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Crucible
From the Oscar-nominated filmmaker comes a complex and sweeping historical novel about Henry Ford — the Elon Musk of his day — and the violent rise of the Ford Motor Company in 1920-30’s Detroit, featuring strikes, riots, misbegotten jungle expeditions, and the story behind Ford's private army . . .
As the Depression hits Detroit, Henry Ford — who doesn't like change — finds himself having to confront the crash of the economy, which he blames on the Jews. But his mass firings and severe salary reductions lead to an uproar, including massive hunger protests at the factory. It also heightens ethnic tension in the city, because Ford, who resisted hiring African-Americans in the first place, lays them all off first. Can his private army — consisting of ex-cons and gangsters from the Chicago Mob — keep things under control?
And what about the rubber plantation he's trying to build in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, so that he can wrest control of the rubber industry for tires? It's off to a disastrous start, with a food riot by the indigenous employees that led to Ford having to borrow the Brazilian army. There also seems to be a blight affecting the thousands of newly planted rubber trees . . .
John Sayles presents this epic saga with a cast of characters featuring many of the real historical figures involved, including fascinating character studies of Henry Ford, his beleaguered son Edsel, the ex-cop running Ford's huge, private "security" force, Harry Bennett, and appearances by union leader Walter Reuther and boxer Joe Louis. It is also a stirring portrayal of the people who toiled in the hyper-monotonous jobs of the factories in Detroit and the Brazilian plantation.
Piercing the image of one of our most vaunted historical figures, and bringing forth the brave and inspiring story of the people who actually built Ford's empire, Crucible is the kind of griping, revealing look at the American character that John Sayles has become famous for.
As the Depression hits Detroit, Henry Ford — who doesn't like change — finds himself having to confront the crash of the economy, which he blames on the Jews. But his mass firings and severe salary reductions lead to an uproar, including massive hunger protests at the factory. It also heightens ethnic tension in the city, because Ford, who resisted hiring African-Americans in the first place, lays them all off first. Can his private army — consisting of ex-cons and gangsters from the Chicago Mob — keep things under control?
And what about the rubber plantation he's trying to build in the Amazon rainforest of Brazil, so that he can wrest control of the rubber industry for tires? It's off to a disastrous start, with a food riot by the indigenous employees that led to Ford having to borrow the Brazilian army. There also seems to be a blight affecting the thousands of newly planted rubber trees . . .
John Sayles presents this epic saga with a cast of characters featuring many of the real historical figures involved, including fascinating character studies of Henry Ford, his beleaguered son Edsel, the ex-cop running Ford's huge, private "security" force, Harry Bennett, and appearances by union leader Walter Reuther and boxer Joe Louis. It is also a stirring portrayal of the people who toiled in the hyper-monotonous jobs of the factories in Detroit and the Brazilian plantation.
Piercing the image of one of our most vaunted historical figures, and bringing forth the brave and inspiring story of the people who actually built Ford's empire, Crucible is the kind of griping, revealing look at the American character that John Sayles has become famous for.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published January 20, 2026
21 people are currently reading
399 people want to read
About the author
John Sayles
89 books144 followersJohn Thomas Sayles is an independent film director, screenwriter, novelist and short story writer who frequently plays small roles in his own and other indie films.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 20, 2025
Always a fan of John Sayles and in his newest book he takes a look at a tumultuous 15 year period in Ford Motor Company. Expertly weaving historical fact with fiction we follow a multitude of characters in both the corporate Ford World, both Henry and Edsel Ford individually, the development and eventual abandonment of Fordlandia in Brazil, auto workers, rise of the Unions, as well as race relations, company riots and race riots. Only one as talented as Sayles can tie all of this together, but yet it also made me want more as there are individuals and stories that could have use a better ending - a minor point to be sure. My only criticism is that there are neither any chapters in the book, nor do we know where we are in the 15 year timeline as dates are not included. But it truly is a masterful work filled with so many fascinating facts on Ford history, along with truly unforgettable characters.
