Detroit: A Biography by Scott Martelle
Scott Martelle is an accomplished journalist and author with vast experience in journalism. Currently, he is an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times. Between the years of 1986 to 1995, he worked for the Detroit News as a staff writer. Apart from Detroit: A Biography, he has authored three other: Blood Passion: The Ludlow Massacre and Class War in the American West, The Fear Within: Spies, Commies, and American Democracy on Trial, and The Admiral and the Ambassador: One Man’s Obsessive Search for the Body of John Paul Jones. His works have appeared in various publications including the Washington Post, Sierra magazine, Truthdig and Esquire.com (Martelle, 2014; www.scottmartelle.com).
Martelle is an…show more content… The very title of the book is controversial because a biography is usually written for a life that is completed or has a concise beginning and end. However, Detroit is still a very lively city although its greatness has been declining. To write a biography of Detroit seems very premature as many of the critics commented. Martelle very carefully chose the title as he wanted to put emphasis on the key events that led to adulthood of the city rather than just a historical overview of the…show more content… Analyzing the book carefully, it is not hard to conclude that the downfall of Detroit was orchestrated by the big three motor manufacturers namely Ford, General Motors and Chrysler. The shifting of jobs to the suburbs made it more difficult for some workers to reach the suburbs. Getting to the suburban sites from Detroit takes a couple of hours. Taking into consideration that most of the workers from the city felt not welcomed in the suburban regions and that the jobs they were offered only paid minimum wages, most workers from the city opted not to work. Finally, the motor makers moved out of Detroit leaving the city deserted with no jobs. The departure of the motor makers marked the beginning of big trouble in Detroit.
There is need for corporate bodies especially those with a huge influence in a large region to make boardroom decisions with reference not only on how more profits will be made but also on the influence on the local community. If a local community helps a corporate body to grow, the body has a moral obligation to stick with the local community. The case of Detroit illustrates this as it is clear that manufacturers who had greatly benefited being in Detroit in its golden years decided to desert the city at a time of dire