The Women of the Copper Country

By: Mary Doria Russell

Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell

From the bestselling and award-winning author of The Sparrow comes “historical fiction that feels uncomfortably relevant today” (Kirkus Reviews) about “America’s Joan of Arc”—the courageous woman who started a rebellion by leading a strike against the largest copper mining company in the world.

In July 1913, twenty-five-year-old Annie Clements has seen enough of the world to know that it’s unfair. She’s spent her whole life in the mining town of Calumet, Michigan, where men risk their lives for meager salaries—and have barely enough to put food on the table for their families. The women labor in the houses of the elite, and send their husbands and sons deep underground each day, dreading the fateful call of the company man telling them their loved ones aren’t coming home. So, when Annie decides to stand up for the entire town of Calumet, nearly everyone believes she may have taken on more than she is prepared to handle.

Yet as Annie struggles to improve the future of her town, her husband becomes increasingly frustrated with her growing independence. She faces the threat of prison while also discovering a forbidden love. On her fierce quest for justice, Annie will see just how much she is willing to sacrifice for the families of Calumet.

From one of the most versatile writers in contemporary fiction, this novel is an authentic and moving historical portrait of the lives of the crucial men and women of the early labor movement “with an important message that will resonate with contemporary readers” (Booklist).

Critic reviews

"Cassandra Campbell narrates Russell's historical novel, which holds a mirror up to current affairs. Life is hard for everyone in Michigan's copper country in the early twentieth century; after yet another funeral, Annie Clements decides that enough is enough and organizes a strike. . . . [Campbell] does a good job with the various accents of the Calumet miners and townsfolk. Where Campbell especially shines is in her portrayal of Annie, who is ground down over the nine brutal months of the 1913–14 strike. Campbell illuminates her decline from an eager, idealistic young woman to a resigned, slightly bitter woman who is simply too exhausted to continue."

How did the mispronouncing slip through?

As someone who lives in Michigan and absolutely loves Calumet this book was a great story! However “pasties” and “Houghton” are 100% mispronounced. It made me cringe and grit my teeth at each mention. How did this mistake go unnoticed? It needs to be re-recorded.

Educational and Enlightening

I listened to the audio version and it was like fingernails on a blackboard hearing the mispronunciation of Houghton and pasty. Michigan Technological University was referred to as Michigan Technical University. Story was very enlightening and educational!

Great story, Cringe-worthy narration

Just to clarify, pasties with a long "a" sound are tassels worn by strippers. Pasties with a short "a" are the iconic hand pie of the Upper Peninsula. Would have been really nice if the narrator, director, or editor had bothered to learn that, or how to correctly pronounce several town and family names that just made me wince. It's a very good book, and a fascinating story that deserved much better narration.

Wonderful story ....... but .....

I really enjoyed the story line and history of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The performance was wonderful with the exception of glaring mispronunciation of several significant items; most notably "Houghton" and "pastie". It was such a consistent distraction that it ruined the audio-book for me. If those had been corrected, i would have given performance five stars. There is so much character and charm in the mixed cultures of the U.P., how does that slip by?

pleasantly surprised

I belong to a book club and this was the book for this month. I really put off getting it because it just didn't interest me or so I thought. I like the way they did. it made it into almost like a novel rather than a documentary or a true telling story. those very good