The Man Who Never Died

By William M. Adler,

Book cover of The Man Who Never Died: The Life, Times, and Legacy of Joe Hill, American Labor Icon

Book description

In 1914, Joe Hill, the prolific songwriter for the Industrial Workers of the World (also known as the Wobblies), was convicted of murder in Utah and sentenced to death by firing squad, igniting international controversy. In the first major biography of the radical historical icon, William M. Adler explores an…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Man Who Never Died as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

America has the bloodiest labor history in the industrialized world, along with the lowest level of unionization. THE MAN WHO NEVER DIED tells the story of Joe Hill, an IWW organizer and songwriter, who was convicted of murder (probably wrongly) and executed by a Utah firing squad. What most inspired me was the courage and sacrifices ordinary men and women made in order to create a better world for the masses--many who didn't appreciate it. It is also a sad reminder that the more things change, the more they remain the same. A continued war against organized labor--now at its…

I devoured this book on the recommendation of my friend Otis Gibbs, a songwriter with a particular interest in the great tradition of songs of, by, and for the working class. “Educate – Agitate – Organize,” reads the Joe Hill mural painted on the side of a rare books store in Salt Lake City, where the Wobbly songwriter was sentenced to death by firing squad in 1915. In The Man Who Never Died (2011), journalist William M. Adler contextualizes the vital importance of songs like Hill’s to the union movement, and he uncovers new details about the activist’s controversial conviction.

From James' list on protest movements.

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