The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland

Exploitation. Certain nonfiction writers, especially journalists, know how to tell a story. New York Times writer Dan Barry is one writer who excels at drawing readers into a story, and allowing the reader to draw one’s own conclusions. In his finely written book titled, The Boys in the Bunkhouse: Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland, Barry relates the life stories of a group of intellectually challenged individuals who were exploited by an employer for decades. A lesser writer might have presented the exploitation as evil, but Barry presents the exploiters as complete characters, with intentions and behaviors that were the usual mix of self-centeredness and helping others. This is a sad story that Barry tells with compassion and insight. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase The Boys in the Bunkhouse from amazon.com.