Making It in America by Rachel Slade
We’re going to have a different kind of topic today. We’re going to talk about Rachel Slade’s book, Making it in America.
Shopping local starts as a choice and then becomes the norm. The same way you may think “duh, ill just go to target, or stop by home goods” is how someone thinks about “duh, i’ll just pop into town and pick up a book at RJ Julia”. That’s what happened just over a year ago. I had some time to kill and I decided to bop around Madison, CT. I poke my head into a local book store, wandering around for a bit I lock onto a book that looked like it was placed there for me. The hardcover has a hoodie and an American flag on it. I mean come on..thats all me.
Didn’t realize it would be a launching pad for me. I devoured this book, was tagging the author on social media, started a dialogue, got caught up in this world of American makers, and felt transformed and invigorated. Only to find out Rachel would be at RJ Julia for a book signing, in which I met her with my colleague, Melissa Oddo.
And this week we had her on our podcast The Fabric of America, listen here for the release of her paperback. She changed my life.
Making It in America: The Almost Impossible Quest to Manufacture in the U.S.A. by Rachel Slade is a nonfiction exploration of the challenges and possibilities of reviving domestic manufacturing in the United States. The book centers on Ben Waxman and Whitney Reynolds, a couple from Portland, Maine, who founded American Roots, an apparel company committed to producing union-made, American-sourced clothing. Through their journey, Slade delves into the broader issues of globalization, labor, and economic policy that have shaped the current state of American manufacturing. Sobrief.com CATO.com Penguinrandomhouse.com
Key Themes:
Decline of American Manufacturing: Slade discusses how policies like NAFTA and the rise of globalization have led to the closure of over 60,000 U.S. manufacturing firms and the loss of millions of jobs. Washingtonpost.com
Challenges of Domestic Production: The book highlights the difficulties American Roots faced in sourcing materials domestically, finding skilled labor, and competing with cheaper foreign-made products. sobrief.com
Labor and Unions: Slade emphasizes the role of unions in advocating for workers' rights and how American Roots aimed to provide fair wages and benefits to its employees. kirkusreview.com
Cultural Significance of Apparel: The hoodie serves as a symbol in the book, representing both the challenges of domestic manufacturing and the cultural narratives tied to American-made products. Cato.org
Critical Reception:
Making It in America has received a mix of praise and critique:
Positive Reviews: The Washington Post commended the book for providing a granular look at the challenges of ethical manufacturing and its broader political implications. The New York Times highlighted Slade's in-depth reporting and the compelling narrative of the American Roots founders. bookmark.com
Critical Perspectives: Some reviewers, like those from the Wall Street Journal, questioned the scalability of the American Roots model and the feasibility of a widespread manufacturing revival in the U.S. Others pointed out that the book occasionally veers into political commentary, which may detract from its central narrative. wsj.com
Conclusion:
Rachel Slade's Making It in America offers a compelling narrative that intertwines personal stories with broader economic and political analysis. While it provides valuable insights into the challenges of domestic manufacturing, readers should be aware of its occasional political digressions. Overall, the book serves as a thought-provoking examination of what it takes to produce goods ethically and sustainably in today's global economy. penguinrandomhouse.com
