Janesville: An American Story.

One of the casualties of the recession of 2008 was Janesville, Wisconsin,

an archetypal American town, home to General Motor's longest operating factory. 

When the factory closed with the loss of over 4,000 jobs the town was thrown in to a deep economic depression. Not only were there the unemployed GM workers, there was a huge ripple effect as neighbouring factories that supplied the plant cut back on workers and local service industries saw a dramatic decline in business.

Washington Post reporter, Amy Goldstein, followed local residents over a period of five years detailing the disruption the GM plant's closure had on families, and the economic impact of it on the town and surrounding areas. The narratives of a group of redundant factory workers forced into a sheer grind of day to day poverty adds a poignant human element to the story. 

In spite of the hardships the people of Janesville are mostly presented as having a resilience and inner strength and the book also reports on the efforts of local charity and community leaders who strive to make a difference to the lives of the town's residents.

Meticulously researched and well written the book describes the consequences of business decisions and related political issues (both local and national) and presents them in a way that is easy to relate to and understand.

Janesville:An American Story is a fascinating book that makes you aware and questioning of many things. It should become required reading not only for social studies students but for business people and politicians. 

Recommended.