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pkrez's review
3.0
I did not come to this story cold. I remember following this story intently as it unfolded in the Des Moines Register (newspaper) in 2009. So why read the book if I already know about it?
10-second version of the story: A corporation basically enslaves and exploits mentally disabled men who cannot understand and escape from the exploitation. They work in a turkey-processing factory for years. Then finally get out after government agencies intervene.
The story is a shocking one. How could people be SOOOO taken advantage of? In this century?!?! In America?!?! In Iowa?!?! And even though I was already aware of some of the horror, I was still moved while reading this book.
Whereas the newspaper accounts give some details about what happened and the conditions, you don't get it all there. And Dan Barry's book covers it all. Much of it, new material to me. I learned a great deal about the history of how our country has dealt with mental disability. I learned much more about the company the effectively enslaved these men. And I learned so much more than I expected about the men themselves. I think one thing that the author wants to impress upon readers is that people living with intellectual disability are very much human, individuals, souls, with feelings, hopes, dreams, and a lot just like you and me. This book does an excellent job humanizing these men.
While the story is tragic, it is epic and will keep your attention. Plenty of heroes and villains. Triumphs and failures... many failures. But it does end on some positive notes and describes a much more just world in 2014 than that of the mid 1970s.
My main criticism with this book (and a big reason the star-rating is so low) is that I found the language far too flowery. I do not care too much about what color someone's car was. I don't care too much about the statue in front of some public building. I don't care too much about the sounds of the food cooking at a McDonald's restaurant. I certainly wouldn't want the book to read like a dry textbook, but I don't care too much for so many excess details that don't seem to directly relate to the issues at hand.
I can definitely understand and appreciate why this book is generally ranked so favorably on Goodreads. It's excellent in taking on a very recent, and tragic disaster story and really bringing it to life for readers.
And while the book doesn't make this point too strongly, I want to strongly say this here: What finally caused things to change in this case was the Des Moines Register newspaper saying, "and this is going to be on the front page of the paper" which could not be ignored. Investigative reporting and strong local journalism is crucial for making the world more fair and just. Sadly, the investigative journalist and editor at the Des Moines Register who were key to this story have since left the paper.
10-second version of the story: A corporation basically enslaves and exploits mentally disabled men who cannot understand and escape from the exploitation. They work in a turkey-processing factory for years. Then finally get out after government agencies intervene.
The story is a shocking one. How could people be SOOOO taken advantage of? In this century?!?! In America?!?! In Iowa?!?! And even though I was already aware of some of the horror, I was still moved while reading this book.
Whereas the newspaper accounts give some details about what happened and the conditions, you don't get it all there. And Dan Barry's book covers it all. Much of it, new material to me. I learned a great deal about the history of how our country has dealt with mental disability. I learned much more about the company the effectively enslaved these men. And I learned so much more than I expected about the men themselves. I think one thing that the author wants to impress upon readers is that people living with intellectual disability are very much human, individuals, souls, with feelings, hopes, dreams, and a lot just like you and me. This book does an excellent job humanizing these men.
While the story is tragic, it is epic and will keep your attention. Plenty of heroes and villains. Triumphs and failures... many failures. But it does end on some positive notes and describes a much more just world in 2014 than that of the mid 1970s.
My main criticism with this book (and a big reason the star-rating is so low) is that I found the language far too flowery. I do not care too much about what color someone's car was. I don't care too much about the statue in front of some public building. I don't care too much about the sounds of the food cooking at a McDonald's restaurant. I certainly wouldn't want the book to read like a dry textbook, but I don't care too much for so many excess details that don't seem to directly relate to the issues at hand.
I can definitely understand and appreciate why this book is generally ranked so favorably on Goodreads. It's excellent in taking on a very recent, and tragic disaster story and really bringing it to life for readers.
And while the book doesn't make this point too strongly, I want to strongly say this here: What finally caused things to change in this case was the Des Moines Register newspaper saying, "and this is going to be on the front page of the paper" which could not be ignored. Investigative reporting and strong local journalism is crucial for making the world more fair and just. Sadly, the investigative journalist and editor at the Des Moines Register who were key to this story have since left the paper.
a_reader_of_book's review
3.0
Dan Barry's The Boys in the Bunkhouse was an eye-opening read that covered a story of true heart ache and neglect in America. Barry did a great job putting the historical background behind the development of the movement for the rights of people with disabilities. It gave a lot of context as to how such a situation could have been made possible. I am curious about T. H. Johnson's initial motivations for employing these men. Of course, the sentiment expressed by both himself and his remaining family members after his death is that of true devotion to these men in giving them an opportunity to earn their living in a way that would have otherwise not been available to them while institutionalized. Perhaps he really did have good intentions? Maybe he saw a loophole and chose to use it? I appreciate how Barry does not seek to answer this question but leaves it to readers to make their own judgements.
