Spindle City: A Novel

by Jotham Burrello

On June 23, 1911-a summer day so magnificent it seems as if God himself has smiled on the town-Fall River, Massachusetts, is reveling in its success. The Cotton Centennial is in full swing as Joseph Bartlett takes his place among the local elite in the parade grandstand. The meticulously planned carnival has brought the thriving textile town to an unprecedented halt; rich and poor alike crowd the streets, welcoming President Taft to America's "Spindle City."

Yet as he perches in the grandstand nursing a nagging toothache, Joseph Bartlett straddles the divide between Yankee mill owners and the union bosses who fight them. Bartlett, a renegade owner, fears the town cannot long survive against the union-free South. He frets over the ever-present threat of strikes and factory fires, knowing his own fortune was changed by the drop of a kerosene lantern. When the Cleveland Mill burned, good men died, and immigrant's son Joseph Bartlett gained a life of privilege he never wanted.

Now Joseph is one of the most influential men in a prosperous town. High above the rabble, as he stands among politicians and society ladies, his wife is dying, his sons are lost in the crowd facing pivotal decisions of their own, and the differences between the haves and have-nots are stretched to the breaking point.

Spindle City delves deep into the lives, loves, and fortunes of real and imagined mill owners, anarchists, and immigrants, from the Highlands mansions to the tenements of the Cogsworth slum, chronicling a mill town's-and a generation's-last days of glory.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, The United States Of America, Historical

352 pages, Paperback

First published July 21, 2020

About the author

Jotham Burrello is a writer, teacher, publisher, farmer, and multimedia producer. He is the author of the Writers’ e-Handbook and producer of So, Is It Done? Navigating the Revision Process. Other writing has appeared in literary journals, the Hartford Courant, the Christian Science Monitor, and he’s a proud winner of the New Yorker caption contest. He teaches writing at Central Connecticut State University, directs the Yale Writers’ Workshop and the Connecticut Literary Festival, curates the Roar Reading Series, and is the publisher of the award-winning Elephant Rock Books.

Reviews

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1911 Fall River in Massachusetts is celebrating a century of cotton manufacture with a carnival and parade, topped off by a visit from the President. Mill manager and part owner Joseph Bartlett is in the grandstand watching the events, unaware that his wife has just died and his future plans for his family and the mill are about to start unravelling.

Joseph took over the running of the Cleveland Mill after a terrible accident killed the previous manager. He has his work cut out juggling the demands of the Unions and the welfare of his workers and competing with cotton manufacturers in the union-free southern states. He also has secrets that will have repercusions for his sons and others around them. Set against this background and the coming world war, this novel is a family saga on a grand scale.

Although I found the novel a little confusing initially with the number of characters involved, it is worth reading further until earlier events are clarified and the narrative settles around Joseph and his sons. I was disappointed not to get more of a sense of what a working cotton mill was like in those days and what was involved for the people working there. We're told the conditions are poor for the workers (although better in Joseph's mill than in others) but don't get a sense of what this actually means in the historical context. I would also have liked to get a stronger sense of the main characters, particularly Joseph's sons and Mary's family to understand their actions better. Otherwise, this unique time in history worked well as the backdrop for a family saga and made for interesting reading. 3.5★

With thanks to Blackstone publishing and Netgalley for a digital copy to read

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story brings a historical background for a city once prospering from textile mills and now facing union strikes. But for most of the part this is a moving story of a father, who after losing his wife, struggles to keep his family together.

Fall River, Massachusetts, in 1911 is celebrating one hundred years of being America’s “largest cotton manufacturing city in the country.” The owners are very proud of it and pretty sure that the city will have another centennial celebration.

Joseph Bartlett is one of the owners, which happened by accident. He sympathizes with labor, which doesn’t put him in a good position with other owners. Now, his wife passes away and at the same time his older son assaults a young woman. And later, he notices his younger son being diverted in the wrong direction by his friend’s daughter.

On a sunny August day, Sarah Strong, a suffragist, approaches Joseph as he understands, unlike his peers, that the hardships at the mills don’t need to be endured. He knows her name well. At the age of seventeen, her mother dies working at textile mill. Sarah uses her mother’s savings to go to college. Once with degree, her career options are very limited. Upon learning about impending strike, this puts her on a path “to labor terrorism” as seen by some, “depending on your point of view.” She is the Robin Hood of union organizing for others.

