David Von Drehle

This is one of the best history books I've read in quite a while. To understand the importance of the Triangle Waist Company fire in labor history, it is also important to understand the context in which it occurred. I hadn't realized how the rise and fall of Tammany Hall was so intimately tied in with a business and political climate that would permit a situation in which such a deadly fire could occur, and also with the reformist aftermath, which was instrumental in leading to New Deal show more policies. The story of the trial, and the political maneuvering leading up to it, was fascinating.

Von Drehle is a fine writer. The most moving chapter must be the one he calls, "Three Minutes", referring to the fact that had the alarm been sounded three minutes sooner, many lives might have been saved. His descriptions of how many of the workers died had me in tears. While it is very easy to pile horror on horror, von Drehle shows you the people, both the survivors and the lost. There is one extraordinary section of this chapter in which, after telling of the people standing in the windows "cry[ing] 'fire!' because what else was there to say?", and the fire ladders not tall enough, and the watchers below "their tiny hands . . . up, as if a gesture could hold the doomed workers forever in the mouth of a furnace" he then describes the view from the windows. "[T]he cool, clear air beyond the furnace; the gray-brown tracery of bare trees quilting Washington Square (faintly washed with the first whisper of new green) . . .the birds starting from nearby eaves and wheeling through the sky; the elegant campanile of the church on the square, and the pleasing aesthetic echoes of it in the two orange brick loft building that faced the Asch Building . . .one of the least decorated in the neighborhood, [it] featured miniature terra-cotta columns, fluted in the classical style, as dividers between the upper-floor windows. Workers were clinging to these decorations now."

In 1913, two years after the fire, the New York State legislature passed a series of fire safety laws, including requiring automatic sprinklers in high-rises, and unlocked doors. in the fall of 2003, 6 people died in a high-rise office building in Chicago. There were no automatic sprinklers, and the victims were trapped in a stairwell because the fire doors were locked. show less

Von Drehle argues that 1862 was the most important year in the history of our nation, and he does so quite persuasively.

Many of Lincoln’s tasks after the onset of the Civil War involved appeasement: he had to make sure the touchy border states remained in the Union [ergo he could not speak out too forcefully for emancipation]; he had to make sure Britain and France did not join the war on the side of the South [thus his capitulation on the so-called “Trent Affair”) and he had to ensure show more that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Roger Taney (author of the notorious Dred Scott decision declaring that African Americans could never be considered U.S. citizens) did not thwart his military plans to protect the North by using what could be considered extra-Constitutional actions. Moreover, the Army, which numbered only 16,000 men before the war (and these men were spread out all over the continent), had been rapidly increased to nearly five times that number. But none of them knew how to fight! Nor did most of the men picked to lead them. Somehow Lincoln had to figure out which of these novices had the makings of generals who could lead the North to victory.

Needless to say, it took Lincoln a while to accomplish this last, especially since he had to take great care not to alienate all the supporters (among whom numbered many soldiers) of the infuriating and perhaps even treasonous George McClellan. But Lincoln was one of the few men in a leadership position at the time who was willing and able to take the long view, and to keep his eye on the prize, which was preservation of the Union.

Why was this so important? Lincoln believed the American nation, with its bestowal of power upon ordinary people to elect its government (i.e., the doctrine of self government), was “absolutely and eternally right.” Furthermore, he could conceive of no government more noble than one “dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.” He could find no moral right in the despotism of men not only governing themselves but governing other men. But he knew a critical factor determining the success of this experiment was assurance to the citizenry that losing voters would not and could not destroy the system just because they lost. Like a marriage, any union won’t work when the parties say “I’m getting a divorce” every time something doesn’t go their way. Compromise is the key to maintaining any union worth having, and Lincoln believed firmly that the United States – this great experiment – should not perish from the earth.

[And yes, there was a slight problem with the reality of the nation as it was then constituted not living up to the promise, since some men were more equal than other men, and certainly more equal than women.] Lincoln begged his audience, in an 1858 debate against Stephen Douglas:

"Now, my countrymen . . . if you have been taught doctrines conflicting with the great landmarks of the Declaration of Independence; if you have listened to suggestions which would take away from its grandeur, and mutilate the fair symmetry of its proportions; if you have been inclined to believe that all men are not created equal in those inalienable rights enumerated by our chart of liberty, let me entreat you to come back. Return to the fountain whose waters spring close by the blood of the Revolution. Think nothing of me—take no thought for the political fate of any man whomsoever—but come back to the truths that are in the Declaration of Independence. … I am nothing; Judge Douglas is nothing. But do not destroy that immortal emblem of Humanity—the Declaration of American Independence.”

