Book · 2017 · Political Science
Janesville
An American Story
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There's a book related to that example that I found compelling called Janesville by Amie Goldstein and she embedded herself in Janesville auto plant community when they all lost their jobs.
Why people recommend it
Janesville by Amy Goldstein is a compelling work of investigative journalism that explores the devastating social and economic consequences of a major factory closure in an American industrial town. Doug Irwin recommended the book on an episode of EconTalk in May 2025, describing it as a very good work by a Washington Post journalist focusing on Janesville, Wisconsin, where a General Motors manufacturing plant shut down. Irwin used the text to illustrate broader discussions surrounding the economics of tariffs, trade, and regional economic distress. Additionally, Arthur Diamond recommended the same book on EconTalk in August 2019 while discussing openness to creative destruction. Diamond told listeners that he found the book deeply compelling because Goldstein embedded herself directly within the Janesville auto plant community after workers lost their jobs, allowing her to capture the authentic struggles, resilience, and complex realities faced by families and local institutions in the wake of sudden deindustrialization. Through these recommendations, both guests highlighted the human cost behind macroeconomic shifts and industrial transitions in modern America.
Every mention
Arthur Diamond there's a book related to that example that I found compelling called Janesville by Amie Goldstein and she… 1
“there's a book related to that example that I found compelling called Janesville by Amie Goldstein and she embedded herself in Janesville auto plant community when they all lost their jobs”
Doug Irwin There is a very good book by a Washington Post journalist called Jainsville. It's about Jamesville, Ohio, W… 1
“There is a very good book by a Washington Post journalist called Jainsville. It's about Jamesville, Ohio, Wisconsin, where a GM plant closes down...”