She convinces him to show him something first before presenting her proposal to him. She takes him to the worst of the worst mill’s boardinghouses and tenements routinely sited with health violations. He is enlightened that the abuse doesn’t stop with mill’s conditions; it extends to young girls being abused by their bosses. “When they announce they’re pregnant, they get dumped, and blackballed.” She presents her proposal and asks him to open his books. This way putting pressure on others. Having two sets of books is a common practice, one with true numbers, the other for officials to show there is not enough profit to pay higher wages. She wants him to improve the conditions of all workers, thus giving him legacy.

This was the moment I was waiting for in this story such character as Sarah Strong. She is a phenomenal character giving the story the richness of historical background I wanted to see. And I kept waiting and waiting for her appearance again, but it never came.

Then the story goes back in time, revealing Joseph’s career’s climb and connecting him with the names presented at the beginning of the story. Which certainly is very engaging.

This story is mostly concentrated on Joseph and his two sons. It is a touching portrayal of a human being, a father, who makes his share of mistakes. He acknowledges that he never had the patience to sit with the boys and look for example what Hollister was drawing, which later turned out to be a talent for military mapping. He provided well for his sons, but at the same time didn’t want them to feel privileged. Thus, he never hired nannies or a butler. He wanted them to be well-grounded and humble as he himself came from humble beginnings. And hoped that one day, one of them would take over the family business.

The story is vividly presented, you can feel what the father and each son go through, their pain and humiliation.

Even though, the story didn’t bring the historical background I was looking for, I still have to give credit for how well this story is crafted.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great story with a lot of well planned characters. Great cast of characters we meet and get to know.
I was engrossed with this historical taking place in Fall River, Massachusetts in this early 20th century industrial town .

Pub Date 21 Jul 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[The Book Maven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Look, I'm a historical fiction addict. Probably, like, literally. It doesn't take much to get me (and keep me) engaged with a historical novel. So when I say I struggled with this book, please believe me.

No one should need to create an effin' chart to keep track of all the characters, and their relation to eachother, in a novel. I literally just sat down and counted up 26 characters referenced in the first 22 pages, before I realized that these numbers do a good job of making my point. (Also, these numbers didn't include two family cats and one turtle.)

Once I got past my pretty profound irritation, I was able to muddle through, but the not-always-sequential timeline of the plot, coupled with the aforementioned overpopulation of characters, didn't help my engagement with this book. Reaching the end was, quite frankly, a relief. (Also, it's rather remarkable how, given the sheer number of characters in this book, I was unable to connect with a single one of them.)

A word to aspiring authors: If you're going to pile in that many characters in your book, provide a chart at the back of the book, or something. Or at least don't mix a back-and-forth timeline with so many characters. Or create characters who are more likable or empathetic. Maybe all of the above.

[Tina Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, unfortunately, this book was not for me. I really struggled to get through this one and if it hadn't been an ARC, I probably wouldn't have finished it?? (But I feel like I give better feedback on a book I've completed so I powered through.)

This is marketed as a historical fiction but, unfortunately, there doesn't really seem to be a lot of the historical aspect. There are a few scenes thrown in to make it feel like more of a ~period piece but that's never really explored or expanded upon. Aside from the opening chapter, the tour of Sarah Strong's building and Hollister's experience in the war, this novel could've taken place at any time and the reader wouldn't have known the difference. So I definitely wanted more history from this. Especially after that Sarah Strong chapter was dangled in our faces and then never expanded upon again.

There are also waaaaay too many characters in this story and they're all pretty underdeveloped? So it was really hard to keep track of them and, honestly, tell them apart. By the end of the book, I still couldn't tell you exactly who everyone was and what their relationship was to one another. I think narrowing down the main characters and developing them more would've helped this a ton. Plus doing a little more showing instead of telling. Because I also struggled to keep track of events and when they happened as well. The timeline was also a little wonky?

Honestly, this whole book felt very meh to me. I'm not entirely sure what the story was supposed to be about? I think it was supposed to be character driven but I also struggled with the characters. So.
The whole thing didn't really compel me to continue reading. Unfortunately, this one just wasn't for me and I'm glad to be done and moving on to other things. Overall, I think this book could've greatly benefited from some serious editing and consolidation. And, of course, more history.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read this one in exchange for an honest review.

