Book description
How essential workersâ fight for better jobs during the pandemic revolutionized US labor politicsÂ
Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, essential workers lashed out against low wages, long hours, and safety risks, attracting a level of support unseen in decades. This explosion of labor unrest seemed sudden to many. But Essential revealsâŚ
Why read it?
1 author picked Essential as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
Sociologist Jamie K. McCallum traces labor actions throughout the coronavirus pandemic and what they revealed about the shocking precarity and poor working conditions frontline workers faced and continue to face.
The book shows how and why the crisis sparked an uptick in labor struggles thatâs helping to revitalize the American labor movement today. McCallumâs voice and narrative sensibility are compelling, but what I really love about this book is that it transforms everyday working-class people from abstract category (âessential workersâ) to dynamic human characters with agency and power.
If you love Essential...
Aggressor
It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.
The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to runâŚ
Want books like Essential?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 60 books like Essential.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,277
readers submitted
so far, will you?
đ If you like Essential, you might also like...
My Book Boyfriend
Lily loves her community garden. Rupert wants to bulldoze it. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?
"It literally had everything! - Bookworm Characters - Humor - Banter - Swoon-worthy lines." - Book Reviewer.
Everyday Medical Miracles
Frontiers of Women from the healthcare perspective. A compilation of 60 true short stories written by an extensive array of healthcare providers, physicians, and advanced practice providers.
All designed to give you, the reader, a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of all of us who provide your health care. ComeâŚ