My favorite sections of this book were the ones focused on the inclusion of the men in their communities, especially in Atalissa. There were people in that town who genuinely cared for and accepted these men into their community and town "family" with open arms. While it's painfully obvious that more should have been done to help the men much sooner, I do sympathize with the townsfolk of Atalissa who will always be remembered as turning a blind eye to the suffering of those who could not advocate for themselves. It's a complicated mixture of pride in the work many individuals did to welcome and love these men and disappointment in the serious naivety of these same well-meaning people when the men returned back to the abuse, exploitation, and inequality within the schoolhouse.
What caused my most emotional reaction while reading was the longing for family that so many of these men felt. Most of them had no idea the full extent of who they were missing, but nearly every man spoke of the pain he felt without a family. Perhaps during these COVID-19 pandemic times, the ache to be with my own family members put a new emphasis on the real damage isolation and distance can bring to the human soul.
I learned about some history I was mostly unaware of before, and I heard from people who often don't have the opportunity to share their perspectives and life stories. For me, the three most important lessons taken away from this book were the necessity of human connection and belonging, the incredible value of advocacy for others within our communities, and the forever challenged but unfailing hopefulness that can be found in even the most broken and forgotten people.
My favorite sections of this book were the ones focused on the inclusion of the men in their communities, especially in Atalissa. There were people in that town who genuinely cared for and accepted these men into their community and town "family" with open arms. While it's painfully obvious that more should have been done to help the men much sooner, I do sympathize with the townsfolk of Atalissa who will always be remembered as turning a blind eye to the suffering of those who could not advocate for themselves. It's a complicated mixture of pride in the work many individuals did to welcome and love these men and disappointment in the serious naivety of these same well-meaning people when the men returned back to the abuse, exploitation, and inequality within the schoolhouse.
What caused my most emotional reaction while reading was the longing for family that so many of these men felt. Most of them had no idea the full extent of who they were missing, but nearly every man spoke of the pain he felt without a family. Perhaps during these COVID-19 pandemic times, the ache to be with my own family members put a new emphasis on the real damage isolation and distance can bring to the human soul.
I learned about some history I was mostly unaware of before, and I heard from people who often don't have the opportunity to share their perspectives and life stories. For me, the three most important lessons taken away from this book were the necessity of human connection and belonging, the incredible value of advocacy for others within our communities, and the forever challenged but unfailing hopefulness that can be found in even the most broken and forgotten people.
tanyadillyn's review
5.0
Devastating and incredibly well-reported and written (but no surprise there).
fluoresensitive's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
mara_miriam's review
3.0
I appreciated this book and I'm glad I read it because I think it's an important story. That said, the author did not do an effective job of tying the narrative into the larger story of agricultural industrialization, how the abuse described intersects with mistreatment of immigrant workers, or that this story is a systemic result of American capitalism. The prominent emotion I felt while reading this book was frustration at so many missed opportunities.
secondhandshelves's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreakingly complicated with a glimmer of hope.
joschatz's review against another edition
5.0
Really really really tragic story - and yet magical and uplifting and one-of-a-kind. The story is of 50+ intellectually disabled men essentially captured and kept as slaves forced to eviscerate turkeys for a turkey company for their entire adult lives. The story was shocking and enraging and unbelievable at every turn, while the character and individual paths of each men were detailed with such beauty and thought. The men are just incredible beings of tenacity, positivity, kindness, and love. Really, the story was just incredible. A book that everyone needs to read.
bookwormmichelle's review against another edition
5.0
This fantastically researched, comprehensive and well written book will completely break your heart. I really can't believe that all the events actually happened--and only a ways down the road in Iowa. (Yes, Wapello County got a mention in the book. Not a favorable one.) I especially can't believe that social workers and reporters had investigated this operation before, and no one had done anything. Tragic. This was a very easy read for nonfic. Recommended for anyone who is still human.
secondhandshelves's review against another edition
5.0
Heartbreakingly complicated with a glimmer of hope.
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