Description
Upton Sinclair is known for writing many great novels about industrial abuse and conflict. 100%: The Story of a Patriot is one of his best known and most successful works a polemic novel that offers readers a glimpse into the harsh realities of politics and business in the United States at the beginning of the 20th century.Sinclairs novel is about a young man by the name of Peter Gudge who, despite being uneducated, lives rather successfully solely by his own wit. However, once he is politicized during his involvement with the conflicts between American patriots and the Reds, he is soon arrested as a result of the testimony of several witnesses who were considered to be of a shady character at best.The novel reflects Sinclairs socialist views, and is based on characters who, according to the author himself, were real persons. Gudge himself, the main character of the novel, is inspired from the real life story of Tom Mooney, who was arrested and sentenced to death in 1916 under similar circumstances. While a pardon from President Woodrow Wilson saved his life, he still had to serve life imprisonment. Mooney became the subject of one of the most talked about political controversy in the entire United States during the early 20th century.Sinclairs book is a straightforward and easy read, and is strongly recommended for anyone who wishes to learn about socialist views from a man fully dedicated to their values.According to Sinclair, his early life spent in poverty with his own family, then moving with his wealthy grandparents, offered him the chance to place the many injustices and discrepancies of the political and social life at the time into perspective. His contrasting experiences have led him to developing his strong socialist stance, and becoming one of the most successful socialist authors of the century with more than 90 books published at the time of his death in 1968.