January 27, 2026
My Raing ~ 4.5*
Crucible by John Sayles published January 20th with Melville House and is described as ‘an epic tale ranging from the 1920s through the second World War, featuring violent labor disputes, misbegotten jungle expeditions, a tragic race riot, and the gestapo tactics of Ford’s private army…’
Having previously read the very potent and challenging 2025 novel by John Sayles, To Save The Man, I knew that Crucible was going to be another insightful and complex read. As a Corkonian, my interest in Henry Ford possibly comes from a slightly different perspective than other readers. In 1847 Henry Ford’s father, William Ford, emigrated from Ballinscarthy in West Cork. The local community is very proud of it’s connection to the Ford family, with a stainless steel silver Ford Model T unveiled in the village centre in 2000. In 1917, Henry Ford built the first Ford manufacturing plant outside of the United States in Cork city. At the time, it is said that he was insistent on Cork as a location, conscious of the poverty in the city at the time. Initially tractors were manufactured in the Cork plant but, after 1921, cars were also built there. Fords closed its doors in 1984, with a devasting impact on the local economy. With nearly 1000 lay-offs at the time its history still reverberates with many families today. A distillery took over the famed landmark of Fords in Cork a number of years ago with the whole marina area undergoing huge regeneration in recent times. Crucible doesn’t mention the Cork connection, as it’s not relevant to Sayles’ account, except with a reference to Corktown, a neighbourhood of Detroit, named for the immigrants who settled there following the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852).
Merriam Webster dictionary defines a crucible as ‘a severe test’ or ‘a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development’, making the title perfectly fitting to the tale that unfolds. With the downturn in the US economy in the 1930s, Detroit, which was the car manufacturing hub of the US, was left devastated by rampant unemployment. With car sales plummeting, families were left penniless and devastated. It was at this time that the union movement began to find its feet. Disenfranchised workers were encouraged to strike and the city experenced some very difficult periods. Henry Ford, was quite tyrannical in his approach to running his business and was prepared to take any action in order to keep his factory, The Ford River Rouge, running at all times. The largest industrial complex of its day, using advanced assembly lines and with a workforce peaking over 100,000 at one point, The Rouge was known as ‘a city within a city’. Self-sufficiency was key to Henry Ford’s thinking so he purchased acres of the Brazilian rainforest with the intention of growing his own rubber for tyres. He even developed a town there, Fordlandia, which still exists today, albeit now more or less abandoned. Henry Ford was a phenomenal ideas man but, unfortunately, at times, was quite Machiavellian in his determination to achieve his objectives.
Pre-, during and post- World War Two were tumultuous years for the Ford family, as society shifted and the workers demanded equality and improved conditions. Over a fifteen year period and through the eyes of a vast cast of characters, John Sayles vividly portrays the zeitgeist of the time in Detroit and beyond. Blending fact and fiction, with surprising cameos from many well-known names, including Diego Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo, Walt Disney and boxer Joe Louis, the reader is provided with insights into the complexities of Henry Ford’s personaility and work ethic. A capitalist, an entrepreneur, and I suspect a frustrated inventor, Henry Ford was a powerful player in US politics and business for many years. He had one son, Edsel, who tragically died in his forties, leaving Henry Ford with the predicament of succession. Now, run by a mix of investors and family, his ancestors still have control over many of the impacting decisions made today. His legacy will live on and with Crucible, John Sayle puts his own imprint on the life and times of this extraodinary and controversial figure.
Crucible is truly a fascinating and educational read. The burgeoning labour movement, the influx of African American workers, racketeering, Prohibition, anti-semeticism and so much more are all central to the narrative of this epic tale. Crucible is a novel bursting with well-researched and carefully considered threads, all combining into an immersive, smart and authentic storyline. Powerful historical fiction.
Crucible by John Sayles published January 20th with Melville House and is described as ‘an epic tale ranging from the 1920s through the second World War, featuring violent labor disputes, misbegotten jungle expeditions, a tragic race riot, and the gestapo tactics of Ford’s private army…’
Having previously read the very potent and challenging 2025 novel by John Sayles, To Save The Man, I knew that Crucible was going to be another insightful and complex read. As a Corkonian, my interest in Henry Ford possibly comes from a slightly different perspective than other readers. In 1847 Henry Ford’s father, William Ford, emigrated from Ballinscarthy in West Cork. The local community is very proud of it’s connection to the Ford family, with a stainless steel silver Ford Model T unveiled in the village centre in 2000. In 1917, Henry Ford built the first Ford manufacturing plant outside of the United States in Cork city. At the time, it is said that he was insistent on Cork as a location, conscious of the poverty in the city at the time. Initially tractors were manufactured in the Cork plant but, after 1921, cars were also built there. Fords closed its doors in 1984, with a devasting impact on the local economy. With nearly 1000 lay-offs at the time its history still reverberates with many families today. A distillery took over the famed landmark of Fords in Cork a number of years ago with the whole marina area undergoing huge regeneration in recent times. Crucible doesn’t mention the Cork connection, as it’s not relevant to Sayles’ account, except with a reference to Corktown, a neighbourhood of Detroit, named for the immigrants who settled there following the Great Irish Famine (1845-1852).
