It's hard to separate the story from the writing. I feel like if you say the book wasn't 5 stars then the story isn't important. I can't believe that this was all happening for so many years with so many clueless people, or people willing to look the other way. At the same time, they author cycled around many times to tell the same thing. We are our brothers keepers, let us never forget. ( )

In the spirit of full disclosure, I used to live in Iowa. When I was quite young, before the interstate highway took away the bulk of the U.S. Highway 6 traffic, I rode through the town with the "bunkhouse" in trips between Iowa and Illinois, though I can't say I remember Altalissa. In any event, it would have been before the "boys" showed up. Later, as an adult I attended school and worked about a half hour drive north. I visited West Liberty where the "boys" worked, though I couldn't say I remember turkey processing going on. I also went to school very near where several of the boys ended up after they gained their "freedom". I guess I should also say, for the record, that I worked for the State of Iowa on more than one occasion. Having said all that, this book starts out very dramatically, ends reasonably positively, given its subject matter, and in between, the author shows what excellent journalism is all about, providing texture and nuance without once holding back, just letting it all come out naturally. This may explain why a book that I would never describe as melodramatic, did, on several occasions, bring spontaneous tears to my eyes. It was as if a science teacher had just taken one innocuous liquid, mixed it with another one, added the slightest dash of another commonplace powder and PUFF!, instant emotion exploding from the realized deep humanity that had just been revealed. I watched a New York Times vignette film about the book's subject, and it didn't even come close to capturing all that is inside the book. Whatever your preconceived notions going in, I'm betting you'll find more than you expect. ( )

5552. The Boys in the Bunkhouse Servitude and Salvation in the Heartland, by Dan Barry (read 16 Apr 2018) This book tells of a group of intellectually challenged men who were in state care in Texas when a guy offered to take them from the Texas institutional care and have them work for him processing turkeys in Atalissa, Iowa. They lived in an old schoolhouse in Atalissa and were kept in servitude and often mistreated. Their wages were below the normal minimum wage . The employer made a lot of money and believed he was doing the state of Texas a lot of good because the state did not have to take care of the "boys." The town of Atalissa treasured the men but paid little attention to the conditions of their housing and their working conditions. This went on for many years till a Des Moines Register reporter wrote expository articles and got a good social worker to work on the situation and to get the men out of the bunkhouse. Eventually a diligent attorney with the EEOC brought suit on behalf of the men in Federal Court which was tried before a jury and Judge Charles Wolle. Somehow the plaintiff's lawyer overcame the many problems in the case and got the evidence in without any of the men testifying and the jury returned a verdict in the millions of dollars--which verdict was cut by the court so that each of the 'boys' would be awarded $50,000--which judgment was not easy to collect. It is quite a story but I would have liked to know a lot more about the trial and the legal problems related thereto. I can understand Texas welcoming not having to care for these men but someone should have paid more attention to how they were treated, obviously. ( )

An unbelievable true story, told in a way that gives equal attention to the big picture and to the individuals. ( )

You wouldn't think that 19th century slavery would still exist in 21st century America, but these intellectually challenged “boys” were essentially slaves, victims of human trafficking. For decades. And this book tells their heartbreaking story.

These young men, teenagers, eventually old men, fell through the cracks and were rented out to the Louis Rich turkey processing plant by Henry's Turkey Service, sent from Texas to Iowa. They were badly treated and grossly underpaid for horrible, physically damaging work, as they were working in an abusive industry, hanging, killing, gutting, or artificially inseminating turkeys. And the companies involved made boatloads of money while these men lived in squalor.

Perhaps there really were good intentions initially, with profit thrown in as a plus – I don't know. But whatever the intentions, things went south, and very badly.

I have nothing but contempt for those who abuse and take advantage of the vulnerable. I have special contempt for the Neubauers, who both physically and psychologically abused their charges while they were supposed to be caring for them, supervising them.

There were brave whistle blowers starting back in the '70s and for years after. And they were ignored. The state of Iowa, even after all this came to light, didn't really seem to give a flip.

There was so, so much incredible injustice. Some really bad guys, some really good ones, and much too much turning a blind eye.

The book was well written. I thought it could have used a little judicious editing, because it did seem somewhat drawn out. And the author occasionally went on tangents that didn't really add to the story. I really didn't care to learn about the founding father of Atalissa. Despite that, this is a fascinating story, but be prepared to have your heart broken for these men. ( )