Mother Jones: The Most Dangerous Woman in America

by Elliott J. Gorn

Paperback, 2002

Status

Checked out

Genres

Publication

Hill and Wang (2002), Edition: Reprint, 432 pages

Description

"... imaginatively written and meticulously researched biography." --Elizabeth Sherman,The Boston Sunday Globe Her rallying cry was famous: "Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living." A century ago, Mother Jones was a celebrated organizer and agitator, the very soul of the modern American labor movement. At coal strikes, steel strikes, railroad, textile, and brewery strikes, Mother Jones was always there, stirring the workers to action and enraging the powerful. In this first biography of "the most dangerous woman in America," Elliott J. Gorn proves why, in the words of Eugene V. Debs, Mother Jones "has won her way into the hearts of the nation's toilers, and . . . will be lovingly remembered by their children and their children's children forever."… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member LynnB

I became interested in finding out more about Mother Jones while reading about the Blair Mountain coal strike. I'm so glad this biography was the one I chose to read. Mr. Gorn has done an excellent job of piecing together Mary Jones's life in spite of little documentation of her life before she

reached late middle age. And, in spite of much of the fictitious information circulating about her -- both malicious slander and Mary's own stories about her life. She lied about her age, and probably about her involvement in several events. Mr. Gorn is able to find the grains of truth among the stories. This book provides the right blend of contextual information and Mother Jones's story. So, not only did I learn about Mother Jones, I also learned a lot about the early union movement in the U.S. and about socialism in the U.S.

Mother Jones is an inspirational person. She was committed to the union movement and to rights for workers and their families. She had little formal education and suffered great personal tragedy, but managed to do a lot of good through determination and a genuine caring for people.

Definitely worth reading.

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LibraryThing member juniperSun

Another audiobook I had to stop. It was too hard to concentrate on information I felt I should know. Added to my wishlist to see if I can complete it in print version.

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