Not Yet Lost - by Janis Falk (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For fans of Kristin Hannah and Jennifer Chiaverini, a novel about a Polish immigrant woman who fights against worker oppression in Depression-era Detroit despite opposition by many--even her own husband.

In this gritty, cinematic story, hardworking Florence and her best friend, Basia, are enraged by the poor treatment, low wages, and unsafe working conditions they endure in the factory where they hand-roll cigars. Florence is as reserved and compliant as Basia is fiery and forthright.

During a time when their choices were between bad and worse, this is an underdog story of a woman who must search for her voice in order to lead a labor movement against her husband's violent efforts to silence her.

Set in turbulent 1937 Detroit, this novel portrays the Eastern European immigrant struggle when difficult economic times, xenophobia, "Fordism," secret societies, and Communist-led labor organizations buffeted the demographic.

Will Florence and her husband resolve their conflicts both inside and outside the home?

At what cost?

Review Quotes

"This novel is a vivid, fascinating portrayal of the struggles of hard-working immigrants amid labor strife in the late 1930s."--George Harmon, Associate Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University and former publisher of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin

"Falk engages the reader with the enigmatic history of Eastern Europe, only to relocate her characters into a time of labor turmoil in the first half of the 20th century in the United States. Her highly compelling characters are Polish emigrants who struggle to make a go in their new world of Detroit. I encourage readers to engage with their story."--Thomas C. Malin, author of Fire Conditions

"Through compelling storytelling and strong female characters, Not Yet Lost reminds us of the real human cost of worker exploitation and the risk involved in standing up for what's right. This beautiful book is a love letter to the working class."--Kim Suhr, author of Nothing to Lose and Close Call and director of Red Oak Writing

"Falk's research is impeccable--she faithfully conveys the volatile and uncertain march for labor rights at the time, highlighting the ways in which the movement was especially precarious for the nation's immigrant population."--Kirkus Reviews

"Janis Falk brings to life the labor strife in America during the Great Depression. The women she portrays are true to life--we feel their sorrow, their fear, and their courage when they put themselves at risk to bring about change. Based on fact and illuminated through fiction, this vibrant, engrossing, enlightening story is also a reminder of our past and a caution about the future."--Ellen Barker, author of East of Troost and Still Needs Work

"Janis Falk has created a riveting story of the 1930s labor movement in Detroit. Through extensive research and complex characters, she reveals an emotional portrait of the Polish immigrant community and the forces working to keep them down, a tale so relevant to today."--Jerod Santek, founding and artistic director of Write On

About the Author

Janis M. Falk, in her first act, raised her family, pursued a business career, and lived large and wide--and now she has something to write about. She is a graduate of both University of Michigan and Northwestern University. Now in her second act, she can often be found kayaking the Great Lakes or pruning lavender plants on her organic farm. Janis was born in Detroit, then took a multiyear tour through Chicago. She and her husband, Jim, currently live in a home they built by combining two 157-year-old log cabins in Door County, Wisconsin.