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The Bread-winners
Based on the railway strike of 1877, and called "disgusting" and "vicious" as well as a "deliberately insulting", The Bread-Winners satirizes the emerging American labor movement.
- GenresFiction
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1883
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65 people want to read
About the author
John Hay
545 books5 followersJohn Milton Hay (October 8, 1838 – July 1, 1905) was an American statesman & official, lawyer and writer; his career in government stretched over almost half a century. Beginning as a private secretary and assistant to Abraham Lincoln, Hay's highest office was United States Secretary of State under Presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Hay was also an author and biographer, and wrote poetry and other literature throughout much of his life.
John Hay was born on October 8, 1838, in Salem, Indiana, but spent most of his youth in Warsaw, Illinois. The third son of Dr. Charles Hay and Helen Leonard, Hay moved to Illinois when he was 13 years old to study at an academy in Pittsfield. There, he met John Nicolay, with whom he would later work as a private secretary for President Abraham Lincoln. A year later, in 1852, Hay left for Springfield College. After completing his early education, he was accepted into Brown University, his grandfather's alma mater.
While studying at Brown, Hay developed a strong interest in literature, particularly poetry. He became actively involved in Providence’s literary community, which included Nora Perry and Sarah Helen Whitman, who had been engaged to Edgar Allan Poe. Upon graduating from Brown, Hay was named "class poet," but he left school before receiving his diploma at the university's official commencement ceremony. After graduation, he returned home to Warsaw, Illinois, where he studied law and worked for his uncle, Milton Hay's law office.
The law office where Hay worked was next door to Abraham Lincoln's law office and, as a result of their close proximity, Hay and the future president became acquaintances. Lincoln was elected president of the United States in 1861 and he chose John Nicolay, Hay's childhood classmate, as his secretary. Nicolay subsequently recommended Hay for the position of private secretary to the president. Hay was offered the position, and served in the Lincoln White House from 1861 to 1865.
He went on to serve as the U.S. secretary of state for both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Arguably his greatest influences were negotiating the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty and promoting an "Open Door" policy in China.
Hay continued to write throughout his life. His literary work includes Pike County Ballads and Other Pieces, a book of poems; the novel The Bread-Winners; and Abraham Lincoln: A History, a historical non-fiction book co-written by John Nicolay.
Hay died on July 1, 1905, in Newbury, New Hampshire.
John Hay was born on October 8, 1838, in Salem, Indiana, but spent most of his youth in Warsaw, Illinois. The third son of Dr. Charles Hay and Helen Leonard, Hay moved to Illinois when he was 13 years old to study at an academy in Pittsfield. There, he met John Nicolay, with whom he would later work as a private secretary for President Abraham Lincoln. A year later, in 1852, Hay left for Springfield College. After completing his early education, he was accepted into Brown University, his grandfather's alma mater.
While studying at Brown, Hay developed a strong interest in literature, particularly poetry. He became actively involved in Providence’s literary community, which included Nora Perry and Sarah Helen Whitman, who had been engaged to Edgar Allan Poe. Upon graduating from Brown, Hay was named "class poet," but he left school before receiving his diploma at the university's official commencement ceremony. After graduation, he returned home to Warsaw, Illinois, where he studied law and worked for his uncle, Milton Hay's law office.
The law office where Hay worked was next door to Abraham Lincoln's law office and, as a result of their close proximity, Hay and the future president became acquaintances. Lincoln was elected president of the United States in 1861 and he chose John Nicolay, Hay's childhood classmate, as his secretary. Nicolay subsequently recommended Hay for the position of private secretary to the president. Hay was offered the position, and served in the Lincoln White House from 1861 to 1865.
He went on to serve as the U.S. secretary of state for both William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Arguably his greatest influences were negotiating the Hay-Pauncefote Treaty and promoting an "Open Door" policy in China.
Hay continued to write throughout his life. His literary work includes Pike County Ballads and Other Pieces, a book of poems; the novel The Bread-Winners; and Abraham Lincoln: A History, a historical non-fiction book co-written by John Nicolay.
Hay died on July 1, 1905, in Newbury, New Hampshire.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 20, 2014
It's been described as "not a great novel, but definitely the greatest novel ever written by a future US Secretary of State." And I think that's true, but undersells it a bit. The Bread-winners isn't quite a great book, but I definitely enjoyed it. The prose is playful and engaging. The plot moves along briskly enough, if sometimes predictably. I enjoyed the picture of what Cleveland society was like in the 1880s.
Hay, the author, was an interesting and important person. He was Lincoln's assistant in the White House, and then had a career as a writer, journalist, and Republican apparatchik. He ended his career as Secretary of State for Roosevelt. So he was a very well connected, and somewhat influential person -- a good proxy for a certain slice of American political opinion at the time. Along the way, he had married into money.