Merriam Webster dictionary defines a crucible as ‘a severe test’ or ‘a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development’, making the title perfectly fitting to the tale that unfolds. With the downturn in the US economy in the 1930s, Detroit, which was the car manufacturing hub of the US, was left devastated by rampant unemployment. With car sales plummeting, families were left penniless and devastated. It was at this time that the union movement began to find its feet. Disenfranchised workers were encouraged to strike and the city experenced some very difficult periods. Henry Ford, was quite tyrannical in his approach to running his business and was prepared to take any action in order to keep his factory, The Ford River Rouge, running at all times. The largest industrial complex of its day, using advanced assembly lines and with a workforce peaking over 100,000 at one point, The Rouge was known as ‘a city within a city’. Self-sufficiency was key to Henry Ford’s thinking so he purchased acres of the Brazilian rainforest with the intention of growing his own rubber for tyres. He even developed a town there, Fordlandia, which still exists today, albeit now more or less abandoned. Henry Ford was a phenomenal ideas man but, unfortunately, at times, was quite Machiavellian in his determination to achieve his objectives.
Pre-, during and post- World War Two were tumultuous years for the Ford family, as society shifted and the workers demanded equality and improved conditions. Over a fifteen year period and through the eyes of a vast cast of characters, John Sayles vividly portrays the zeitgeist of the time in Detroit and beyond. Blending fact and fiction, with surprising cameos from many well-known names, including Diego Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo, Walt Disney and boxer Joe Louis, the reader is provided with insights into the complexities of Henry Ford’s personaility and work ethic. A capitalist, an entrepreneur, and I suspect a frustrated inventor, Henry Ford was a powerful player in US politics and business for many years. He had one son, Edsel, who tragically died in his forties, leaving Henry Ford with the predicament of succession. Now, run by a mix of investors and family, his ancestors still have control over many of the impacting decisions made today. His legacy will live on and with Crucible, John Sayle puts his own imprint on the life and times of this extraodinary and controversial figure.
Crucible is truly a fascinating and educational read. The burgeoning labour movement, the influx of African American workers, racketeering, Prohibition, anti-semeticism and so much more are all central to the narrative of this epic tale. Crucible is a novel bursting with well-researched and carefully considered threads, all combining into an immersive, smart and authentic storyline. Powerful historical fiction.
January 25, 2026
John Sayles sets out with a huge canvas to fill, and it is the fortunes of the Ford motor company from the end of the Great War to the uncertain times of a post-war world where both Hitler and Hirohito have been humbled, but Stalin remains the one world leader with unassailable power.
The key points of the early pages are the stock market crash of 1929 and Henry Ford’s bizarre attempt to buy up swathes of Amazonian rain forest to produce his own rubber. The Americans sent out there are overwhelmed by a number of factors, including the human problems that hundreds of indigenous peasants are unable to adapt to Henry Ford’s production line work ethic, and the purely botanical fact that rubber trees are not a quickly growing commodity yielding instant rewards. Ford has despatched his minions to the Brazilian jungle to produce cheap rubber. He has no concept of the place. This is not a treasure trove of natural wonder described in a whispered David Attenborough voice-over. It is – for the Americans – a hell slithering with giant ants, poisonous spiders, caimans that will rip the arm off an unwary dabbler, ferocious heat, endless rain, decay, and the sense that humans are, at best, merely clinging on to life by their fingernails.
John Sayles has painted a picture of Henry Ford, warts and all, which both appalls and captivates.Does Sayles take sides? Yes, of course he does, given his CV, but his partiality does not diminish the power of his prose. There is a deep irony, however, when we read of the funeral procession for the left wing activists killed in an anti Ford protest march. Simultaneously, thousands of miles away, Stalin was systematically starving millions of Ukrainians with one hand, while butchering political opponents with the other, all in the name of the Great Socialist Ideal which the idealistic American marches seem to be calling for. Sayles’ narrative points up this and many other many ironies and moral dilemmas for historians. The chief example, for me, was that of the human brutality of the industrial process which, for us Brits, began in the remorseless cotton mills and iron foundries centuries ago.
