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It has been said that history is written by the winners. This history is one of fighting to share in the winning. Through the lens of activist and union organizer Walter Reuther, the book presents a picture of major economic, cultural, and political changes over the twentieth century, with projections into the twenty-first century. Walter Reuther’s legacy resounds today in ongoing labor movements. For example, he is mentioned in a recent New Yorker article on auto industry strikes.
Just as Reuther’s work in the UAW and AFL-CIO was part of his larger vision for a just and equitable society, the book also takes a wide-angle approach. Beginning with his interest in the subject, the author goes on to set the stage at the turn of the twentieth century with the story of the American mindset (Manifest Destiny) and the industries in which Reuther’s immigrant family finds work. Reuther’s timeline—his education stalled due to financial need, a trip to Europe to work and meet socialist contacts, his tool and die employment upon his return (for which he defends his qualifications with signature tenacity), leading to union positions and consulting work with Kennedy and other political leaders—is chronicled, followed by the labor landscape during the world wars. A history of IBM sandwiched in the narrative contrasts the thrust of capitalist greed and exemplifies a kind of corporate welfare of which Reuther approved. Segments on civil rights, the Cold War, and Vietnam show increasing polarity among Americans, bringing the story up to the present day. The book ends with ideas about what Reuther might think or do about issues today’s voters face, such as climate change and healthcare.
Like Reuther, who is described as having a no-nonsense personality with little patience for small talk or formalities, the book is a workhorse, plowing through phases of the American past with streamlined efficiency. The text’s precision betrays the author’s physics background. This does not mean, however, that it is boring or pedantic. Ten Eyck employs colorful imagery to characterize the book’s players, such as Reuther’s fellow union leader, Lewis, slugging his opponent, then readjusting his tie and returning to calm. In another scene, Reuther shows his class conscientiousness when he tries to switch places with a rickshaw driver in China. He uses sports analogies to talk about political strategies. The transcriptions of key moments and lesser-known meetings, like those between Reuther and Krushchev, elevate the book above “just another” chronicle.
The book’s tone is set by and follows the spirit of Reuther’s integrity. He holds fast to finding solutions that serve the greater good, even when this makes him unpopular with more partisan view-holders. While he is touted as a champion for black rights, his decision not to create a black-only position on a board is criticized. Later, he argues with union members who care more about wages and not broader improvements, such as better working conditions for all workers. Likewise, the book gives equal attention to ways the labor movement, and Reuther specifically, shaped America as well as forces that shaped Reuther and union thinking. The reward of this balanced approach is a working perspective based on a tome of informative as well as entertaining data. The book points out dangers to watch out for, such as the lure of “the technology of the war machine,” at odds with Reuther’s vision. The author’s book makes it clear that Reuther’s legacy is a human, pragmatic way of thinking that can be applied to civic engagement now.