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Baker Towers

Jennifer Haigh

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Jul 26, 2017 Book Concierge rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: family, audio, concierge, strong-women, library, pennsylvania

Audio book performed by Anna Fields.
3.5*** rounded up to 4****

Adapted from the book jacket: Bakerton is a company town built on coal, a town of church festivals and ethnic neighborhoods, hunters’ breakfasts and firemen’s parades. The looming black piles of mine dirt (are called) Baker Towers; they are local landmarks, clear evidence that the mines are booming. The mines were not named for Bakerton; Bakerton was named for the mines. This is an important distinction. It explains the order of thing Audio book performed by Anna Fields.
3.5*** rounded up to 4****

Adapted from the book jacket: Bakerton is a company town built on coal, a town of church festivals and ethnic neighborhoods, hunters’ breakfasts and firemen’s parades. The looming black piles of mine dirt (are called) Baker Towers; they are local landmarks, clear evidence that the mines are booming. The mines were not named for Bakerton; Bakerton was named for the mines. This is an important distinction. It explains the order of things. Born and raised on Bakerton’s Polish Hill, the five Novak children come of age during wartime.

My reaction:
This is the kind of character-driven literary fiction that I love to read and discuss with my F2F book club. Haigh focuses on the Novak family to tell the story of America in the years following World War II. It’s a microcosm of American life, that encompasses many of the issues faced by the nation during the 1930s through 1970s.

The five Novaks are as different as night and day. The oldest, Georgie, serves in the Pacific during World War II, but after the war he moves away with his new wife, rarely returning home. Next is Dorothy, a pretty but insecure young woman who takes a job in Washington D.C., but falters. Joyce is the middle child, smart and driven, always helping out and taking charge of the household when her widowed mother is unable to cope. Sandy is the family charmer, relying on his good looks and smooth talk to get by in life; like his older brother, he leaves home and rarely returns. And finally, there is Lucy, who is showered with affection and seems unable to grow out of her role as the baby of the family.

Through the lens of this family the reader watches the changes in America as the town prospers in the post-war era, deals with changes in American manufacturing, and begins an inevitable decline. The residents face the changing expectations as women get a taste of “important” work during the war and chafe against restrictions when the men return. Haigh mentions the changes outside Bakerton – the death of FDR, the Eisenhower years, the assassination of President Kennedy, Neil Armstrong’s historic walk on the moon, etc – but the changes within the town have greater impact, from getting a phone or car, to a long strike for better conditions and wages at the mine.

I do not usually round up when awarding half-stars, but I will in this case because it’s a discussion-worthy book.

Anna Fields does a fine job performing the audio book. She has a good pace and enough skill as a voice artist to differentiate the many characters.
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4 likes · Like · see review

Nov 18, 2011 Kris (My Novelesque Life) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction, america, 1950s, book-club, 1940s, literary

2022 - 5 STARS
I reread this novel as we are reading the lasted book in the series for my book club. It has been years since I first read it so I wanted to get back into the Bakerton and it's people. I also rated it 5 stars and recommend this book, so I should finally do a reread lol. I knew I would like this book, rating it so high before, but I still wowed on my second reading. Haigh is a master at writing characters and bringing them all to life. I still cried as I read this novel, even knowin ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

May 05, 2022 Robin P marked it as owned

Shelves: historical-fiction

Dec 22, 2024 Sarah Brown marked it as to-read

Shelves: own

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