Hellraiser—Mother Jones: An Historical Novel

by Jerry Ash

This historical novel is as significant to the present as it is to the past.

As a novel, Hellraiser is a more intimate account of the iconoclastic life and times of Mary Harris Jones — known as Mother Jones to thousands — fighter for the rights of the working class and the underclass from the Civil War to the Great Depression. A study in contrasts between the goals and objectives of capitalism and democracy, the book is a journey through some of the most dramatic episodes of American history from post Civil War insurrections and riots, to the historic Chicago Fire and the rise of big business and big labor.

Most importantly, the novel brings the story of Mother Jones full circle, comparing the issues of her time to the social, political and economic troubles of the present.

“Telling the story through Mother Jones required me to get inside her skin, climb inside her body, see through her eyes, think through her mind, feel through her heart. The result has been a personal epiphany that has enlightened me, if not turned me around,” says author Jerry Ash.

Genres: Historical Fiction

308 pages, Paperback

First published September 16, 2013

About the author

Jerry Ash has written eight books ranging from histories to business management. Hellraiser — Mother Jones: An Historical Novel is his first historical novel intended for the mass market.

He has completed a novel titled Latent Images that is planned for release in 2014.

A coalminer’s son, he is a native of Bridgeport, West Virginia, located in the center of the northern coalfields referred to in his book.

Among his published books is West Virginia USA, 1976, which was co-authored with AP feature writer Strat Douthat. It was a chapter written by Douthat that introduced Jerry to Mother Jones.

Jerry holds a masters degree in journalism from West Virginia University and was an assistant professor of journalism there for seven years.

In the 1970s, he was editor and co-publisher of a small town weekly newspaper in Terra Alta, West Virginia, The Preston County News, which won forty state and national awards during those years. At the same time he co-founded the Pioneer Press of West Virginia.

In the 1980s he was elected to two terms as a West Virginia State Senator. After leaving the Senate he became vice president of the West Virginia Hospital Association and then president and CEO of the Nevada Hospital Association.

After a stint as executive director of Lifegift Organ Donation Centers in Houston, Fort Worth, Lubbock and Amarillo,Texas, in the 1990s, he worked as an independent business consultant and became known worldwide for his expertise in the field of knowledge management. He was editor of Knowledge Management Magazine in London, England, before retiring in 2010.

He and his wife Michele live in Sun City Center, Florida, where Jerry rides his motorcycle to bluegrass music concerts and jamborees all over the state. He is a competitive tennis player and avid reader.

Reviews

[Robert Hays · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mother Jones always has been an heroic figure to me—yet something of an enigma. No more. Jerry Ash has brought her to life, in her own words, eloquently simple. She was an amazing woman whose story is one of both triumph and tragedy and a never-ending litany of valiant acts of selfless dedication against odds that certainly would have driven lesser mortals from the fields of combat.

In his forthcoming book, Hellraiser — Mother Jones, An Historical Novel (APS Publishing, Sun City Center, Fla.)—Ash draws on extensive research into her life to recreate it in first-person narrative. In his words, “Telling the story through Mother Jones required me to get inside her skin, climb inside her body, see through her eyes, think through her mind, feel through her heart.” And he succeeds admirably.

Mother Jones, whose real name was Mary Harris Jones, spent some of her darkest years in West Virginia leading coal miners in their struggle for a safer workplace and living wage. She faced the bullets of mine owners’ hired thugs and shared the destitution of miners and their families. She became such a threat to mine owners that they managed to set her up for conviction of murder in the killing of 16 mine guards in the labor strife at Mucklow, though she was fortunate to escape enforcement of a prison sentence.

The West Virginia setting is familiar to author Jerry Ash. He is a West Virginia coal miner’s son who became editor and co-publisher of an award-winning weekly newspaper in that state and served two terms in the West Virginia state senate. He is the author of eight previous books, all non-fiction.

Painful as some of the Hellraiser scenes from coal mine disasters of Mother Jones’s era are to read, these were not new to me.

One of my most enduring memories is that of sitting in my high school study hall listening to a radio broadcast reporting a similar tragedy—an ongoing story the principal deemed important enough for students to hear over the school’s public address system. It was almost Christmas, perhaps the worst time for tragedy. But this was southern Illinois—coal mining country—and disasters such as the one unfolding fifty miles west in the small town of West Frankfort were much too common.

I had grown up with stories about death in the mines. The worst disaster in the region during my short lifetime had happened in 1947 in Centralia, where 111 miners lost their lives. But I was a child then, and such things had little meaning.