[David Mulligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very good. If you come from SE Massachusetts or southern RI, the novel will especially resonate . I teach in the city, have driven up President Ave thousands of times in more than 30 years, taking me past all of the streets mentioned in the novel where the "haves" lived: "The Hill". The time period, the end of the Gilded Age, is exquisitely described; the differences between the "haves" & the "have nots", believably described. The author, Jotham Burello, brings you back to the streets of the "Spindle City" in the early 20th century; he must have researched meticulously.

My only problem with the novel is that the author mentions things as if the reader should automatically know what it is. For example, he mentions Lincoln Park, an amusement park which was located outside of Fall River several miles in Dartmouth, Massachusetts. As a child I went there every summer for years (it has since become a housing development, sadly) The only reason that I know what Lincoln Park was is because I live in the area & went there as a child. The author mentions an event held there for the workers in the mills; he fails to say what Lincoln Park was at all. He does that with neighborhoods in the city, streets, beach venues, etc.

The book really was so good, but in my opinion could have been even better with more detail.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Spindle City, Jotham Burrello provides an unusual take on American history—the dramatization of an early 20th century industrial town at the height of its success as the lives of some of its residents spin out of control.

Using the historic nickname of Fall River, Massachusetts at a time when the number of spindles in a cotton mill indicated its productivity and potential profit, Burrello thrusts readers headlong into what may well have been the town’s greatest moment—the 1911 Cotton Centennial.

As visiting President Taft delivers his much-anticipated speech, Cleveland Mill’s Joseph Bartlett—a man haunted by secrets--stands with other local business leaders who had served with him on the centennial committee. Carnation wreaths and American flags adorn every building on the block, young women toss confetti, and the din of bands, singing Portuguese immigrant boys, and cheering crowds with noisemakers replaces the usual roar of a hundred and eleven cloth producing mills silenced for this one jubilant day.

Amid the joyous revelry, all hell breaks loose for Joseph Bartlett. He, his family, and Fall River will never be the same.

As the descendant of Fall River townsfolk, Jotham Burrello heard stories. He has spun those “stories of triumph and tragedy” into his narrative.

Although I worked to understand occasional business conversations, Burrello easily captivated me with his vivid language, dramatic plotline, and the diversity of his characters—rich and poor, ruthless and humane, native-born and immigrant. They comprised historic Fall River, and they propel his novel. Spindle City grabbed my attention and never let go. It educated me about a little-known industry and a community I had known only as the place where Lizzie Borden took and axe and gave her mother forty whacks.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Jotham Burrello for the advance reader copy of Spindle City.

4.5 stars

[Kristin O'Keeffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Engrossing and captivating. A fascinating exploration of the textile mills in Fall River, Massachusetts.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the Lizzie Borden legend as much as any loyal and true Fall River native, but a historical novel set in my hometown in a different era is an unexpected pleasure. Jotham Burrello’s Spindle City spans the first quarter of the twentieth century, the heyday of Fall River’s textiles boom (and foreshadows its inevitable bust).

Read the rest of my review at my books blog: Reading Salon.

[Lyuba · Rating 5 out of 5]

I originally got interested in getting an advanced reading copy of this novel after noticing in the description that it was set in Fall River, MA. I live in Southern New England and have long been fascinated by the history of some of the cities around here: Fall River, New Bedford, Newport etc. Many of them had their heyday over a hundred years ago and we can see the evidence of their past grandeur even today: from rows of former factory buildings in Falls River, to an amazing whaling museum in New Bedford, to palatial mansions of Newport.

Set against the backdrop of textile manufacturing in Fall River in early 1900s, the story at its core is a family drama. Joseph Bartlett manages the Cleveland Mill. We follow the story of his rise to power, his personal tragedy, parenting difficulties and struggles with doing what is right for thousands of workers that are in his employ. Burrello gives a great snapshot of the city during the time when it rivaled Boston and Chicago due to its thriving textile industry. Thousands of immigrants came to Fall River chasing their American dream. In 1911 President Taft visited the city during the Cotton Centennial celebration. Burrello gives us a glimpse into the lives of the very wealthy and the very poor. He also paints the larger historic background with the suffragist movement, unionizations, and World War I. I also thought he did a great job outlining the causes of the industrial decline in New England. The mills of Falls River simply could not compete with the lower costs of production in the South.