Here, in 1930s Detroit, the assembly line is unrelenting and unforgiving: a momentary lapse of concentration can destroy a man’s leg, his hands, or his sight. There was no such thing as Health and Safety in the middle years of the 20th century. And yet, and yet. Were things any better in Stalin’s Soviet Union? Were his political commissars and better than Harry Bennett’s thugs? The novel will be on the shelves labeled ‘fiction’, but is peopled by real life characters almost too outrageous to have been invented by a mere author. We have Ford himself, a strange mix of psychopath and philanthropist; Harry Bennett, his unscrupulous enforcer who would have been at home working for Reynhardt Heydrich; Jerry Buckley, the charismatic radio host assassinated in 1930.
Crucible is a reminder that, amidst all the formulaic production line American fiction that sells by the million on supermarket shelves, there are still good writers out there.’sprawling’and ‘epic’ were adjectives once used to describe novels or films with huge breadth and compass. In this sense, Crucible certainly ‘sprawls, but along the way Sayles pens a kind of love letter to the racial and cultural blend of ordinary people who were striving to become Americans by taking Henry Ford’s dollar, the Sicilians, the dirt-poor Blacks forced to emigrate north, the ex-European Jews, the resilient Poles, the flint-hard Scots and their Irish cousins. In his afterword, however Sayles eschews sentimentality, particularly in view of the savage Detroit race riots of 1943:
“..enormous social and economic forces rushed together in that city, making it more a high-pressure crucible than a genteel American melting pot.”
For all that Henry Ford is not one of history’s most lovable characters, we should not forget his pragmatism. Criticised by many then and now for his apparent Nazi sympathies, we must not forget that it was his factories which produced the B24 Liberator bombers, the thousands of jeeps and Sherman tanks which helped bring about the fall of the Third Reich.
Crucible is a magnificent novel. The publicist warned me that it was ‘rather long’, but not a page, paragraph or sentence dragged. As a portrait of mid 20th century America, it is simply astonishing. Published by Melville House, it is available now.
The key points of the early pages are the stock market crash of 1929 and Henry Ford’s bizarre attempt to buy up swathes of Amazonian rain forest to produce his own rubber. The Americans sent out there are overwhelmed by a number of factors, including the human problems that hundreds of indigenous peasants are unable to adapt to Henry Ford’s production line work ethic, and the purely botanical fact that rubber trees are not a quickly growing commodity yielding instant rewards. Ford has despatched his minions to the Brazilian jungle to produce cheap rubber. He has no concept of the place. This is not a treasure trove of natural wonder described in a whispered David Attenborough voice-over. It is – for the Americans – a hell slithering with giant ants, poisonous spiders, caimans that will rip the arm off an unwary dabbler, ferocious heat, endless rain, decay, and the sense that humans are, at best, merely clinging on to life by their fingernails.
John Sayles has painted a picture of Henry Ford, warts and all, which both appalls and captivates.Does Sayles take sides? Yes, of course he does, given his CV, but his partiality does not diminish the power of his prose. There is a deep irony, however, when we read of the funeral procession for the left wing activists killed in an anti Ford protest march. Simultaneously, thousands of miles away, Stalin was systematically starving millions of Ukrainians with one hand, while butchering political opponents with the other, all in the name of the Great Socialist Ideal which the idealistic American marches seem to be calling for. Sayles’ narrative points up this and many other many ironies and moral dilemmas for historians. The chief example, for me, was that of the human brutality of the industrial process which, for us Brits, began in the remorseless cotton mills and iron foundries centuries ago.
Here, in 1930s Detroit, the assembly line is unrelenting and unforgiving: a momentary lapse of concentration can destroy a man’s leg, his hands, or his sight. There was no such thing as Health and Safety in the middle years of the 20th century. And yet, and yet. Were things any better in Stalin’s Soviet Union? Were his political commissars and better than Harry Bennett’s thugs? The novel will be on the shelves labeled ‘fiction’, but is peopled by real life characters almost too outrageous to have been invented by a mere author. We have Ford himself, a strange mix of psychopath and philanthropist; Harry Bennett, his unscrupulous enforcer who would have been at home working for Reynhardt Heydrich; Jerry Buckley, the charismatic radio host assassinated in 1930.
