ANewYorkTimesNotableBookof2023Shortlistedforthe2023MoorePrizeTheastonishingstoryofimmigrantsluredtotheUnitedStatesfromIndiaandtrappedinforcedlabor--an“eye-opening““must-read“toldbythevisionarylaborleaderwhoengineeredtheirescapeandsetthemonapathtocitizenship(TheNewYorkTimesBookReview).Inlate2006,SaketSoni,atwenty-eight-year-oldIndian-borncommunityorganizer,receivedananonymousphonecallfromanIndianmigrantworkerinMississippi.HewasoneoffivehundredmentrappedinsqualidGulfCoast“mancamps,“surroundedbybarbedwire,watchedbyguards,crammedintocoldtrailerswithputridtoilets,forcedtoeatmoldybreadandfrozenrice.Recruitershadpromisedthemgoodjobsandgreencards.Themenhadscrapedup$20,000eachforthis“opportunity“torebuildhurricane-wreckedoilrigs,leavingtheirfamiliesinimpossibledebt.Duringaseriesofclandestinemeetings,Soniandtheworkersdevisedaboldplan.InTheGreatEscape,Sonitracestheworkers’extraordinaryescape,theirmarchonfoottoWashington,DC,andtheirtwenty-three-dayhungerstriketobringattentiontotheircause.Alongtheway,ICEagentstrytodeportthemen,companyofficialsworktodiscreditthem,andpoliticiansaverttheireyes.Butnoneofthisshakestheworkers’determinationtowintheirdignityandkeeptheirpromisestotheirfamilies.Weavingadeeplypersonaljourneywitharivetingtaleoftwenty-first-centuryforcedlabor,SonitakesusintothelivesoftheimmigrantworkerstheUnitedStatesincreasinglyreliesontorebuildafterclimatedisasters.TheGreatEscapeisthegrippingstoryofoneofthelargesthumantraffickingcasesinmodernAmericanhistory--andtheworkers’heroicjourneyforjustice.
FIRST THREE MUST GREAT DC READ ESCAPE OPENING YEAR
