The Jungle is one of those books whose fame eclipses its reality. You probably learned about this one in sociology, history, biology, psychology, whatever class. Unfortunately, too few people have read it. You should. Not because it practically created the FDA either, but because it is a great story. However you want to classify the book - immigrant story, historical fiction, social realism, whatever else English teachers have done to deaden the fun - it's Jurgis' struggle to carve out a place for his family in the raw, brutal world of America that continues to fascinate. As a Chicagoan, I think this should be required reading for anyone who lives here - so many of the political and social conditions of the city and still connected to the systems of corporate and political cooperation that were established in the era of the novel. The ending is disappointing and definitely skip-able, but don't let that stop you from reading a great story.