Crucible is a reminder that, amidst all the formulaic production line American fiction that sells by the million on supermarket shelves, there are still good writers out there.’sprawling’and ‘epic’ were adjectives once used to describe novels or films with huge breadth and compass. In this sense, Crucible certainly ‘sprawls, but along the way Sayles pens a kind of love letter to the racial and cultural blend of ordinary people who were striving to become Americans by taking Henry Ford’s dollar, the Sicilians, the dirt-poor Blacks forced to emigrate north, the ex-European Jews, the resilient Poles, the flint-hard Scots and their Irish cousins. In his afterword, however Sayles eschews sentimentality, particularly in view of the savage Detroit race riots of 1943:
“..enormous social and economic forces rushed together in that city, making it more a high-pressure crucible than a genteel American melting pot.”
For all that Henry Ford is not one of history’s most lovable characters, we should not forget his pragmatism. Criticised by many then and now for his apparent Nazi sympathies, we must not forget that it was his factories which produced the B24 Liberator bombers, the thousands of jeeps and Sherman tanks which helped bring about the fall of the Third Reich.
Crucible is a magnificent novel. The publicist warned me that it was ‘rather long’, but not a page, paragraph or sentence dragged. As a portrait of mid 20th century America, it is simply astonishing. Published by Melville House, it is available now.
January 25, 2026
By anyone’s account, John Sayles has had a successful career. Whether he’s writing and directing films (Matewan, Eight Men Out, The Brother from Another Planet), rewriting schlock horror movies (Piranha), or publishing historical novels set in distant lands and comfortable shores, he always finds an audience. Sayles has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and once for the National Book Award, so he has the aura of American literati shining around his head.
Following the publication of 2025’s TO SAVE A MAN, Sayles is back with CRUCIBLE, a story that centers on Henry Ford, the legendary industrialist who made automobiles a must-have item in a growing America. However, it’s also a heavy look at the issues raised from his policies and manufacturing processes, dipping into the beginnings of the climate crisis that currently is destroying hectares of natural wonder all across the globe.
DEADLINE: DETROIT --- the central gateway for illegal Canadian liquor during the Great Depression, and perhaps the core of the new class conflict, workers hoping to join in a union to ensure good business practices and pay as Ford’s empire grows. Pretty rich stuff, right? But then it turns into a climate crisis story as well. Ford has hundreds of thousands of employees, so he begins to recruit Black laborers migrating from the South to serve as strike insurance and finds a Security Department head, the small but feisty Harry Bennett, to be his henchman over a group of violent ex-cons and fighting drunks who make up his crew.
As the racial melting pot in Detroit begins to boil over, Ford decides to head down to the Amazon, where he has bought a sizable chunk of the rainforest in order to control a steady supply of rubber to make his own tires. However, he won’t pay a botanist to work with the men clearing the land down there, and they encounter (and create) issues that require a steadier hand than Ford’s greedy one. The story that evolves from these dual disasters includes boxer Joe Louis, artist Diego Rivera, rubber tappers, radicals, newsmen, gangsters, and the account of the rise of America’s first great industrialist and greedy corporate miser.
Sayles’ work is often pointed, political and historical. He doesn’t mince words when it comes to what he thinks about these situations, but there is no overarching moral designation made by him. His characters are so vibrant that they tell the story very well themselves, and readers never feel like they are being lectured to about the obvious themes and issues that are represented here. Instead, the adventure of a Sayles book is the immersive quality and the gorgeous sense of context that he requires of his plots. It’s a behind-the-scenes look, a photoplay of ridiculous inattention and horrific authoritarianism, but it’s put inside a snow globe of America and its neighbors during a very difficult time.
CRUCIBLE is a beautifully written, engaging, funny and, yes, moral tale without forgetting that it wants so badly to entertain and teach in equal measure. Henry Ford and his world have never been built into a better story. The cinematic resonance of Sayles’ work also helps readers sink into the environment and find a foundation there that is relatable, teachable and exciting. This is an especially important book for this time, and it may remind the world that it is sinful to replay history that need not be repeated.
Reviewed by Jana Siciliano
Following the publication of 2025’s TO SAVE A MAN, Sayles is back with CRUCIBLE, a story that centers on Henry Ford, the legendary industrialist who made automobiles a must-have item in a growing America. However, it’s also a heavy look at the issues raised from his policies and manufacturing processes, dipping into the beginnings of the climate crisis that currently is destroying hectares of natural wonder all across the globe.
