
The Boys in the Bunkhouse
Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland
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Narrated by:
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Fred Sanders
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By:
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Dan Barry
With this Dickensian tale from America's heartland, New York Times writer and columnist Dan Barry tells the harrowing yet uplifting story of the exploitation and abuse of a resilient group of men with intellectual disabilities and the heroic efforts of those who helped them to find justice and reclaim their lives.
In the tiny Iowa farm town of Atalissa, dozens of men, all with intellectual disabilities and all from Texas, lived in an old schoolhouse. Before dawn each morning, they were bussed to a nearby processing plant, where they eviscerated turkeys in return for food, lodging, and $65 a month. They lived in near servitude for more than 30 years, enduring increasing neglect, exploitation, and physical and emotional abuse - until state social workers, local journalists, and one tenacious labor lawyer helped these men achieve freedom.
Drawing on exhaustive interviews, Dan Barry dives deeply into the lives of the men, recording their memories of suffering, loneliness, and fleeting joy as well as the undying hope they maintained despite their traumatic circumstances. Barry explores how a small Iowa town remained oblivious to the plight of these men, analyzes the many causes for such profound and chronic negligence, and lays out the impact of the men's dramatic court case, which has spurred advocates - including President Obama - to push for just pay and improved working conditions for people living with disabilities.
A luminous work of social justice, told with compassion and compelling detail, The Boys in the Bunkhouse is more than just inspired storytelling. It is a clarion call for a vigilance that ensures inclusion and dignity for all.
©2016 Dan Barry (P)2016 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...




















You thought things like this didn't happen anymore
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Let's not be too judgmental.....
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Phenomenal
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While the book chronicles the hardcore nature of the jobs they do, the abusive environments they work and live in, their horrific physical ailments, it comes off as neither detached nor sensationalized. They're simply facts of year in, year out reality for the men.
The tragedy is that complaints started as early as 1974, and actions could have been taken time and time again. Yet somewhere along the way, people forgot that the "Henry Boys" were living, feeling human beings. And while there is wonderment that the people of Atalissa never spoke up... or noticed... that things were very wrong comes off as purely believable given the even-handed writing of Dan Barry. This is truly one of the most powerful books I've listened to in a long time.
At times, Sanders' delivery is dry, but at least he has the voice of a skilled documentarian. I never stopped feeling outrage, sadness, heartbreak, joy.
Very much worth the time, very much worth the credit.
Our Brothers' Keepers?
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A good book
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If you could sum up The Boys in the Bunkhouse in three words, what would they be?
Difficult to believe things like this still happen. Great story about a sad situation. The Author has a real talent for describing the surroundings and the people. Very easy to visualize what was happening.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
As you get to know the people in the story it makes a real impact as you hear the difficult lives they were forced to live.Any additional comments?
Very glad I listened to this book. Will likely listen again at a later date.Great story
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it is a great book and I would recommend it
awesome
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Amazing Story
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