“Steel Boom” explores the transformative rise of the American steel industry, arguing that steel was fundamental to building modern America.
The book investigates how technological breakthroughs, like the Bessemer process, enabled mass production, and how economic forces, such as railroad development and urbanization, fueled the industry's expansion.
It uniquely emphasizes the experiences of steelworkers, highlighting their struggles for fair wages and safe working conditions, offering a human-centered perspective often missing in traditional accounts.
The book progresses chronologically, starting with iron production limitations, then detailing steelmaking innovations, and analyzing steel's impact on construction and railroads.
A significant portion is dedicated to steelworkers' lives, using oral histories and records to vividly portray their experiences.
Concluding chapters examine the industry's decline and its lasting impact, providing a comprehensive overview grounded in diverse sources, including industry reports and personal accounts, with data presented in tables and graphs to clarify key trends in economic and labor history.