DEADLINE: DETROIT --- the central gateway for illegal Canadian liquor during the Great Depression, and perhaps the core of the new class conflict, workers hoping to join in a union to ensure good business practices and pay as Ford’s empire grows. Pretty rich stuff, right? But then it turns into a climate crisis story as well. Ford has hundreds of thousands of employees, so he begins to recruit Black laborers migrating from the South to serve as strike insurance and finds a Security Department head, the small but feisty Harry Bennett, to be his henchman over a group of violent ex-cons and fighting drunks who make up his crew.
As the racial melting pot in Detroit begins to boil over, Ford decides to head down to the Amazon, where he has bought a sizable chunk of the rainforest in order to control a steady supply of rubber to make his own tires. However, he won’t pay a botanist to work with the men clearing the land down there, and they encounter (and create) issues that require a steadier hand than Ford’s greedy one. The story that evolves from these dual disasters includes boxer Joe Louis, artist Diego Rivera, rubber tappers, radicals, newsmen, gangsters, and the account of the rise of America’s first great industrialist and greedy corporate miser.
Sayles’ work is often pointed, political and historical. He doesn’t mince words when it comes to what he thinks about these situations, but there is no overarching moral designation made by him. His characters are so vibrant that they tell the story very well themselves, and readers never feel like they are being lectured to about the obvious themes and issues that are represented here. Instead, the adventure of a Sayles book is the immersive quality and the gorgeous sense of context that he requires of his plots. It’s a behind-the-scenes look, a photoplay of ridiculous inattention and horrific authoritarianism, but it’s put inside a snow globe of America and its neighbors during a very difficult time.
CRUCIBLE is a beautifully written, engaging, funny and, yes, moral tale without forgetting that it wants so badly to entertain and teach in equal measure. Henry Ford and his world have never been built into a better story. The cinematic resonance of Sayles’ work also helps readers sink into the environment and find a foundation there that is relatable, teachable and exciting. This is an especially important book for this time, and it may remind the world that it is sinful to replay history that need not be repeated.
Reviewed by Jana Siciliano
November 26, 2025
This sprawling novel embraces fifteen pivotal years of Detroit history, with numerous historical and fictional characters from every part of society, located in Detroit, Dearborn, and Brazil.
It jumps from storyline to storyline, almost overwhelming as you try to keep track of all that is happening.
Detroiters will glory in recognizing locations and familiar history: the rise of the unions, Walter Reuther, the River Rouge plant (which I recalled from class trips), Blackbottom, Belle Isle with its now restored aquarium, Willow Run and Rosie the Riveter, the Tigers and Hank Greenberg.
And at the center, Henry Ford, anti-semite and genius, innovator and heavy handed dictator, the man who offered thousands of African Americans and immigrants and Southerners a better life while putting money above workers, his goons patrolling their personal lives. Ford’s drive for independence, to provide his own raw materials, led to his Fordlandia in the Amazon forest. It was ill thought out, with no research, led by unqualified men.
It is an exciting story, a human story, an essential story. Workers demanding safety and fair pay for back breaking, unhealthy jobs. African Americans and Jews shunted into ghettos, watching their backs. Prohibition and gangsters. Diego Rivera painting the mural on the walls of the Detroit Institute of Art that so outraged people it was nearly whitewashed over, his wife and greater artist Frida Kahlo dismissed in the newspaper as “also a painter”.
…he was one of the richest men in America and accustomed to getting his way… from Crucible by John Sayles
Reading Crucible you realize there is nothing new under the sun. The problems of a hundred years ago are still with us. Some of the gains made then we have lost, are losing.
“As the novel displays, enormous social and economic forces rushed together in that city,” Sayle writers, “making it more a high-pressure crucible than a genteel American melting-pot.”
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
It jumps from storyline to storyline, almost overwhelming as you try to keep track of all that is happening.
Detroiters will glory in recognizing locations and familiar history: the rise of the unions, Walter Reuther, the River Rouge plant (which I recalled from class trips), Blackbottom, Belle Isle with its now restored aquarium, Willow Run and Rosie the Riveter, the Tigers and Hank Greenberg.