Even though I really enjoyed the historical aspects of the novel, I was also completely engrossed in the Bartletts' family drama. The novel is filled with memorable characters and their nuanced stories. Overall, this was a great read. I would say Burrello wrote a love letter to Fall River, or at least to its history. I devoured the book in 2 days and highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 stars.

An e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.com

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is set in 1911 Fall River, Massachusetts, a textile mill town celebrating its one hundredth anniversary with a visit from President Taft. The story revolves around Joseph Bartlett, a mill owner, and his family’s struggles.

This book had so much potential but fell short on so many levels.

First, because of its setting, it is supposedly a historical, but Burrello fails to bring the history to life, instead he tells about the history – the abysmal working conditions in the mills and the tenements where the mill workers live, but he doesn’t show the reader thus depriving the reader of the sense of place and time.

Second, Burrello’s character development is weak. While he introduces a plethora of characters in the early pages of the book, doesn’t flesh them out there. The reader has no opportunity to know his characters as the story begins to unfold. Later, when the story does get going, there’s nothing to distinguish one character from another because Burrello failed to make his characters come alive for the reader when he introduced them. Outside of the female millworkers and wives, there are few women characters. Burrello introduces a union organizer and just as you begin to like her, she disappears from the book.

There are other issues with the writing but the two above are enough to make readers stop reading and go on to the next book on their to-be-read list.

My thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Edelweiss for an eARC.

[Heather McKelvie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another book club read that I had to push myself to get through. I found it really hard to keep track of all the different characters. I kept flipping back to remind myself of who was who. I also kept finding weird run-on sentences that I had to re-read to figure out. Or dialogue where it was unclear who was saying what.

I guess what I’m learning about myself is that if I am not immediately drawn into a book in the first chapter then I’m going to spend the rest of it feeling irritated about every little thing. I wanted to enjoy the book, as it’s by a local author and about a local town, but I just kept finding myself wondering what the point was. It really just felt like fiction without much actual history other than vague references.

There were a lot of what I thought were side-stories but nothing really very compelling. I expected there’d be some sort of mindset shift from the guy I thought was the main character, that he’d do something more dramatic to help the poor laborers, but his part of the story just sort of fizzles out.

I simultaneously want more and less of this book.

[Pamela Carey · Rating 3 out of 5]

We know the author, Jotham Burrello, and my husband grew up in Spindle City (Fall River, Mass.). I so much wanted to love Jotham's first attempt at fiction! Although the descriptive phrases are unique and ring true, the novel is intense and "dense" (my term). By this I mean, there is too much that gets in the way of the plot and the novel needed my complete concentration to get to the wrap-up at the end. Because of the number of characters, I lost track of their development or their downward spiral. The plot is a simple one: the demise of the textile industry in New England in the early 1900's, after being #1 in the world. We follow the central character, Jos. Bartlett, a renegade mill owner with a secret, as he becomes one of the most influential men in town and eventually dives (literally) to a lost glory. Because of our family's connection to the city of Fall River, the historical aspects of the novel were interesting and familiar. Kudos to Jotham for the amount of research he did into every detail of the period and the city!

[Kaye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had abundant potential, not all realized. It's been hard for me to summarize the book itself and my feelings about it.

The historical aspect (it's set 100-plus years ago) was only dimly portrayed, with little of the nuts-and-bolts, gritty reality it could have offered. The period setting felt like a painted stage backdrop rather than a 360-degree film set. The occasional early-20th-century slang term thrown in did not enliven the dialogue, which was largely stilted.

The author does show us the tragedy that can often underlie a progress-and-growth economy, with 1911's industrialized prosperity-for-some paralleling our digital age wealth gap. The main character, Joseph Bartlett, was a sad man with a sad life among the trappings of success.

