Book Log 2020 #3: Appetite for America by Steven Fried

This book tells the story of Fred Harvey, the entrepreneur who saw the expansion into the American west, and the railroad lines taking passengers there, as a business opportunity. He built an empire of restaurants and hotels along the Atcheson, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad, which not only made travel more comfortable and manageable for passengers, but developed systems for running such a far-flung enterprise that continue to influence the industry today.

Harvey's most notable (and remembered) innovation came with his staff, as he hired scores of "Harvey girls" as servers at his railside restaurants. The women had to be single and willing to work and live according the rules set by Harvey, which were often restrictive. Even so, this was a very early opportunity for women to join the workforce and earn money independently.

The Harvey empire waned as road and air travel supplanted rail, and most of his establishments are gone. Some still exist and are in use, as this CBS Sunday Morning story details. I found the book engrossing, as I didn't know much about Harvey or this particular part of US history, and would recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about this period, US rail travel, or the hospitality industry.