I’m a sucker for a personal essay. It’s interesting to me, getting into someone’s head and seeing the world as they see it. Even if I might not have the knowledge of the subject they’re discussing, I take the writing in as a chance to grow and expand my worldview. Love & Industry: A Midwestern Workbook is a new collection of writings from author Sonya Huber, a college professor writing primarily about her teenage years and experiences in the 80s and 90s. 

Sonya Huber grew up New Lenox, just outside of Chicago—“Chicagoland” as it’s referred to here—a small town caught in flux. Too far away from Chicago to be suburban, yet too close to the city to be considered rural, it’s this sense of confusion in identity that permeates Love & Industry. But irrespective of geographical questions, it’s the small-townness that can’t be denied in her tales. From Archie Bunker to beer, from Dick Cheney to flannel, there’s a wide net on the subject matter. 

The best story here,”How to Disappear At Pizza Hut,” is a wistful rumination on teenage employment. She captures the vibe of Pizza Huts around the country quite nicely; the boredom, the frustration, the youthful impatience—all of which were as part of the atmosphere as the smell of melting cheese and the iconic red drinking cups. It’s relatable for those who were there at the time, and it makes the reader smile, as she adeptly captures a phenomenon now as rare as sit-down Pizza Hut restaurants. 

That she follows up this thoughtful story with a laugh-out-loud funny essay that asks hilarious (yet oddly legitimate) questions about one of her next restaurant jobs only shows Huber’s ability to keep the reader engaged when writing such personal material. And that’s the joy of Love & Industry; Huber has  the ability to engage and compel the reader to read further and appreciate her storytelling. 

Purchase: https://beltpublishing.com/products/love-and-industry