As a result, the novel is distinctly pro-capitalist and anti-labor movement: One of the dramatic moments in the book takes place during a general strike. Violence and looting predictably follow, due to outside agitators. Our hero, with help from his doughty fellow veterans of the Army of the Potomac, organize a citizen's auxiliary and maintains order on his block. The preservation of order happens almost effortlessly, because discipline backed by law has an inordinate power. The politics may be heavy handed, but it's strikingly different from what I'm used to in more modern fiction.
I'm surprised the book isn't better known -- it's engaging, and definitely a worthy read.
Hay, the author, was an interesting and important person. He was Lincoln's assistant in the White House, and then had a career as a writer, journalist, and Republican apparatchik. He ended his career as Secretary of State for Roosevelt. So he was a very well connected, and somewhat influential person -- a good proxy for a certain slice of American political opinion at the time. Along the way, he had married into money.
As a result, the novel is distinctly pro-capitalist and anti-labor movement: One of the dramatic moments in the book takes place during a general strike. Violence and looting predictably follow, due to outside agitators. Our hero, with help from his doughty fellow veterans of the Army of the Potomac, organize a citizen's auxiliary and maintains order on his block. The preservation of order happens almost effortlessly, because discipline backed by law has an inordinate power. The politics may be heavy handed, but it's strikingly different from what I'm used to in more modern fiction.
I'm surprised the book isn't better known -- it's engaging, and definitely a worthy read.
August 24, 2013
I picked this up because I was reading a biography of John Hay and thought it would be fun to read his novel, which made quite a stir when it was first published. It definitely did shed some light on Hay's mindset, and there are quite a few lines and moments that are unintentionally very entertaining for a modern reader, but I can't say I was left feeling like it's a terrible thing that the book is so little read these days.
If you're really interested in John Hay or in class conflict in 19th century Ohio from the perspective of the wealthy, this is worth taking a look at. Otherwise you can probably leave it on the shelf without missing out on too much...
If you're really interested in John Hay or in class conflict in 19th century Ohio from the perspective of the wealthy, this is worth taking a look at. Otherwise you can probably leave it on the shelf without missing out on too much...
May 8, 2024
Overall pretty enjoyable despite its weird anti-labor perspective - has to be the best novel ever written by a Secretary of State.
January 1, 2013
Overall this was a good book. There were a few times I thought the story was dragging a bit, but only a few. When putting this book in perspective of the time it was written, it is no wonder it was published with anonymous author.
Though the story is about love and relationships, as are many from this era, it does have a unique perspective and twists.
The Bread-Winners is a tale of unrequited love, differences in social classes, dirty politics, propriety, ambition, disappointment.
A young girl from a poor, yet hard working, family wants to lift herself to a higher class in society. Though better educated than her family and many of her peers, she is limited her her knowledge especially of the world. She decided she is going to marry a rich man..love not necessary.
Another young woman from high society is completely in love with a man, but is willing to never have anyone, including the man, never know. She is more concerned about what is proper and what others will think than her own happiness.
The men:
Poor, hard-working, honest, devoted, completely in love
Poor, sleezzey man, dishonest, wants the beautiful woman as a trophy, no actual love
The rich man....handsome, kind, .....who will he choose.
I have read two reviews on this book that said it was boring. As it turned out, neither actually read the book. I really think this is a good book....it didn't take that many pages to get me hooked.....give it a chance
Though the story is about love and relationships, as are many from this era, it does have a unique perspective and twists.
The Bread-Winners is a tale of unrequited love, differences in social classes, dirty politics, propriety, ambition, disappointment.
A young girl from a poor, yet hard working, family wants to lift herself to a higher class in society. Though better educated than her family and many of her peers, she is limited her her knowledge especially of the world. She decided she is going to marry a rich man..love not necessary.
Another young woman from high society is completely in love with a man, but is willing to never have anyone, including the man, never know. She is more concerned about what is proper and what others will think than her own happiness.
The men:
Poor, hard-working, honest, devoted, completely in love
Poor, sleezzey man, dishonest, wants the beautiful woman as a trophy, no actual love
The rich man....handsome, kind, .....who will he choose.
I have read two reviews on this book that said it was boring. As it turned out, neither actually read the book. I really think this is a good book....it didn't take that many pages to get me hooked.....give it a chance
December 12, 2008
I actually barely got anywhere in this book as well, I shouldn't even have marked as being "read" by me! I need to check it out again and finish it sometime soon. I think it must have been a real scandal back in the late 1800's as John Hay published it anonymously and it was "loosely" based on the residents of Euclid Avenue (Millionaire's Row). He called Euclid Avenue - Algonquin Avenue and called Cleveland - Buffland (cross between Cleveland and Buffalo)
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews