The roughneck daredevils who built the Empire State Building - a life-threatening feat of engineering that has captivated historians and enthusiasts for generations.
High above Manhattan, a weathered worker in worn dungarees contorts his body to tighten a bolt on the steel cable that suspends him 1,250 feet above the city. The view is breathtaking: the sprawling metropolis stretches out before him like an endless sea, with the Hudson River glinting below like a ribbon of blue. It's a sobering reminder of the tiny margin for error in this precarious profession.
The men who built the Empire State were modern-day tightrope walkers, scaling heights that no human had ever achieved before. They worked on a construction schedule of just 13 months, with some workers rising to dizzying heights every day. It was an astonishing feat of physical endurance and mental toughness.
Lewis Hine's photographs capture this era of industrial labour with stunning immediacy. His portraits of individual workers are formal yet empathetic, conveying the dignity and humanity behind the myth of the 'heroic' construction worker. Yet, despite Hine's meticulous documentation, the lives of these men remain largely unknown.
Glenn Kurtz's book, Men at Work: The Untold Story of the Empire State Building and the Craftsmen Who Built It, seeks to rectify this omission by delving into the personal stories of some of the 3,000 workers who built the iconic skyscraper. From Victor 'Frenchy' Gosselin, a connector with a penchant for wearing shorts and work boots, to Vladimir Kozloff, a Russian-born union secretary fighting for workers' rights, these individuals are humanised in ways that shed new light on this epic engineering feat.
Their stories reveal the human cost of building such a towering monument. The high mortality rate among construction workers is staggering - at least eight people died during the Empire State's creation, and many more likely succumbed to occupational illnesses like mesothelioma. It's a sobering reminder that history tends to prioritise grand narratives over the mundane yet crucial stories of everyday people.
Kurtz argues that we need to reevaluate our understanding of architecture by acknowledging the human agency behind every building. The lives, skills, and conditions of these workers are what make the Empire State tick - or rather, it's their contributions that have kept this architectural icon standing for over eight decades.
Men at Work is a compelling testament to the power of archival research in uncovering forgotten histories. By bringing these unsung heroes into focus, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the people who built our cities and shaped our world. As Kurtz so eloquently puts it, "Their lives and experience are marginalised... Yet their skill, training, and workplace conditions are all profoundly important to architectural history."
High above Manhattan, a weathered worker in worn dungarees contorts his body to tighten a bolt on the steel cable that suspends him 1,250 feet above the city. The view is breathtaking: the sprawling metropolis stretches out before him like an endless sea, with the Hudson River glinting below like a ribbon of blue. It's a sobering reminder of the tiny margin for error in this precarious profession.
The men who built the Empire State were modern-day tightrope walkers, scaling heights that no human had ever achieved before. They worked on a construction schedule of just 13 months, with some workers rising to dizzying heights every day. It was an astonishing feat of physical endurance and mental toughness.
Lewis Hine's photographs capture this era of industrial labour with stunning immediacy. His portraits of individual workers are formal yet empathetic, conveying the dignity and humanity behind the myth of the 'heroic' construction worker. Yet, despite Hine's meticulous documentation, the lives of these men remain largely unknown.
Glenn Kurtz's book, Men at Work: The Untold Story of the Empire State Building and the Craftsmen Who Built It, seeks to rectify this omission by delving into the personal stories of some of the 3,000 workers who built the iconic skyscraper. From Victor 'Frenchy' Gosselin, a connector with a penchant for wearing shorts and work boots, to Vladimir Kozloff, a Russian-born union secretary fighting for workers' rights, these individuals are humanised in ways that shed new light on this epic engineering feat.
Their stories reveal the human cost of building such a towering monument. The high mortality rate among construction workers is staggering - at least eight people died during the Empire State's creation, and many more likely succumbed to occupational illnesses like mesothelioma. It's a sobering reminder that history tends to prioritise grand narratives over the mundane yet crucial stories of everyday people.
Kurtz argues that we need to reevaluate our understanding of architecture by acknowledging the human agency behind every building. The lives, skills, and conditions of these workers are what make the Empire State tick - or rather, it's their contributions that have kept this architectural icon standing for over eight decades.
Men at Work is a compelling testament to the power of archival research in uncovering forgotten histories. By bringing these unsung heroes into focus, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the people who built our cities and shaped our world. As Kurtz so eloquently puts it, "Their lives and experience are marginalised... Yet their skill, training, and workplace conditions are all profoundly important to architectural history."
It's like, we're always talking about the architects and engineers, but the people who actually built it were just "workers" or something. Newsflash: those guys were human beings with lives, struggles, and families! We need more books like this one that shine a light on the everyday heroes behind these towering structures. I mean, can you even imagine how many lives have been lost in construction over the years? It's staggering, man 
...can't believe we're still building like that. Shouldn't be "heroic" by sacrificing lives for a shiny new skyscraper? 
The people behind the Empire State are just as important as the building itself... let's give them the credit they deserve 
. It's amazing how they built that thing considering the risks involved. 
. I mean, we know all about the architects and engineers but what about the people who actually made it happen? 
. I wish more books and documentaries would give these unsung heroes the recognition they deserve 
. Glenn Kurtz's book is a game-changer in this regard 
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. It's like, we're still learning from them even though it's been decades 
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. It's making me realize how much we forget about the people who actually built our most iconic landmarks. Like, I know the Empire State Building is an amazing feat of engineering, but what about the dude who tightened that bolt 1,250 feet up? His life was literally on the line every day. And it's crazy to think that there were like, eight deaths during construction... that's just heartbreaking 
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. I think this book is a great reminder that history isn't just about big events and famous people, but also about the everyday people who make it all happen 
. It’s always good to learn more about the people behind the big projects, you know? 
. The book Men at Work sounds so interesting! Has anyone read it yet? What did you learn from it? 
. We need to give it up for these incredible individuals who built our cities, and Men at Work is the perfect book to do just that 
. It's a reminder that architecture isn't just about grand monuments, but also about the people who make them happen 
. Can we talk about how awesome this book is? 
. I'm all for books like Men at Work that shed light on the unsung heroes behind our cities' iconic structures 
It's a sobering reminder of the human cost behind every big project. We need more books like Men at Work that shed light on the unsung heroes of history 
. But hey, at least we can learn from the past and appreciate the people who built our world 
. It's like, you can't have progress without acknowledging the human cost, right?
. These workers were fighting for their rights and pushing for better conditions, and it's only by remembering their stories that we can learn from history and make a change for the better 
. I mean, these workers were essentially self-employed, working on a construction schedule that was basically an all-or-nothing proposition - if you didn't show up, you were out of a job. It's like, what does that say about our society when we can't even guarantee a living wage for our most vulnerable workers?