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The Jungle cover art

The Jungle

Written by: Upton Sinclair
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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Publisher's Summary

Here is the dramatic exposé of the Chicago meatpacking industry at the turn of the century that prompted an investigation by Theodore Roosevelt, which culminated in the pure-food legislation of 1906.

The Jungle is the story of Jurgis Rudkus, a Slavic immigrant who marries frail Ona Lukoszaite and seeks security and happiness as a workman in the Chicago stockyards. Once there, he is abused by foremen, his meager savings are filched by real-estate sharks, and at every turn he is plagued by the misfortunes arising from poverty, poor working conditions, and disease. Finally, in accordance with Sinclair’s own creed, Rudkus turns to socialism as a way out.

Public Domain (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

What the critics say

“The most famous, influential, and enduring of all muckraking novels." ( Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature)

What listeners say about The Jungle

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Eye Opener

This book is a must read!! It will make you ANGRY at corruption in which our society steeped.

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Well That Was Uplifting…

I made it to Chapter 14 where I had to cut bait. This surgery seems to have tried to out do himself with depressing content chapter after chapter. I don’t know if the story turns around but for now I need to take a break.

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Great Narrator

The performance was great, he performed the different accents very well, and there were a lot in this story. He also didn’t sound like a cartoon character when he spoke for the women characters. The story was good, I’m always engaged by the stakes and grit in these early American stories. If i judge it as a book though, rather than a historical text which is my impulse, I would say that although the author is not exactly explicitly racist, since he uses similarly unpleasant language to refer to uneducated poor people, it does seem like he especially lacks grace in describing the African American population.

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    3 out of 5 stars
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Very preachy

The narrator was one note, as if reading a newspaper article.
Interesting from a historical standpoint and very dark. Pretty much nothing good happens.

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Required Reading

I read this book in college and remember parts of it vividly. Listening to it again at 50 is something I highly recommend. At 20, what I remember being significant were the descriptions of the deplorable conditions of packing town and of the meat packing industry. At 50, and a good portion of the way through a life of work and employment, I see the utter exploitation of capitalism. Though hidden in new and inventive ways, the complete control that those in power exert over the working class remains staggering and continues to grow.
Upton was a prophet and his words resonate deeply over 100 years later. The Jungle should be required reading for every student. Can’t say it enough…

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

great beginning and middle

it's great until the last few chapters where communism swoops in to fix everything

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Grover Gardner

I don’t normally write reviews but Grover Gardner’s performance was excellent and deeply immersive. Additionally, novel itself was quite good.

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