The Road to Wigan Pier by George Orwell

 This book is in two parts. The first is a moving and very well-written description of the plight of the mining community and working class in England. It is an amazing example of journalism and descriptive writing. It is hard to read as it portrays so vividly the plight of so many workers of the time. The second part of the book is a political polemic about socialism. It is well-written and very thought-provoking.