And at the center, Henry Ford, anti-semite and genius, innovator and heavy handed dictator, the man who offered thousands of African Americans and immigrants and Southerners a better life while putting money above workers, his goons patrolling their personal lives. Ford’s drive for independence, to provide his own raw materials, led to his Fordlandia in the Amazon forest. It was ill thought out, with no research, led by unqualified men.
It is an exciting story, a human story, an essential story. Workers demanding safety and fair pay for back breaking, unhealthy jobs. African Americans and Jews shunted into ghettos, watching their backs. Prohibition and gangsters. Diego Rivera painting the mural on the walls of the Detroit Institute of Art that so outraged people it was nearly whitewashed over, his wife and greater artist Frida Kahlo dismissed in the newspaper as “also a painter”.
…he was one of the richest men in America and accustomed to getting his way… from Crucible by John Sayles
Reading Crucible you realize there is nothing new under the sun. The problems of a hundred years ago are still with us. Some of the gains made then we have lost, are losing.
“As the novel displays, enormous social and economic forces rushed together in that city,” Sayle writers, “making it more a high-pressure crucible than a genteel American melting-pot.”
Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Reading Crucible feels less like settling into a novel and more like being tossed into the middle of a very long conversation where everyone already knows each other, and no one bothers to explain who’s who.
Before you start, grab a notebook and pencil. Seriously. This book jumps between characters and subplots like it’s allergic to transitions. You’ll get a few paragraphs with one group, then suddenly you’re somewhere else with entirely different people and zero warning. No headers. No cues. Just confusion until you read long enough to piece together where (and with whom) you’ve landed.
There are so many characters and storylines that keeping track becomes a full-time job. And while this story spans roughly 15 years, you’d never know it because dates are apparently forbidden. Time passes, events happen, and you’re left squinting at the page thinking, “Was this before or after… whatever that thing was?”
Here’s the frustrating part: the writing is genuinely good. Sayles clearly has talent, depth, and a strong grasp of his subject. Which makes the chaos feel unnecessary. A few simple fixes: adding character names to sections, including dates, trimming extraneous character details, would have turned this from overwhelming to outstanding.
Oddly enough, I kept thinking this would work much better as a movie. On screen, a face appears and you instantly know who it is. Scene change? Obvious. Timeline? Visual cues. Problem solved.
In the end, Crucible is ambitious, well-written, and exhausting. It’s a great story buried under too many characters and not enough signposts. If you enjoy literary scavenger hunts, you might love it. If not… start sharpening that pencil.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Melville House and NetGalley for the ARC.
Before you start, grab a notebook and pencil. Seriously. This book jumps between characters and subplots like it’s allergic to transitions. You’ll get a few paragraphs with one group, then suddenly you’re somewhere else with entirely different people and zero warning. No headers. No cues. Just confusion until you read long enough to piece together where (and with whom) you’ve landed.
There are so many characters and storylines that keeping track becomes a full-time job. And while this story spans roughly 15 years, you’d never know it because dates are apparently forbidden. Time passes, events happen, and you’re left squinting at the page thinking, “Was this before or after… whatever that thing was?”
Here’s the frustrating part: the writing is genuinely good. Sayles clearly has talent, depth, and a strong grasp of his subject. Which makes the chaos feel unnecessary. A few simple fixes: adding character names to sections, including dates, trimming extraneous character details, would have turned this from overwhelming to outstanding.
Oddly enough, I kept thinking this would work much better as a movie. On screen, a face appears and you instantly know who it is. Scene change? Obvious. Timeline? Visual cues. Problem solved.
In the end, Crucible is ambitious, well-written, and exhausting. It’s a great story buried under too many characters and not enough signposts. If you enjoy literary scavenger hunts, you might love it. If not… start sharpening that pencil.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Melville House and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Spectacular historical fiction - again, as I have written before, giving us insight into something forgotten or lost in our history (which is why historical fiction is such an important genre).
This book takes on the history of the Ford Motor Company between the 1920s-1940s. Henry Ford has launched a plan to create a rubber plantation in the Brazilian rainforest called Fordlandia, to grow his own rubber. This part of the story involves the local man, João, hired to run the plantation and the American man and Ford employee, Jim, who’s sent to manage the clearing of the land. The undertaking is fraught with problems: blight on the trees, worker revolt and a romance between João’s son, Flavio, and Jim’s daughter, Kerry. While things happen in Brazil, things happen in Michigan where the multicultural workers in the First plants are upset over working conditions and call a wildcat strike. Both the American and Brazilian workers are being exploited (my word). These revolts test the powers that be. Subplots also abound: it’s the Prohibition Era and Diego Rivera is making his brilliant murals in the Detroit Institute of Art.
