than-average non-fiction book for young people.
So if you're studying how industry, unions, and workers' rights evolved in the United States, this would be a great book to pick up. If you just want to read really great non-fiction, I'd look elsewhere.