Janesville Book Summary

In 'Janesville,' Amy Goldstein explores the profound impact of the 2008 economic crisis on a small Wisconsin town, where a General Motors plant closure sends shockwaves through the community. Through intimate portraits of local residents, the book reveals the struggles and resilience of those facing unemployment, broken dreams, and shifting identities. Goldstein weaves a narrative of hope and determination, illustrating how individuals band together to confront adversity. As families grapple with their changing fortunes, the question of what it truly means to thrive in America emerges. This compelling account invites readers to reflect on the fragility of prosperity and the strength of human spirit amidst hardship.

By Amy Goldstein

Published: 2018

"In the wake of loss, we find the strength to rebuild our lives—not just for ourselves, but for the community that nourishes our spirit."

Book Review of Janesville

  • Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year * Winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize​ * 800-CEO-READ Business Book of the Year * A New York Times Notable Book * A Washington Post Notable Book * An NPR Best Book of 2017 * A Wall Street Journal Best Book of 2017 * An Economist Best Book of 2017 * A Business Insider Best Book of 2017 * “A gripping story of psychological defeat and resilience” (Bob Woodward, The Washington Post)—an intimate account of the fallout from the closing of a General Motors assembly plant in Janesville, Wisconsin, and a larger story of the hollowing of the American middle class. This is the story of what happens to an industrial town in the American heartland when its main factory shuts down—but it’s not the familiar tale. Most observers record the immediate shock of vanished jobs, but few stay around long enough to notice what happens next when a community with a can-do spirit tries to pick itself up. Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Amy Goldstein spent years immersed in Janesville, Wisconsin, where the nation’s oldest operating General Motors assembly plant shut down in the midst of the Great Recession. Now, with intelligence, sympathy, and insight into what connects and divides people in an era of economic upheaval, Goldstein shows the consequences of one of America’s biggest political issues. Her reporting takes the reader deep into the lives of autoworkers, educators, bankers, politicians, and job re-trainers to show why it’s so hard in the twenty-first century to recreate a healthy, prosperous working class. “Moving and magnificently well-researched...Janesville joins a growing family of books about the evisceration of the working class in the United States. What sets it apart is the sophistication of its storytelling and analysis” (Jennifer Senior, The New York Times). “Anyone tempted to generalize about the American working class ought to meet the people in Janesville. The reporting behind this book is extraordinary and the story—a stark, heartbreaking reminder that political ideologies have real consequences—is told with rare sympathy and insight” (Tracy Kidder, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Soul of a New Machine).

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In the wake of loss, we find the strength to rebuild our lives—not just for ourselves, but for the community that nourishes our spirit.

Janesville

By Amy Goldstein