The Jungle, Baby

I have not looked to see if Kim Severson has an Amazon wishlist, but if she does, now would be the time to add the handsome new edition of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle on it. It's a lonely crusade against a century of misreading this novel has endured, but Sinclair's point is the cruelty to people inherent in capitalism, circa 1906, not icky meatpacking plants. An undercover vegan with a concealed video camera does not a socialist reformer make. The Pure Food and Drug act was a red herring. It's not that hard to suss out. Read the book, see all the other bad stuff that happens to Jurgis and his family, and decide for yourself.

Comments

[CAAF]

The detail about bringing the soy-riblet sandwiches to eat in the parking lot is particularly good -- and somehow hilarious. "Undercover Vegan" sung to the tune of "Secret Agent."

[cinetrix]

Ah, see, I woulda gone with the tune from "Undercover Angel."