A book with an obvious agenda - Socialism, but it gets through 95% of the storyline before it’s heavy-handed and preachy. Comparable in method to Ayn Rand’s “Atlas Shrugged”, but much more enjoyable and less forced. Of course, I align much more closely with Sinclair’s political message than Rand’s, so my experience is biased. That said, I read both books without any previous research on their political frameworks, or even subject matter. They were just handy and stuck out as familiar classic titles referenced in popular culture.
“The Jungle” also reminded me often of the non-fiction account in “Nickel and Dimed”, a modern journalist’s attempt to experience the life challenges of America’s unskilled workers. Sinclair’s fictional account demonstrates the added obstacles faced by immigrants (culture learners) and English language learners. Both are experiences that resonate with me as an immigrant trying to learn my new home’s culture and language, albeit with the extreme advantages of education, financial resources, and a generally respected foreign background. I still find common ground with Jurgis and his family.

Audio edition note: It’s always a nice perk to have foreign languages read aloud by someone who is able to handle the language. To my untrained ear, Paul Boehmer reads Lithuanian with confidence and produces several character accents throughout the book. To my trained ear (as an English teacher in Sweden), his Swedish accent is not great, but close enough. Nicholas Schliemann was a fun character to read.