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The Jungle

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The Jungle

By: Upton Sinclair
Narrated by: Grover Gardner
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About this listen

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. Classics Gilded Age Chicago Socialism Social justice Capitalism

Critic reviews

“The most famous, influential, and enduring of all muckraking novels." ( Merriam Webster’s Encyclopedia of Literature)
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I never heard of this book, so I was positively surprised by it. The only reason I am not giving it five stars is that the book sort of dies out in the end, stopping the story about the main character in favor of some socialist propaganda. I am not directly opposed to socialism, especially not in the setting described here, but this was not the way to end it….

Briljant book, except for the end

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