Reports from West Frankfort, though, were painful even for a teenager. The night shift of more than 250 miners, beginning their final hours of mining before the holiday, had barely started work at one of the largest shaft coal mines in the world when something terrible happened. An explosion left more than one hundred miners trapped hundreds of feet below ground. Hope vanished as the next day wore on. The date was December 21, 1951, and 119 miners lost their lives.

So I was aware of the dangers that lurked in the mines. And I had heard of the miners’ struggles to form unions and the deadly force such efforts were likely to elicit from mine owners. But I had no clue about the real conditions they worked under until I read Jerry Ash’s book.

Unlike the deep-shaft mines of southern Illinois, the West Virginia mines were slope mines. This meant that digging began where a vein of coal was exposed on the side of a mountain and tunneling followed the vein. As Mother Jones describes it, the veins were “dug by hand only as high as the coal itself, four or five feet at the most, sometimes lower.”

And she says of a miner, he “spends most of his off hours curled up on his cot because his body is permanently bent in that shape. While swinging his pickaxe in the lowest of the coal seams, he often lies down on his side in a fetal position.”

Mother Jones suffered her own personal tragedy when her husband and four children succumbed to yellow fever. She already had taken up the cause of the poor and downtrodden, and devoted her life to this. Although she took her fight for economic justice, safer working conditions and an end to child labor to all parts of the nation, she always considered herself to be “from Illinois.” When she died in December, 1930, she was buried, as she’d requested, in the Union Miner’s Cemetery at Mount Olive, Illinois.

In an imaginative final chapter, Ash allows Mother Jones to comment on the present. She contends that much of America today operates under a business model that exploits “throwaway labor” much as the mine owners did the miners during her time. “Remember,” she says, “capitalism is about greed, not social responsibility.”

She says the Walton family, the richest in the world, is worth “in excess of one hundred and two billion dollars.” And studies show that as many as eighty percent of workers at Walmart stores rely on food stamps.

And in closing, Jerry Ash allows Mother Jones a final challenge to the working people of America—this is, “to keep the spirit of Mother Jones alive and raising hell.”

One can well imagine that Mary Harris Jones, the self-styled “little old lady” who took on the moneyed establishment on behalf of the working poor, would approve this message.

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know the phrase, “I did NOT see this one coming,” well, trust me, if you read the book description, while accurate, it in NO WAY conveys the magnetic pull and personality of Hellraiser by Jerry Ash, an historical novel about the Technicolor life of labor activist Mary Harris Jones, aka ‘Mother Jones,’ to the world. Mother Jones was a true fighter for the rights of the working class, using her demure stature, kindly appearance and gender as part of her arsenal of fierce weapons in the fight to unionize mine workers, textile workers and anyone in need of being freed from a life of poverty, long work hours, low pay and the deadly working conditions in so many industries in the mid nineteenth century and well into the early twentieth century.

Although a fictionalized version of her life, author Jerry Ash stayed true to the events as closely as possible while allowing Mother Jones to ‘speak her mind’ with zeal and true feeling and passion. With each page I was drawn deeper into the mines, felt the pain and suffering of the workers, saw the maimed children forced to assist their fathers to provide enough money just to stay one step behind breaking even. Mother Jones’ character was gifted with the ability to pull workers together, plan strategies and carry them off with an inner strength far beyond the norm. As her fame or infamy grew, she added powerful and influential persons to her list of friends, as well as enemies. Was her success due to the timing being right for her as she was from an era where women were treated differently? Could she have achieved as much in the twenty-first century?

I cannot imagine the difficulty of taking a name from history and in essence, chronicling their life, yet still “telling a story" that will appeal to the masses as the escape that reading provides, but Jerry Ash has done it and done it superbly! His ability to put me “in the moment” with his characters and feel their emotions, whether frustration, grief, joy or anger is nothing short of amazing! I got angry both for and at the workers, resented the “big money” while understanding some of their views, but not their lack of knowledge of what was going on at the very bottom of their money train. I also wished I could have known this incredible woman!

Hellraiser is obviously character driven, but be sure to strap yourself in tight, because Mother Jones will take you on the ride of your life and leave you wondering where she got her energy from! Jerry Ash has added some additional thoughts (although, my guess is Mother helped him!) at the end that are food for thought and eye-opening at the same time. You do not have to be pro-union or pro-management to enjoy this book, you have only to like good writing that flows seamlessly along! A perfect book club novel for discussion, too! Just looking for something different, yet intense? I recommend this! (And I thought my grandmother was outspoken!)

