What We're Reading: Debbie

Work Song by Ivan Doig

This charming story picks up 10 years after the author's "The Whistling Season" ends, in 1919. Morrie Morgan, the teacher from the one-room school house from the previous book, shows up in the copper mining town of Butte, Montana. This time, Morrie gets mixed up with the local labor union's struggles with the Anaconda Mining Co., all while wooing his landlady, working at the public library, and being harassed by Chicago mob goons because of his past. I enjoyed learning about the history of Butte and copper mining, and the multi ethnic based characters of the local miners. Of course, the old-time library setting was really my favorite part of the story! The historical basis of this tale is accurate. There really was an Anaconda company, and the labor issues, and deadly accidents referred to in the story, really happened.