Review of Frances Perkins, Champion of American Workers

[Pablo Josue Mendia]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Frances Perkins, Champion of American Workers" by Ruth Cashin Monsell.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Frances Perkins: Champion of American Workers by Ruth Cashin Monsell is a biography about an underappreciated role model in American history named Frances Perkins. The book begins in 1880, showing how Frances (her birth name was Fannie) grew up in a conservative family but later became a leader in social reform. Perkins’ early exposure to labor conditions, such as the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911, motivated her to spend her life fighting for workers’ rights, especially women and children who were most vulnerable to the laws during the early part of the twentieth century.

Monsell shows why Cynthia Otis Perkins, Perkins’ grandma, influenced her over the years. It also shows how she became independent of her family, her views on urban life versus rural life, how she formed her own religious and political views, the academic routes that nurtured her passions, and her work during the Great Depression. In addition, the book shows us how Perkins managed the role as the first female Secretary of Labor during Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidency, which helped shape modern American social policies (such as the Social Security Act).

Moreover, the book shows her personal and professional challenges, including gender discrimination and dealing with adversity over the years. The book is so broad in scope that you will learn about Perkins’ upbringing, personal and professional development, family life, courage against injustices, personality, and much more.

I liked the variety of things to learn in this book. For example, the city of Worcester is pronounced “Wooster,” and Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the last U.S. President to be inaugurated in March and not January. I also liked that Monsell successfully demonstrated that Perkins is a historical figure whom Americans should give more credit for her contributions to the progress of socioeconomic fairness, workers’ rights, immigrants’ rights, children's rights, and women's rights. Despite the following criticisms of the book, Monsell entertains and educates by showing key professional events and personal moments of Perkins’s life.

I deducted a star because the book has grammar and spelling issues, formatting and spacing issues, unnecessary capitalizations, inaccuracies, and misspelled quotes. For example, the book contains an inaccurate figure when discussing the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. In addition, I deducted a second star because the book lacked citations to back up the historical data. Adding citations and a second round of editing would make the book more presentable and credible.

Given my likes and dislikes, I give the book an average rating of 3 out of 5 stars. I recommend this book to readers who enjoy American history, particularly social reform, labor rights, and women's rights. I also recommend it to readers who enjoy learning about historical figures who are often underappreciated but have impacted American society.

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Frances Perkins, Champion of American Workers
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[Elsa Davis]

This book is a genuine read for those interested in America history band social reform. It is a great read.

[Emmanuel olowolayemo]

**Short Summary:**

"Frances Perkins: Champion of American Workers" by Ruth Cashin Monsell is a biography of Frances Perkins, the first female U.S. Secretary of Labor and a key figure in American social reform. The book explores her life from a conservative upbringing to becoming a leader in workers' rights, especially after witnessing the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in 1911. Perkins played a significant role during Franklin D. Roosevelt's presidency, helping shape policies like the Social Security Act. Despite its educational value, the book suffers from grammar issues, inaccuracies, and a lack of citations, leading to a rating of 3 out of 5 stars.

[Anthony Caleb]

Having read all these about Frances Perkins, it's unbelievable to know that she was an underappreciated role model.