I would like to thank Jerry Ash for the opportunity to read and review this Arc edition in exchange for my honest review.

Expected Publication Date: September 22, 2013
ISBN: 9780578126
Number of Pages: 306
Genre: Historical Fiction/Political Fiction
Age Recommendation: Adults, yet suitable for NA, YA readers

For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.

[Penmouse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mother Jones: An Historical Novel Hellraiser by author Jerry Ash details the life of activist Mary Harris Jones known as Mother Jones. Ash has chosen to write his novel in the active tense, reminiscent of newspaper-style of reporting. For most of his book the writing seems to suit the novel well except for one specific instance. The prologue seems a bit contrived and did more to take away from his novel. Here is what the author wrote in his prologue:

“I listen to a mother cry. It reminds me of another young girl I met one hundred years earlier in a makeshift in southern West Virginia. After all this time, it’s happening again. What they say is true. History repeats itself. Mother Jones 2013”

Perhaps this was a cornerstone of his novel, but I think his prologue did more to detract from the ambiance Ash so carefully crafted.

On a grammar note: I’m not fond of his title either, as the title is probably grammatically incorrect. The author chose to title the book Mother Jones: An Historical Novel Hellraiser. The correct word choice should have been the word a not an.

Recommend with caveats given.

Penmouse

This review was written after receiving a sample from the author or his representative.

[Venohe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know much more than the name "Mother Jones" before I started reading this book so it was very interesting to actually get to know more about her background and the history around her. For those of you who prefer the accuracy of historical facts, Hellraiser won't be a very satisfying book. But for those who are also interested in feeling the vibe from this time and seeing the social grievances from the eyes of an insider, Hellraiser is a very enjoyable, yet disturbing book.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis for Readers Short on Time: “Hellraiser” is the most important and dangerous book of our time because it dares to unmask the horrifying truth of some of the darkest days of our nation’s history that is currently in the process of repeating itself. If you read one book this year, let it be this one. And then raise hell.

Okay-for those that have a little more time; here is my detailed review:
(Note: My actual star rating for this historical novel is 4 ½ stars. The reason for this, as well as why I decided to round up instead of down is explained at the end of this review).

First and foremost; if you are a reader that is looking for a 100% accurate long, drawn-out history of the labor movement during the beginning of the Industrial revolution complete with detailed accounts of every one of the battles and strikes that took place, you won't find that here. If; however, you are a reader that is looking for a realistic portrayal of one of the most important and well-respected union organizers in this nation's history, Mother Jones, with historically accurate summaries of the most impressionable battles and strikes as witnessed from her unique perspective, then you need look no further.

In full disclosure, I am an admirer of Mother Mary Harris Jones and I have studied her life and legacy extensively. I have read nearly every historical account of Mother Jones I’ve been able to get my hands on; therefore, when I inadvertently stumbled upon “Hellraiser” by Jerry Ash, a novel that purported to capture the ‘true spirit’ of Mother Jones, I was immediately intrigued; yet ultimately skeptical. While I may be an admirer of Mother Jones, that also means I have higher than normal expectations.

Many historical tomes about Mother Jones are written in such a way that they dampen her spirit; I’m not certain whether it’s to prevent ‘offense’ or because her actions are historically viewed as more important than her spirit that drove them. As a result, I was determined to find out for myself if this author actually managed to portray Mother Jones as she truly was; bull-headed, fearless, endlessly motivated, strong, fiercely independent, manipulative when she had to be, honest when she knew to be, a force to be reckoned with and downright unladylike according to society’s standards during that time period; roughly from the mid 1800’s through the first few decades of the 1900’s.

So, skepticism intact and expectations very high; I began reading “Hellraiser”, a novel of historical fiction told through first person narrative…through Mother Jones herself. What started out as a book quickly became an experience. In the author’s Preface, Ash boldly makes this claim, “Telling the story through Mother Jones required me to get inside her skin, climb inside her body, see through her eyes, think through her mind, [and] feel through her heart…” And he does, with stunning results. If I didn’t know better, this novel reads as if the spirit of Mother Jones herself uses author Jerry Ash as a vessel and while in full control of his faculties, writes her personal account and, pleased with the results, goes on her merry way!

