Other Non-Fiction Scott, John: Behind the Urals. V1, 7-12-2012

[bobcdy]

Scott (1912-1976) is best remembered for this documentary book about his work and life as a welder/technician in the Soviet Union during the 1930s. He was the son of radical left-wing economist Scott Nearing and Nellie Marguerite Seeds Nearing. He dropped his father's name after a disagreement with him. After attending the University of Wisconsin for two years, in 1931 he was 'smitten with wanderlust', and soon decided to work in the Soviet Union. First in New York, he learned to be a welder and was awarded his welder's certificate; then in 1932 at the age of 20 he traveled to the Soviet Union where he worked for 3 years as a welder and later as a chemical technician in Magnitogorsk, one of Stalin's Five Year projects to industralize the Soviet Union.

As he relates, he and his co-workers endured daunting conditions: poor nutrition, low pay, unsafe/poor working conditions, etc.

From the book:

"At this point a young, boisterous, athletic-looking burner burst into the room and pushed his way up to the stove. 'Boy, is it cold!' he said, addressing everybody in the room. 'I don't think we should work up on top today. One of the riveters froze to death up there last night. It seems he was off in a bleeder pipe and they didn't find him till this morning.'" ...

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