Sawdusted: A Millhand's Chronicle of Hell-Raising and Hard Work (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780814353462)

A memoir of grit, brotherhood, and the dignity in manual labor.

In the winter of 1979, college dropout Raymond Goodwin started work as a lumber stacker in a Northern Michigan sawmill. Though it was a rough, low-paying job without much room for advancement, Raymond's older brother, Randy, and an eclectic cast of characters made the work bearable and worthwhile. Underestimated yet full of opinions and common sense about the world, guys like Whiskey-Tim, the Tattoo Man, Lightning Joe, and their cohort of millworkers dealt with injury, addiction, family troubles, and love. Randy, a hard-drinking, chain-smoking sawyer, guided Raymond with quiet advice and a stoic presence, their bond fundamental to Raymond's ability to not only survive but thrive in the sawmill. Pivoting between hilarity and heartbreak, this memoir offers a glimpse into the complex legacy of Michigan's great lumbering tradition and the people who built it.