The labor struggles, the strikes, the marches, the corruption, the violent battles, horrid living conditions, starvation and the seemingly infinite hardships endured during the mass labor uprisings across the country, for living wages and safer working conditions at the start of the Industrial Revolution, are present in this novel and are accurately and historically portrayed as much as possible. As the focus of this book is the spirit of Mother Jones herself; the author successfully manages to balance historical accuracy with very plausible fiction; specifically, crafting the dialog and innermost thoughts of Mother Jones herself. The battles, marches, strikes and organizing that she leads and participates in are not drawn out with lengthy details. That's what the history tomes are for. As readers we are given as much explanation as is necessary before Mother Jones takes off for her next stop as she makes her way across the country and across national borders. Not once does this novel feel rushed or incomplete. The historical accounts contain enough description that the reader can `see' what is happening as well as truly `feel' the despair, pain, bitter cold, sickness, hopelessness and fatigue.

The character of Mother Jones; however, from the way she presents herself in public to her private thoughts during her rare quiet moments is captured and written with a level of intensity, depth, raw emotion and such a fierce sense of self that I still cannot believe that this novel wasn't written by Mother Jones herself! Her dialogue, conversations (and demands and ultimatums) with friends and foes, speeches at various labor camps unrecorded by the press, as well as her private thoughts, are mostly fiction although they can easily be read as very plausible discourse.

Mary Harris, before she became known as Mother Jones was a strong but somewhat reserved woman who was a licensed Teacher as well as a skilled Dressmaker. After she relocates to Memphis it was there that she meets and marries George Jones. He was an Iron Molder and union organizer; Mary Harris Jones was often at his side to assist with organizing laborers. Together they had 4 children and were very much in love; partners in life, matters of the heart, and fighting for a just cause. When tragedy strikes, Mary Harris Jones moves to Chicago and continues the work of her late husband. She lacks a bit of self-confidence and tends to apologize if she accidentally ‘cusses’ during a union meeting. From there, the reader watches her transform from Mary Harris Jones into Mother Jones as the years pass by. So, not only does the author capture the spirit of Mother Jones; he initially was able to personalize Mary Harris Jones and allow the reader to watch her seamlessly transition into Mother Jones as she becomes even more involved with assisting and organizing laborers. How Jerry Ash managed to accomplish such an extraordinary feat with such a limited amount of ‘personal’ material available to reference is nothing short of remarkable literary skill.

As for any additional generic particulars without risking a trip into spoiler territory; the novel is well-edited (pet peeve of mine), all plots and subplots are resolved with no loose ends, and the storyline flows along smoothly and steadily. Most of the characters we meet throughout this novel truly are a part of history while others (not many) are fictional in order to fill-in pieces of information that are missing from historical archives. All characters are well developed with all their assets, faults, and quirks. They contribute even more depth to the overall historical timeline and I found myself truly caring about what lies in store for them. While this novel focuses on a very difficult, depressing and serious subject matter; some of the boldest and wittiest actions taken by Mother Jones literally had me laughing out-loud in a few places which helps lighten the mood. There is also an overwhelming sense of hope woven through the pages; however, it is subtle and stays as true to historical accuracy as possible.

Without giving anything away that isn’t already included in the book description, the last chapter focuses on present day; specifically, the decline of the American economy, a rapidly rising poverty rate, full-time workers not being able to get by with lower and lower wages, and so on. I praise the author for describing the history of the labor movement in the past as well as the beginning of an eerily similar situation developing in the present. He manages to do this all without bias. Author Jerry Ash has not written a politically divisive novel; neither political party nor their specific policies are mentioned in this book, simply the facts of both then and now. This makes for a book everyone can and should read without any need for mud-slinging or playing the blame game.

The very last chapter is also where my minor criticism lies and why I deducted ½ a star from my 5 star rating. Jerry Ash, who brought to life the spirit of Mother Jones, continues to use her voice to discuss and compare past and present day. This is where the novel becomes a bit problematic. I believe it is a good idea and I also believe that the information in the last chapter is vital to bring the novel full circle. In doing so; however, the voice of Mother Jones becomes muddled and the voice of the author begins to show through. It doesn't flow as well with the rest of the book and has, in sections, a choppy feel to it. A lot has changed since Mother Jones died in 1930; yet she is explaining and comparing modern day policies and practices that would be very foreign to her. As one example, Mother Jones jumps right in and begins explaining minimum wage and compares it to poverty-wages and the cycle of poverty in the past; however, the first minimum wage law in the U.S. did not go into affect until eight (8) years after her death.

