“Sure to become the definitive account of the fire. . . . Triangle is social history at its best; a magnificent portrayal not only of the catastrophe but also of the time and the turbulent city in which it took place.†—The New York Times Book ReviewTriangle is a poignantly detailed account of the 1911 disaster that horrified the country and changed the course of twentieth-century politics and labor relations. On March 25; 1911; as workers were getting ready to leave for the day; a fire broke out in the Triangle Shirtwaist factory in New York’s Greenwich Village. Within minutes it spread to consume the building’s upper three stories. Firemen who arrived at the scene were unable to rescue those trapped inside: their ladders simply weren’t tall enough. People on the street watched in horror as desperate workers jumped to their deaths. The final toll was 146 people—123 of them women. It was the worst disaster in New York City history. Triangle is a vibrant and immensely moving account that Bob Woodward calls; “A riveting history written with flare and precision.â€
#163175 in Books Mark R Wilson Wilson Mark R 2010-10-15 2010-10-15Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .83 x 6.00l; .95 #File Name: 080189820X320 pagesThe Business of Civil War Military Mobilization and the State 1861 1865
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Business of Civil WarBy James E. JacobsenThe American military; while less dominating as an arm of our government historically than it is today; has always proved to be a stalwart supporting institution of our democracy. This work treats the crucial manner in which pre-Civil War quartermasters took great pains to prevent the monopolization of war contracts. As such; these crusty old administrators were masters as balancing democracy with capitalism and its tendency towards making off with all the inflated profits! The issue of equal pay for female munitions workers is also nicely addressed. This is a fundamentally useful study of some of the undercurrents that influenced the federalization of our national government during a period of total war.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Who says there is nothing new to write about on the Civil War?By leftyjmpI stumbled across an enthusiastic endorsement of this book by James Schmidt; (See Mr. Schmidt's May 25; 2007 review as well.); and I thought that I would take a chance on it. This book is one of the most original pieces of research on the Civil War that I have read. Previous reviewers have done an excellent job of describing this book but I enjoyed this book so much that I wanted to add my voice to the chorus.You can hear echoes of the books discussion on the merits of public vs. private manufacturing of war materials in our current debate over the inclusion of public option in health care. When the quartermaster general warns that a strict construction of government contracting rules would lead to a procurement system that "prevailed in some monarchical governments; where great contractors; commanding millions of capital; make general contracts to furnish all supplies for the government under periodical lettings."; you can almost hear the criticism of our government's early contracts with Halliburton in the second Iraq war.The book's discussion of the government's lack of cash which resulted in the issuance of quartermaster vouchers two to three months after final deliver of goods which could then only be exchanged for certificate of indebtedness; one year notes with a 6 percent interest rate; was a revelation to me. Only individuals and businesses with lots of capital can afford to wait that long to be paid.Anyone that is interested in the Civil War should read this book. It is a very interesting and original read.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy double dExcellent resource of information.