This is an epic novel exploring the plight of workers, the dehumanizing of their work efforts - all in the name of capitalism and greed (which in today’s context seems to be returning). The book is rich in story and history. It’s difficult to look away when reading from what is happening in this book as the message is so striking and sad. The book also captures the period of American industrialization and offer a glimpse into why the wealth of the billionaires are built on the backs of the worker who get shafted all the time. Greed is America’s great sin.
Thank you NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for giving me the honor to read this fantastic ARC.
This book takes on the history of the Ford Motor Company between the 1920s-1940s. Henry Ford has launched a plan to create a rubber plantation in the Brazilian rainforest called Fordlandia, to grow his own rubber. This part of the story involves the local man, João, hired to run the plantation and the American man and Ford employee, Jim, who’s sent to manage the clearing of the land. The undertaking is fraught with problems: blight on the trees, worker revolt and a romance between João’s son, Flavio, and Jim’s daughter, Kerry. While things happen in Brazil, things happen in Michigan where the multicultural workers in the First plants are upset over working conditions and call a wildcat strike. Both the American and Brazilian workers are being exploited (my word). These revolts test the powers that be. Subplots also abound: it’s the Prohibition Era and Diego Rivera is making his brilliant murals in the Detroit Institute of Art.
This is an epic novel exploring the plight of workers, the dehumanizing of their work efforts - all in the name of capitalism and greed (which in today’s context seems to be returning). The book is rich in story and history. It’s difficult to look away when reading from what is happening in this book as the message is so striking and sad. The book also captures the period of American industrialization and offer a glimpse into why the wealth of the billionaires are built on the backs of the worker who get shafted all the time. Greed is America’s great sin.
Thank you NetGalley and Melville House Publishing for giving me the honor to read this fantastic ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Received ARC from Melville House Publishing & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Crucible is an interesting and uniquely framed slice of U.S. history, especially for readers curious about Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, and the industrial and political landscape of early Detroit. I walked away having learned quite a bit (something I always appreciate in historical fiction) and the premise itself is compelling.
Where the book struggled for me was the execution. The writing style and overall format were distracting, especially in the beginning. Sayles introduces a large number of characters very quickly, and with no chapter breaks or headings to help orient the reader, it becomes difficult to track who is who. Perspectives shift abruptly and inconsistently, sometimes after a brief paragraph, other times after many pages. These transitions often launch straight into dialogue without signaling whose viewpoint we’ve landed in. It takes a beat every time to re-establish the narrator.
New characters also appear with little setup or context, and some are mentioned by name only to vanish again. Others seem introduced with the weight of importance but never become meaningful to the story, creating moments where I found myself wondering, Wait, was I supposed to know this person?
Overall, Crucible offers a fascinating piece of history and an original story, but its structure and style make it a challenging read. A worthwhile experience, but not an effortless one.
Crucible is an interesting and uniquely framed slice of U.S. history, especially for readers curious about Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, and the industrial and political landscape of early Detroit. I walked away having learned quite a bit (something I always appreciate in historical fiction) and the premise itself is compelling.
Where the book struggled for me was the execution. The writing style and overall format were distracting, especially in the beginning. Sayles introduces a large number of characters very quickly, and with no chapter breaks or headings to help orient the reader, it becomes difficult to track who is who. Perspectives shift abruptly and inconsistently, sometimes after a brief paragraph, other times after many pages. These transitions often launch straight into dialogue without signaling whose viewpoint we’ve landed in. It takes a beat every time to re-establish the narrator.
New characters also appear with little setup or context, and some are mentioned by name only to vanish again. Others seem introduced with the weight of importance but never become meaningful to the story, creating moments where I found myself wondering, Wait, was I supposed to know this person?
Overall, Crucible offers a fascinating piece of history and an original story, but its structure and style make it a challenging read. A worthwhile experience, but not an effortless one.
September 4, 2025
The amazing John Sayles delivers again with a great look at Detroit and Ford Motor in the 30’s and 40’s. Full of engaging characters as well as real life characters. Sayles also brings to life the failed rubber plantation/social experiment that was Fordlandia, Brazil. Great thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC,
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
complex and intense work filled with dramatic plotting and impressive vibes throughout. would recommend this one. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.
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