--- product_id: 15291753 title: "Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local - and Helped Save an American Town" price: "$40.29" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/15291753-factory-man-how-one-furniture-maker-battled-offshoring-stayed-local store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local - and Helped Save an American Town **Price:** $40.29 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local - and Helped Save an American Town - **How much does it cost?** $40.29 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/15291753-factory-man-how-one-furniture-maker-battled-offshoring-stayed-local) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local - and Helped Save an American Town [Macy, Beth] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local - and Helped Save an American Town Review: Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshore, Stayed Local - Factory Man about Bassett, Virginia..actually about the Bassett family who at one time was Bassett, Virginia is a spell bounding read. I love the way Beth Macy built the town from the ground up with each family generation. The history of the family members and their drive to make something of the family and the town could be about many towns in America but this story is about the farm land and farmers along with slaves becoming furniture businesses on an international level. The family did not always agree on who was to run the different furniture factories...cousins and in-laws against blood-born Bassetts were often at odds with each other which made this read like fiction. The town of Bassett became a boom town due to good management and a love for the business and dedication to the workers. The workers were also dedicated to the business since money was good and no longer days in the hot sun and rain raising cotton in the fields. The mansions were built on the hill away from Smith River enough to get out of the flood plain but within seeing distance of the factories and the smokestacks. The railroad was built through Basset and this added to the prosperity. Wood was plentiful in the hills surrounding the county and life became better for all living within the area....until along came the Japanese, the Chinese, the Vietnamese, etc. who could buy the wood, have it shipped and make the furniture ad ship back to the US for a much less price...Whoa be gone one factory, then two, then three...workers lost their jobs; poverty set in for many in Bassett and surrounding furniture producing areas. It became a political game to keep making furniture in America and JBIII was the man to get it done. He is a funny, determined, goal-driven man with a fight on his hands. A truly great character in the history of the furniture business and Bassett, Virginia. This is a marvelous history book written by a newspaper woman who get to the heart of the furniture business and the family. YOU will love this book if you like to read stories about our nation's road to prosperity, industry and family legends. I got my book downloaded onto my Kindle from desertcart. Get yours now and then look at the bottom or back of your furniture to see where it was made. Review: Interesting perspective of shifting economies. - Informative read about a slice of transitioning to a world economy. As a new resident of Roanoke Valley the book provided detail about the area while relating challenges faced by American manufacturing over the last 60 years. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #167,283 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #16 in Manufacturing Industry (Books) #209 in Company Business Profiles (Books) #258 in Biographies of Business & Industrial Professionals | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (940) | | Dimensions | 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches | | Edition | Reprint | | ISBN-10 | 031623141X | | ISBN-13 | 978-0316231411 | | Item Weight | 1.05 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 496 pages | | Publication date | June 9, 2015 | | Publisher | Little, Brown Paperbacks | ## Images ![Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshoring, Stayed Local - and Helped Save an American Town - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/710ugWx3QmL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Factory Man: How One Furniture Maker Battled Offshore, Stayed Local *by C***S on November 14, 2014* Factory Man about Bassett, Virginia..actually about the Bassett family who at one time was Bassett, Virginia is a spell bounding read. I love the way Beth Macy built the town from the ground up with each family generation. The history of the family members and their drive to make something of the family and the town could be about many towns in America but this story is about the farm land and farmers along with slaves becoming furniture businesses on an international level. The family did not always agree on who was to run the different furniture factories...cousins and in-laws against blood-born Bassetts were often at odds with each other which made this read like fiction. The town of Bassett became a boom town due to good management and a love for the business and dedication to the workers. The workers were also dedicated to the business since money was good and no longer days in the hot sun and rain raising cotton in the fields. The mansions were built on the hill away from Smith River enough to get out of the flood plain but within seeing distance of the factories and the smokestacks. The railroad was built through Basset and this added to the prosperity. Wood was plentiful in the hills surrounding the county and life became better for all living within the area....until along came the Japanese, the Chinese, the Vietnamese, etc. who could buy the wood, have it shipped and make the furniture ad ship back to the US for a much less price...Whoa be gone one factory, then two, then three...workers lost their jobs; poverty set in for many in Bassett and surrounding furniture producing areas. It became a political game to keep making furniture in America and JBIII was the man to get it done. He is a funny, determined, goal-driven man with a fight on his hands. A truly great character in the history of the furniture business and Bassett, Virginia. This is a marvelous history book written by a newspaper woman who get to the heart of the furniture business and the family. YOU will love this book if you like to read stories about our nation's road to prosperity, industry and family legends. I got my book downloaded onto my Kindle from Amazon. Get yours now and then look at the bottom or back of your furniture to see where it was made. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Interesting perspective of shifting economies. *by M***A on October 6, 2025* Informative read about a slice of transitioning to a world economy. As a new resident of Roanoke Valley the book provided detail about the area while relating challenges faced by American manufacturing over the last 60 years. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ You couldn't write a fictional plot with so many twists, turns and interesting characters,, terrific book *by H***K on September 20, 2014* Terrific. Read it in two nights and just loved it. I couldn't help but recommend to friends as soon as I finished it. . I have to admit I saw in interview of Beth Macy and JBIII on CSPAN and after that I was just hooked. I ordered the book immediately. If you want to read a book, based on fact, relevant to so many things that are happening today with the continued demise of American factories, that gives you insight into the mindset of the power brokers around the world, and the bravado, deceit, jealousy that corrupts and breaks apart our internal worlds , our families .. that also happens to have an old time hero , a fully rounded character of a man with his own set of shortcomings , but made tall by his courage ,boldness, and heartfelt loyalty to his community, workers, someone you just can't help but fall in love with in the end ;;; read this book.. I am sure JBIII will continue to have a huge fan club rallying around him after this book. Hopefully enough to block out the naysayers and the distributors who won't carry Vaughn Bassett.. After reading this book I made a conscious effort once again to try and buy American. I wish someone would make it easier to do that! Thanks so much for this gift of a book Beth Macy,,and thank you for being you JBIII..and not giving into corporate greed and standing up for social responsibility! ## Frequently Bought Together - Factory Man - Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America's Overdose Crisis --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/15291753-factory-man-how-one-furniture-maker-battled-offshoring-stayed-local](https://www.desertcart.us/products/15291753-factory-man-how-one-furniture-maker-battled-offshoring-stayed-local) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-05-20*