Originally published in 1941, Thomas Bell’s historic fiction novel detailed the life of three generations of Slovak immigrants who settled in the steel town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Braddock is about 10 miles up the Monongahela River from Pittsburgh. Many know it as the home of Senator John Fetterman who started his political career as the town’s mayor.
Beginning with the story of George Kracha in 1881, the novel paints an unvarnished picture of the struggles of immigrants to make their way and earn a livelihood in America. The novel proceeds through the story of Kracha’s daughter, Mary, and her husband, Mike Dobrejcak, and concludes with their son, Dobie. Mixing historical facts and a fictionalized accounts based on his own family, Bell wrote an engaging and compelling novel.
As I read it, I found myself thinking that the struggles of 100 years ago aren’t that different from today. Back then there was the robber barons of steel and coal, while today we have the robber barons of technology. I imagine that the immigrant struggle with language, customs and the day to day of earning a living is not that different. It’s a great lesson in empathy for those who are demonized by some today.
The copy of Out of this Furnace I read was found at a thrift shop. However I imagine the tech baron at Amazon has a copy too.
