"In the tiny Iowa farm town of Atalissa, a group of intellectually disabled men, all from Texas, lived in a tired old schoolhouse. Every morning, well before dawn, they were bussed to a processing plant to eviscerate turkeys in return for food, lodging, and $65 a month. From 1974 until 2009, the men lived in near servitude, enduring increasing neglect, exploitation, and physical and emotional abuse—until state social workers, local journalists, and one tenacious government lawyer helped these men achieve their freedom.
New York Times columnist Dan Barry reveals how these men in an Iowa schoolhouse remained nearly forgotten for more than three decades. Drawing on exhaustive interviews, he dives deeply into their lives, recording their memories and suffering, their tender moments of joy and persistent hopefulness—their endurance of harrowing circumstances. Barry explores why this small heartland town remained all but blind to the men’s plight, details how those responsible for such profound neglect justified their actions, and chronicles the lasting impact of a dramatic court case that has spurred advocates—as well as President Obama—to push for just pay and improved working conditions for people with disabilities."
I felt it was easier to use the summary from Goodreads than write my own --- mostly because I don't think I would have been able to write something this compelling (and I would left something out, I'm sure). This was a book that was hard to read, but hard to put down. You feel like you must be reading fiction at times, because you don't want to believe that all of this happened. And that people could be treated this way. Actually, I can believe that humans would treat other humans this way, which is why this book was upsetting at times. Dan Barry does a wonderful job of bringing this story to life, in a way where you get to know the different men in the story, in a way that is compassionate, but heartbreaking.
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