A few weeks ago I mentioned Zita Podany's new book, Vanport, but just yesterday I got my copy (I pre-ordered it) and I couldn't put it down! Everyone in the area has heard about the floods of the Columbia River, and some of us know about shipbuilding in the area, but Vanport tells the whole story of how the most diverse workforce in Oregon's history came together in the second largest city in Oregon, built in just a year by the private sector to give Rosie the Riveter and thousands like her a place to live while they worked three shifts to build ships faster than the Japanese and Germans could sink them. Zita makes the point that we won the war partly because of Vanport and the people who lived there. It was also a great social experiment. What would be the character of workers who were given everything they needed, from a job, housing and food? The answer might surprise you, and it's in this book. Congratulations Zita, great job, and a fantastic read!
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