Shifting Fortunes takes on the long, often tumultuous history of the American labor movement in a concise narrative that follows organized labor"s emergence in 19th-century mines through its glory days in the famous automobile strikes of the 1930s, right up to the decline symbolized by the firing of striking air-traffic controllers by President Reagan. Daniel Nelson, a professor of history at the University of Akron, keeps digressions to a minimum, concentrating on the big themes that keep the story moving. While designed as a general overview, Shifting Fortunes does offer a wealth of factual material; attention is paid to major organizations, such as the Knights of Labor, the International Workers of the World, and the International Ladies" Garment Workers" Union, as well as individuals such as John L. Lewis and Samuel Gompers. And though the book"s subtitle indicates that labor is in decline, Nelson does end his narrative with a look to the future that suggests American labor may well be resurgent. --Robert McNamara