NAVAKAS, Michele Currie. Coral lives: literature, labor, and the making of America.

Michele Navakas's book, "Coral Lives: Literature, Labor, and the Making of America," explores the significance of corals in American literature and political history. Navakas examines how corals were not only admired for their beauty and building skills but also played a role in racial history, particularly for people of color. The book delves into the cultural and material value of coral, such as coral beads and artifacts, as signifiers of race, gender, and servitude. Additionally, Navakas explores how coral metaphors were used to represent hard work and collaborative labor in building the American nation. The book sheds light on the marginalization of women and the similarities between white and Black American communities in their calls for collective work. Overall, "Coral Lives" offers new insights into the ways coral metaphors shaped American society and labor history. [Extracted from the article]