The Story of Work by Jan Lucassen

I’m just beginning to turn the pages caught behind the cover of this decent size book on work. It is an ambitious swing at a topic with deep historical routes. Chapter 1 starts: Humans at Work, 700,000-12,000 Years Ago.

The intention is to cover all forms of labor from tribal reciprocity to slavery, from domestic work to wage paid labor. Often the references to the first three are in form only. Slowly if becomes apparent that real work is paid work. The other forms are historical.

We’ll see if this book is different!