Lincoln intended to help the nation “heed these sacred principles.” But he could not do it unless the “nation so conceived and so dedicated” were still in existence. This concern dictated all of his strategy, all of his decisions, all of his tactics, and it is this long-term vision that so many others in the government were unable to realize.

They also were not nearly as savvy as Lincoln about realpolitik. Lincoln felt he couldn’t just get rid of Simon Cameron, his corrupt and incompetent Secretary of War, or he would create a dangerous enemy and hopelessly alienate Pennsylvanians; nor could he just get rid of Samuel Chase, whose over-the-top politicking for Lincoln’s job outraged everyone but Lincoln – he needed Chase’s financial prowess to raise the money to fight the war. Nor could Lincoln satisfy Congress by firing George McClellan, the do-nothing general who consistently snubbed, insulted, and disrespected Lincoln. McClellan was far too popular among the troops; Lincoln knew better than to lose the loyalty of the army. He could not even appease the abolitionists by outlawing slavery just yet – the preservation of the union had to take precedence.

Again and again, Lincoln was able to push aside and rise above personal snubs, Congressional pressure, embarrassment over his wife’s questionable friendships with Confederates, and all the rest, to save the Union. Lincoln said:

“Perhaps I have too little [resentment], but I never thought it paid.”

This remarkable man had a remarkable year in 1862. As Drehle writes:

"…when the first day of January [1863] came around again, Lincoln’s greatness was no longer raw. Even as he had redefined American society, he had invented the modern presidency. He had steered himself and the nation from its darkest New Year’s Day to its proudest, and in the process Lincoln had become the towering leader who forever looms over the rebirth of the American experiment.”

Evaluation: You have to admire the author for undertaking this book. As he observed in his Note on Sources, “the sheer volume of material, both primary and secondary… is so vast that dropping into the subject as a writer is like falling into the sea.” Yet he succeeds admirably, providing a month-by-month account of Lincoln’s life in 1862 that puts us right into the thick of the times with a welcome lack of turgidity and tedium. Obviously the author could not include everything; new students of Lincoln may want to start with a more comprehensive biography. But for those who know even the bare outlines of Lincoln’s life and the politics surrounding it, this book provides a lively and always-interesting focused look at one of the most important years in America’s history. show less

Drehle writes about his 'antique' neighbor, Charlie White after moving to Kansas City. I was tempted to stop after the first chapter because I felt it was so good, rich, informative and satisfying; I was convinced the rest of the book couldn't possibly live up to this first chapter. But I knew that my thinking was flawed and ridiculous; you don't stop reading a book because the first chapter is TOO GOOD! No, you continue reading. Glad I did.

Drehle explains that he wrote this book for his 3 show more children when they became old enough to read for themselves, and choose what they wanted to read. His thinking was that technology in all fields was changing incredibly fast, and as a loving father who knew what tools, and useful advice could he leave them that would carry them through the present and the unknowable future. The answer arrived in the form of Drehle’s neighbor Charlie White.

Charlie, born in 1905, in Galesburg, IL. His family moved to Kansas City where his father worked as a minister and insurance agent. But... his father dies in a freak elevator accident in the building in which he worked. Charlie, his mother and sisters were devastated; didn't know how they would carry on. Charlie slept outdoors for a year as a way of grieving his father.
But... his mother could see that Charlie needed male companionship to help him process his grief which he couldn't get at home. So she sends him to a boys' summer camp miles away. What she and most other parents didn't know was that that camp had a director who had a major problem and questionable integrity. Charlie chose to let that summer experience go. And he would continue to minimize difficult and painful experiences as simply challenges to overcome or simply not worth his time remembering.

His mother’s philosophy in life was ‘Do the Right Thing;’ and by doing so she gave him responsibility and independence over himself. He had become the man of the family and was responsible for moving coal from its delivered spot on the street to the coal chute bin in his house. It was his job to ensure that it worked to heat their home properly. Mother finds a job at church, and takes in boarders; men who became excellent role models for young Charlie, and one actually married his sister.

Charlie lived large and saw opportunities in a folksy and uncomplicated part of the country that was growing day by day and year by year. Born in the early 1900's when only 6% of Americans graduated high-school; people travelled by horse, boat or foot, when folks farmed and hunted; before antibiotics, or life-saving surgery had been developed. And Charlie still living into the 2000's, by which time the world had changed drastically and explosively, beyond imagining in all aspects of life again and again.

In 1914 Freud was contemplating the life force that motivated people to form close bonds and relationships of friendship and love. But after the realities of war, he wondered what was the point of being educated if folks were just going to fight and kill each other. He realizes that humans contain a death force just as compelling as the life force. The more he practiced psychoanalysis the more popular he became. This death force that clicked into gear in WWI led to the Russian Revolution, the Armenian Genocide, The Great Depression, Communist purges, WWII and the Holocaust. So much trauma to process! What used to be called hysteria and then shell-shock in Freud’s time, is now called PTSD, giving suffers some small measure of comfort.

