American Made

What Happens to People When Work Disappears

By: Farah Stockman

Narrated by: Farah Stockman

What happens when Americans lose their jobs? In American Made, an illuminating story of ruin and reinvention, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Farah Stockman gives an up-close look at the profound role work plays in our sense of identity and belonging, as she follows three workers whose lives unravel when the factory they have dedicated so much to closes down.

“With humor, breathtaking honesty, and a historian’s satellite view, American Made illuminates the fault lines ripping America apart.”—Beth Macy, author of Factory Man and Dopesick

Shannon, Wally, and John built their lives around their place of work. Shannon, a white single mother, became the first woman to run the dangerous furnaces at the Rexnord manufacturing plant in Indianapolis, Indiana, and was proud of producing one of the world’s top brands of steel bearings. Wally, a black man known for his initiative and kindness, was promoted to chairman of efficiency, one of the most coveted posts on the factory floor, and dreamed of starting his own barbecue business one day. John, a white machine operator, came from a multigenerational union family and clashed with a work environment that was increasingly hostile to organized labor.

The Rexnord factory had served as one of the economic engines for the surrounding community. When it closed, hundreds of people lost their jobs. What had life been like for Shannon, Wally, and John, before the plant shut down? And what became of them after the jobs moved to Mexico and Texas?

American Made is the story of a community struggling to reinvent itself. It is also a story about race, class, and American values, and how jobs serve as a bedrock of people’s lives and drive powerful social justice movements. This revealing book shines a light on a crucial political moment, when joblessness and anxiety about the future of work have made themselves heard at a national level. Most of all, American Made is a story about people: who we consider to be one of us and how the dignity of work lies at the heart of who we are.

Critic reviews

“At last, an elegy for the working class that doesn’t skate on limpid stereotypes about laziness or lack of thrift. Farah Stockman did not just parachute into the lives of displaced steelworkers in Indiana for her debut narrative masterpiece. She stayed, and then stayed some more. American Made is the story of how the rich screwed the working class while the rest of us yawned from our cushy bubbles.”—Beth Macy, author of Factory Man and Dopesick

“A gripping portrait of the human costs incurred when industries decline . . . American Made plots each worker’s often turbulent history in vivid detail. . . . The result is a book with a unified tone, one that places the reader in the homes of the workers as they struggle to survive.”—The New York Times Book Review

“A serious and thoughtful look at what happens to people when they lose their jobs . . . The stories are empathetic and honest, and they touch on race, class, and politics, as well as work, purpose, stability, dignity, and a host of other human emotions and beliefs that are all wrapped up in how we live, how safe and secure we feel, and what we gain or lose from the way we work.”—Charlie Baker, governor of Massachusetts

“Farah Stockman’s respect for hardworking people is why they have given her access to their world, with all of its defeats and conquests. Her thoughtfulness as a writer is why we’re invited into their hearts, where dreams still simmer. To read American Made is to understand the strength and courage it takes to forge a life in a world that too many want to pretend does not exist. . . . An extraordinary tribute to the rest of America.”—Connie Schultz, author of . . . And His Lovely Wife and The Daughters of Erietown

“A vivid and empathetic examination of ‘what jobs mean to people’. . . an intimate and captivating study of the forces dividing America.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A well-crafted nonpartisan study of the American working class that is a desirable addition to any nonfiction collection and will find a wide audience.”—Library Journal, (starred review)

Good story, too much politics

Overall, engaging story about a real issue in modern America. However, the author puts way too much of her personal politics into the book and way too much focus on Trump and not on the people she’s writing about.

Must Read

This is the best book I’ve listened to in ages. It is so well written and you easily get to know and love the people. This is such a relevant and necessary topic especially in the current political climate.

Explains a lot!

I have been searching for books that will help me better understand the Trump phenomena and the divide that has arisen between "Coastal Elites"/Liberals and the working class. This book does it! By telling the stories of 3 laid-off factory workers, Farah Stockman captures the essence of the troubling dilemma our country is facing.

Not a Simple Solution

There’s not one simple solution to this complicated issue. It is important to note that Americans want low product prices but that means that American corporations can only do that at a cost of lost jobs by moving production elsewhere. Quality control has suffered too. There are many costs associated with letting thousands of illegal immigrants into America unfettered. They will accept no wagers so Americans have to accept lowers wages too.

Eye opening and a wonderful read

Couldn’t stop listening. Truly opened my eyes. I am grateful for the journey of this book. I hope the majority of Americans read this book.