While there are unarguable parallels between then and now, too much of the political landscape has changed for her voice to continue flowing as smoothly from the past into the present. Perhaps her voice would have come through clearer if the author had written in the differences she notices right away and we learn with her as she struggles to understand the changes (as applicable to the subject matter of course) along with recognizing what hasn't changed and the obvious similarities between then and now. Another approach could have been to not have Mother Jones as the voice for current day events at all; rather an "Author's Afterword," which would have also eased the transition. As it stands, the voice of Mother Jones lost cohesion in places throughout the last chapter. I do not find this a big enough issue to detract more than a ½ star because the `message' is still there, and her voice does still shine through in some sections. Honestly, I may not have noticed the difference in dialog in the last chapter to the degree that I did, had it not been for how strong her voice resonates throughout the rest of the novel.

My final thoughts about “Hellraiser:” This is a dangerous book as well as an important one. It serves as a reminder of all the hundreds upon hundreds of thousands of people who endured great hardship, unfathomable sacrifice and even gave their lives so that future generations would be treated fairly in the workplace and overall, have more opportunities in life. Rights, once earned, must be guarded and fought for in order to maintain them. Jerry Ash has captured the warrior spirit of Mother Jones; a spirit that will jump off the pages and right into reader’s hearts. This novel certainly had an affect on me. It is my hope that this novel will serve as an awakening and jump-start the ‘Hellraiser’ in all of us. It’s time. RAISE HELL. As Mother Jones often said, “I am not afraid of the pen, the scaffold or the sword. I will tell the truth wherever I please.”

Rating Scale: So why did I round up from 4 ½ stars and not down? That’s where my rating system comes in; I’ve learned over time that it differs quite a bit from how others rate books so I have listed it below. 4 stars is the highest review I usually give and goes to absolutely perfect novels. I am very picky with my 5 star ratings. I reserve 5 star reviews only for VERY RARE books that stay with me after I’ve read them and/or impact me in a lasting way. This book did both. I always like to wait a few days after I’ve read a novel to see if I still find myself thinking about it. “Hellraiser” has not let go of me since I completed it and I don’t foresee it leaving my thoughts any time soon.

My rating system
1 star: absolutely terrible; the worst of the worst
2 stars: has potential but needs work in some major areas
3 stars: enjoyable and entertaining; an average yet solid read
4 stars: near-perfect, very well-written, one I highly recommend and the highest rating I usually give
5 stars: only given to those VERY RARE novels that have staying power; one that is so powerful that I find myself thinking about it long after I've finished it.

*In full disclosure with FTC guidelines, I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I do not know the author personally nor did the receipt of this book impact or alter my review in any way.*

*Edited to tighten-up my review and remove some errors and repetitive sentences.*

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellraiser - Mother Jones: An Historical Novel chronicles the amazing story of Mother Jones and her lifelong journey fighting for the working class from the coal mines of West Virginia and Colorado to the mills of Pennsylvania. She was paramount in waging the war against child labor and exploitation. Frequently she even fought from her prison cell, which never seemed to slow her down but seemingly enhanced her efforts.
Jerry Ash instantly sweeps you into her life by telling this ever important story through Mother Jones' own voice.
After reading this well-written, gripping historical novel you will walk away with a new understanding of the struggles, hardships and inconceivable, yet remarkable accounts of the working class throughout the industrial revolution to present day and the courageous woman behind that movement.

[Barbara Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hellraisr- Mother Jones: An Historical Novel by Jerry Ash is a thought provocation book which is written in first-person through the eyes of Mary "Mother" Jones, who was at the 'heart' of people struggling to earn a living, and big business fighting to hold them down at the turn of the century. Great Book!

How true it is history repeats itself. If Mother Jones was alive, she wouldn't be surprised at what is happening to the middle class. I could definitely see her marching with the author in the street with the workers in the fast food industry fighting for a living wage, or calling for a boycott of big box stores like Walmart.

I am fascinated how Mr. Ash gets into the head of Mother Jones and together they tell a story that needs to be remembered and preserve in the history of this country

[J M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Goodreads First Reads for this excellent giveaway, Hellraiser Mother Jones by Jerry Ash. It is a well-researched historical novel about a towering figure in our history, Mother Jones, who helped give coal miners the right to work with a union protecting their rights and dignity. The book also tells the story of the poor struggling families of West Virginia isolated and destitute before the powerful out of state coal mining companies with Mother Jones giving them a voice.