Books reflect the life and times of people. Narrowing the lenses on people at work provides an intriguing glimpse into the labor unions, immigrant movements, and power struggle of the populace.
In honor of The U.S. Department of Labor’s 100th anniversary, the department has launched the literary project, “Books That Shaped Work in America.” The hand-selected list features old classics as well as surprising favorites chosen by the current labor secretary, Thomas E. Perez, and former occupants of the office including George P. Shultz, Robert Reich and Elaine Chao, and outside contributors.
The list includes books like George Orwell’s “Animal Farm,” Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick,” and Betty Friedan’s “The Feminine Mystique.”
The list of books is a work in progress, and essentially always will be, as work in American evolves. The department encourages the public to submit recommendations providing the title, author, and a brief description of why the book shaped work in America.