Wasn't That a Time? Growing Up Radical and Red in America

A labor activist who later became a management consultant, Schrank offers a unique perspective on "growing up radical and red in America" (the subtitle of his evocative memoir). Schrank's account of his union organizing during the 1930s, '40s, and '50s paints a vivid picture of the battle to gain better wages and conditions for America's workers. But he also chronicles his increasing disenchantment with the Communist Party, which he found to be out of touch with what those it claimed to represent actually wanted. "There were no simple answers," he discovers, "just limitless opportunities to explore the time-honored questions." His pungently detailed narrative brings to life a pivotal period in American labor history. --Wendy Smith