The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition by Upton Sinclair Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Jungle: The Uncensored Original Edition
Book Review: one dimensional socialist propaganda
Summary: 1 Stars
I actually like a couple of sinclair lewis novels but this is unabashed socialist propaganda. Instead of focusing on sanitary conditions in meatpacking industry which is the real utility of this book, it's the evil capitalists against the hardworking devoted working man. Never mind that socialism ruined many lives in its wake, Lewis died wanting the same kind of utopia the USSR exposed many unfortunate countries to.Book Review: Absolutely a waste of time...
Summary: 1 Stars
I certainly understand why this book made such a wave in the early 1900s, and I further understand its importance. However, if you are a reader (or like myself a writer/reader) who enjoys good writing, a good narrative voice, and a lack of ridiculous propaganda, then this book is not for you.
Some say Sinclair wrote this book in order to show the horrific conditions in the meatpacking business, however, most scholars admit that this book was written merely to promote Socialism in the United States. This is obvious because Sinclair is completely unable to let the reader interpret, but just tells.
The writing is similar to that of a child's, incorrect and often times completely and totally unreadable.
I did not enjoy this book and I don't see why so many people believe it should be taught in schools. I nearly burned it after the second chapter.
Book Review: The Jungle
Summary: 4 Stars
The book was enjoyed by my son and now I am reading it myselfBook Review: Compelling Read, Then Dies at The End
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a mostly compelling read for the first 300 pages, but then as we read on the book disintegrates before our eyes.
This book must have been a blockbuster when it came out. In one fell swoop it attacks the meat packers of Chicago, the great manufacturers, safety in the steel mills, corrupt politicians, the police, dishonest real estate developers, and on and on. The novel is a vehicle for the political and socialist Sinclair to espouse his theories. He describes the life of Polish and Lithuanian immigrants in 1900 era Chicago, working mainly in the packing industry.
The novel misses the mark as a great work because it spirals out of control toward the end. The first 200 pages are a riveting and are a compelling read. I could not put the book down. But the writing is not as good as say for example Saul Bellow or Hemingway. Also, some parts are lectures where the author explains his philosophy. Finally, the author seems slightly removed or isolated from the characters. Having said that, it is a great story to a point, maybe up to between pages 200 to 300. Then author loses his way in making a great fictional novel about people.
In retrospect the book becomes too political at the end, too much of a period piece and the author has trouble formulating the last 100 pages. That problem at the end comes through loud and clear when you read it. The author wrote it in sections for serial publication in a magazine, and that seems to be the problem with the book. The end of the book, or the last instalment, does not match the rest of the book.
Conclusion: great period piece that falls apart at the end of the book in political-socialist rhetoric.
Book Review: Better the second time around!!
Summary: 5 Stars
Read this classic 44 years ago in English Lit class. Thank God for Cliff Notes. Anyway, it took this long to appreciate Mr. Sinclair's outstanding work. It is written in a timeless style that keeps the reader involved without gratuitous violence , sex, or coarse language! In today's "about me" world that is a feat in and of itself. A must read. Great character development. Although in the socialist bent of the early 1900s, the story is worth the read just to see how much life was a struggle back then. Imagine if The Jungle was made into a movie today. It would be a box office smash!!!!!
NOTE: Make sure you buy the "UNCENSORED ORIGINAL EDITION." The book that most people read, including Teddy Roosevelt, was a censored version that deleted almost 1/3 of the original(due to its too graphic content for the time)!! The original version was pasted together in the 1980's from sections of old newspaper serial copy.