First published 1994
Bob Jones clocks in at a Los Angeles shipyard where he supervises other workers. The year is 1943, and America fights a war overseas while Bob fights a different battle at home. As a black leaderman in a white-dominated workplace, he faces hostility from coworkers who resent his authority. Every day brings new humiliations and confrontations that test his resolve. Bob tries to maintain his dignity while navigating the unwritten rules of a society that sees his skin color before his skills. The shipyard becomes a microcosm of American racism, where Bob must choose between standing up for himself and keeping his job. His struggle reveals the contradiction of a nation fighting fascism abroad while practicing discrimination at home.
Genres: fiction, american-fiction, 20th-century, american, african-american
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, social-justice
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 1943
Hardcover · Buccaneer Books
Content warnings: racism