After the 2016 election, pundits often declared that the "unexpected" support for Trump among working-class voters came down primarily to economic issues. In this thoughtfully researched book by grad student Newman and professor Skocpol, the long-term evolution of workers' unions and their impact on workers' social identities provides answers that economic factors alone don't address. Based on interviews with current and retired union members, research in union newsletters, and more, the authors show that in midcentury America, the union played a central social role in workers' lives, bringing them together in common purpose with a strong historical memory. The current role of unions seems to be less entwined with workers' everyday lives, and gun clubs, churches, and other institutions (often of a more conservative bent) fill that gap. The study provides more detail and nuance than this summary, of course, and for readers interested both in labor history and in political history, the information found in this book will add to their understanding of the changes in political views over the past 50-75 years. Well worth the read. 4 stars.

Thank you, Columbia University Press and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book. Opinions expressed here are solely my own.