Granta 89: The Factory

Granta: The Magazine of New Writing #89

by Ian Jack (Editor)

Britain invented the factory, and some say America perfected it. Where are factories now, and what happened to the world of work that went with them? Features reports and dispatches from the scene of making things all over the world, including new writing by Isabel Hilton, Eric Schlosser, and Robert Sullivan; a report on Bhopal 20 years after the disaster; a return to Akenfield — the town the factory forgot — with Ronald Blythe; and a photo essay by Alec Soth.

Genres: Short Stories, Essays, Anthologies, Literature, Fiction

Paperback

First published April 10, 2005

About the author

Ian Jack is a British journalist and writer who has edited the Independent on Sunday and the literary magazine Granta and now writes regularly for The Guardian.

Reviews

[Wendy Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fiction was decent, if not the most memorable (I did quite enjoy the one featuring poetry in the GDR). The reportage & essays about factory work was outstanding, though maybe that’s because I’ve been reading lots of labour stuff recently - others might find it tedious. But if you want to read about factory work in the 20th century, this issue of Granta is for you.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

This volume from 2005 has a terrific story by Tessa Hadley and a wonderful memoir by Thomas Healey. Otherwise some pretty grim essays on factory work.

[Nyambura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful imagery and reportage.