Maybe the story would be more lively and colorful if it were narrated by one of the immigrants, and not yet another white male partiarch.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advance readers copy.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is set in the early 1900's as America celebrates its Cotton Centennial with an appearance by President Taft. Other political happenings of the day (manufacturers vs. unions, improving the working conditions of the employees, the suffragette movement, etc.) get their due over the course of the book, but this is primarily a family saga of Joseph and Elizabeth Bartlett and their two sons, Hollister and Will.

The author does a fine job of setting the time period, although so many characters were introduced early in the book it took me some time to sift out who was who and who was important enough to keep track of.

Not one of my personal favorites it was a so-so read for me.

My thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to read an ARC of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This family saga set in Fall River is really the story of Joseph Bartlett, who, in a sense, failed up so that in 1911, he's the chief of the Cleveland Mill. And his life is a mess. His sons Will and Hollister have issues, his wife Elizabeth is dying and while he's aware of the dreadful conditions his workers endure, he does little to nothing about them. There are a lot of characters in this novel- perhaps to give the reader the panoply of people involved in the manufacturing- but few besides Joseph Stand ou. Chief among these is Sarah, a union organizer. I would have liked to see more of her woven into the story. It's an interesting read. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

[Daniel Distasio · Rating 5 out of 5]

A month after reading this book, I still reflect on the richness of the writing and world which it creates. So many elements stand out to me the smells, the feel of grass, the pain of bad teeth, the stench of the tenements, the digging of clams, the dripping of blood. But most of all, I loved this book because of the main character, John Bartlett confronting the human condition- wanting to do the right thing and facing what may impossible. For me, that is the fire of this book. What compels me to want to recommend it.

[Mary Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spindle City follows the family of Joseph Bartlett in the early 1900s as he becomes a mill manager and eventual owner in Fall River, Rhode Island. The entwined lives of Joseph, his sons Will and Hollister, and family members of his employees cross paths repeatedly with disasterous results in many cases. I found there were some unnecessary plot points that didn't add to the story or my understanding of the characters. An interesting read, but not great.

[Patty Dowden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give this a shot- but there is so much going on, too little character development and a hard to follow plot(?). In first few chapters the protagonist’s wife dies, an affair is implied, one son sexually assaulted a girl at a carnival while the other is in boxing match, the president of US speaks, union organizer threatens, he’s given a tour of tenement houses, etc. even with a lot of book reading time on my hands (thanks covid), I cannot finish this.

[Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the longest it’s taken me to finish a book in years, through not fault of the book itself.

While it did take me a bit to get into the story and flush out all the players, once entrenched the story moved lyrically. There were moments when I felt right there at the Farm or the Mill or the grandstand welcoming soldiers home from the war.

If I had it to do over, I’d read over two evenings in my Adirondack chair with a lovely glass of red in hand.

Good job Jotham!

[Heidi]

A rare did not finish for me. I got about 100 pages in, didn't relate to the characters, couldn't tell them apart and gave up. Also really needed a better editing. The main character called the female labor organizer Ms., which existed, but doesn't seem commonly used in 1911. One sentence didn't seem to have correct plurals. I wanted to like this as a person who grew up around and works in mill towns, but this book didn't do it for me.

[Meg DeCubellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my... I started this book thinking it would be a cool historical fiction story about the city and people of Fall River Massachusetts and unfortunately it was a painful sorely written saga of families who could have lived anywhere. The references and history of the industrial giant city were scare and thin. I was disappointed and saddened and happy to finish it.

[Annarella · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story with a great cast of characters. It's engrossing, entertaining and you cannot help being sucked in it.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

[Wilma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good premise, but some of the characters not well developed (Joseph Bartlett well developed but sons not so much; Joa good). A little confusing when introduce characters — I had to read first part twice before I knew how they all fit together.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this mostly because it was historical fiction based in Fall River. It was nice to have a book about the city that did not involve Lizzie Borden, but I wasn't super into the plot or characters.

[Kristin Lenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lively and rich with description. Give yourself some time to appreciate the layers of this story and follow the hopes and dreams and tribulations of the multitude of characters.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you are a resident of South Eastern Massachusetts then I would give the book a 3.5. The depictions of the area are tremendous.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many characters. Very disjointed. Finished and still not sure what really happened.

[Joan Paciero · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled to finish this book. I found it difficult keeping track of all the characters in this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a new period of historical fiction for me. Unfortunately, I was confused for much of the book.