After Freud psychiatrists wanted to know why some people were able to deal with loss and grief in a healthy, practical way, and others could not. Victor Frankl was one of these psychiatrists who personally experienced unfathomable starvation, stress, despair, and loss of family members, observed fellow inmates ‘managing’ the brutality while others were barely living! In his book, ‘Man's Search for Meaning’ he found that finding something positive to occupy one’s mind, finding purpose in untenable circumstances made an incredible difference. Frankl maintained his sanity by thinking of his loving wife.
Charlie and his friends took a road trip in a Ford to Los Angeles, slept on the road, had to fix any problems with car on their own. When they got there, they looked up a friend from Kansas City who was trying but hadn’t yet succeeded in music business, stayed briefly with him and then were politely asked to leave. They got home by train-hopping East. Needed to work feeding workers replacing striking railroad workers to earn some money.
Once home Charlie teaches himself the saxophone and earns money playing at school and church events and on the radio, a new invention taking the country by storm. Works with energy waves in environment. Marconi studies and figures out how to use long waves hundreds of miles through the air. In 1895 he was able to send/receive a Morse code message without wires. Radio stations were licensed in the US starting in 1920. Charlie builds his first crystal radio set.

Charlie works and earns money entertaining passengers on a cruise ship to Asia and has a wonderful experience with people from different cultures.

Decides to go into medicine and attends Northwestern University after pleading his case to the dean in person. His tough high-school education provided a solid foundation. As a general practitioner before penicillin, he knew doctors could help only by showing they cared, and giving practical, common-sense advice. But the field of medicine kept advancing and moving forward and Charlie White went right along with it. The army wanted him to help surgeons operate by giving patients anesthesia. This skill helped him land on his feet and grow professionally back at home.

Right after he becomes a doctor, he makes a bad decision and marries a teen-aged woman. She is bored to tears being alone all day while he is busy and fulfilled. She drinks, and needs periodic visits to a sanitorium. He wisely decides she isn’t ready to have or care for children so he makes sure she doesn’t get pregnant.

By 1933, the US is in a financial depression, many are unemployed. Dr. White’s patients can’t pay him for services in cash but give him, eggs, tires, gas, encyclopedias, etc. Nearly half don’t pay him at all. Not enough for him but since women and babies were dying at high rate, government started program paying doctors $25 for each baby delivered. Dr. Charlie White delivered lots of babies. For one premature girl, Charlie needed to fashion a shoe box into an incubator by padding it, and having a lamp shine down on baby! She survived to have her tonsils out at age 5.

Years pass, penicillin developed. Charlie’s young wife Mildred found dead in hotel room. Charlie didn’t drown in grief, he expanded his life and met Jean Landis. But because of his bad experiences with Mildred, he tried smothering Jean but she was too independent to allow it; she leaves. Turns out she prefers women!

Charlie assists President Truman’s doctor with surgery on Peruvian president. All goes well. As a thank you, Charlie is taken a tour of rainforest and ends up with a monkey.
Charlie continues to participate in life-saving work. He helps cool down a heart patient to slow blood flow using ice. Surgeon was able to quickly enter heart and remove fibrous tissue and close up.

Enjoys owning horses, makes some poor investment decisions like selling his land for too little, and not investing in Aspen when he had the chance.

Charlie White is a perfect example of a man with a good attitude who loves learning and continues to make new discoveries all the time. He hasn’t lost the magic of wonder! He meets a beautiful widow with three children without even trying. They marry, and have 2 kids together. He remained loyal to his mother and sisters all his life, and finally gets the love of his life but… after many years she dies of cancer 20 years before he dies!
During retirement Dr. White attends teaching rounds, and participates in monthly medical meetings where the latest developments are discussed. He golfs until he can’t. A broken ankle doesn’t slow down his social life, nor does pneumonia at age 107. At 108 Charlie moves to nursing home, and passes away right after his 109th birthday.

Beautifully well-written. A historical gem and national treasure. Not just the story of one extraordinary life but the story of our country. The potential, the possible and how to make it real. Should be required reading in middle-school or high-school. Shows all the pluses of a life-well lived. Excellent! show less

Beginning with a garment worker's strike and then moving onto the day the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory went up in flames, the book tells the story of immigrant labor in unsafe conditions. The fire department could not reach building floors housing the factory. The fire escapes were flawed. Locked doors impeded exit for many. Some jumped to their deaths in efforts to escape the flames. The book goes on to detail the reforms brought about by the human tragedy and the trials of the plant's show more owners. The narrative holds the reader's attention. An annotated list of casualties appears before the "blind end notes." I hate blind end notes. Please number them so we know they exist! show less