Beautifully written, The Cold Millions by Jess Walter invites readers to take a deep dive into early 20th century America. The setting is Spokane, Washington and the extreme tension between the captains of industry and the cheap labor they relied on for their wealth. There are even brief scenes in Missoula and mention of Butte.
The book opens in the year 1909. Spokane had just outlawed public speaking. As the tensions surged, unions geared up for protests and police were ready to knock them all down. Two brothers, orphans, find themselves caught up in the melee. Gig (Gregory Dolan) is the older brother, a bit of an idealist about how the world should work. Rye (Ryan Dolan) is much younger, just 16, hungry for some stability and yearning for family.
The historical formation of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) union in 1905, originating in Chicago and spreading all over the country, forms an important backdrop to this story. The Spokane-based IWW unionists are willing to risk life and limb to speak in public. For their bravery hundreds of men and women are jailed.
Along with our country’s labor movement history, other overlapping threads of the story come in the form of the women’s movement with notable character Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, various immigrant communities settling in the region, coupled with the stories of native peoples who had called the area home for generations.
The title of the book comes from Rye’s reflections on the incredible hardships his family and friends have undergone: “All people, except this rich cream, living and scraping and fighting and dying, and for what, nothing, the cold millions with no chance in this world.” Jess Walter weaves these various story threads into a great tapestry, revealing a portrait of our region’s history that continues to hold relevance today.
Come, my fellow Seeley Lakers, and meet Jess Walter as he shares the journey of this book on Thursday, Sept. 21st, at 5:30 p.m. in the West Wing of the Seeley Lake Foundation Building. This event is brought to you through a partnership of the Seeley Lake Public Library (a branch of the Missoula Public Library) and Alpine Artisans. The Cold Millions is the Missoula Public Library’s Big Read for 2023. Copies of the book will be on hand for purchase at the event, thanks to Grizzly Claw Trading Company. Refreshments will also be available.
Another opportunity to engage with this book will be on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 11 a.m. for the monthly book club discussion. This discussion will be held at your local Seeley Lake Public Library at 456 Airport Road (in the high school).
The Big Read is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. The NEA Big Read broadens our understanding of our world, our communities, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience.
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