Steel City: A Story of Pittsburgh by William J. Miller, Jr., starts readers in the 1890s during the heyday of Pittsburgh. The city is thriving because of the steel industry, but it doesn’t rely completely on one industry to keep the city moving forward. Food processing and electricity are also cutting-edge industries of the day. Important names we are still familiar with today include Carnegie, Heinz, and Westinghouse.
To weave his story, Miller introduces readers to Jamie Dalton, who has graduated from Yale with a law degree. Dalton must choose between following his father’s wishes that Jamie develop a law career, or follow his own desires to become a journalist.
Miller creates a story full of history surrounding his characters. Some of the important historical events include the Johnstown Flood, an anarchist’s assassination attempt on Henry Clay Frick’s life, and the fight between Frick and Andrew Carnegie for control of the country’s steel production.
Amidst the history, readers will also find a solid story surrounding Jamie and his burgeoning career as a journalist in defiance of his father.
For book clubs, Steel City is a treasure trove of material for discussion. Obviously, the historical events will be ripe for discussion. Readers will also find much to discuss about Jamie’s career decision and his work as a journalist, covering important issues in Pittsburgh.
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