The Jungle

by Upton Sinclair

The Jungle (1906) originally appeared in serial form as The Appeal to Reason in a socialist newspaper. It was so well received, he republished the work as a novel that same year. Chronicling the plight of Jurgis and Ona, Lithuanian immigrants in Chicago, the story documents the plight of the workers in the meatpacking yards of Chicago. The Jungle had a deep and immediate political impact on the country, sending shock waves throughout the United States and causing cries for labor and agricultural reform. Featured in our collection of 25 Great American Novels

The Jungle, Chicago meatpacking plants