Plain Folk: The Life Stories of Undistinguished Americans

by David M. Katzman (Editor), William M. Tuttle Jr. (Editor)

Plain Folk depicts both the ordinary occupations and ethnic and racial diversity of America at the turn of the century. Katzman and Tuttle have drawn upon 75 brief autobiographies or "lifelets" of working-class Americans published between 1902 and 1906 in The Independent magazine. Among the seventeen life stories included here are those of a Lithuanian stockyards worker in Chicago, a Polish sweatshop girl and a Chinese merchant in New York City, a black peon in rural Georgia, and a Swedish farmer in Minnesota. Together they provide an unmediated and seldom-seen view of American life during this period.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, History, 20th Century

240 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

David Katzman has been a professor of History and American Studies at the University of Kansas (KU).

Reviews

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A magazine called the Independent captured these stories between 1902 - 1906, and it gives you a good perspective of the immigrants and working class of this time. There were a few stories that captured my heart. I do wish they wouldn't have done an introduction before each story is told, and looking back I wish I would have skipped that. There are things I never realized about 20th century America. You can see how much America has improved - yet has much more to do.

[Denise Rolon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was amazing to hear the voices of real working people in America in the early 1900s. I also enjoyed the editor's contributions. For example, I loved this, "The discipline of the clock replaced seasonal and cultural rhythms, and employees worked a fixed number of hours in summer and winter." I think that not living to the discipline of the clock is part of what makes the sailing life so good. It's a form of liberty to live by your own clock.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a compilation of actual life stories of common people from the late 1800's and early 1900's that gives you a picture of their lives and their struggles. As the stories come from people from many walks of life, it may give you an insight as to the life your ancestors lived. I really enjoyed the detail of the figures they would give showing what they spent their money and how little they earned. This is a piece of America that you should sample a peice of.

[Hope · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found these first-person stories of life in the late 1800's early 1900's very fascinating. These "essays" were originally printed between 1902 and 1906. There was a wide variety of stories telling of daily life for immigrants, men, women, farms, and urban. Additionally, a Chinese immigrant and several African-Americans tell their stories of prejudice.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Group read. Enjoyed. amazed at writing abilities of these random Americans.

[Darla Ebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some riveting chapters, some not so but the story tellers were able to really report the events in their lives from the perspective of the underdogs, those who came to America for a better life

[Johan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this in a dollar-bin in New Orleans years ago and it's probably the one book that I'd be really bummed if I lost. It has fascinating first person stories of Americans from the beginning of the 20th Century. There's the story of the former slave living through peonage in the "reconstructed" south. There's the Swedish immigrant/lumberjack telling his story in meticulous accounting and many more. I think it's an important historical document.