Christ in Concrete is a 1939 novel by Pietro Di Donato about Italian-American construction workers. The book, which made Di Donato famous, was originally published by Esquire Magazine as a short story and was expanded into a novel by Di Donato.
The novel was inspired by the death of Di Donato's father in a construction accident on Good Friday in 1923. It tells the story of a bricklayer and his struggle to provide a home for his family.
As indicated by the title, the novel is noted for its rich religious imagery, presented in a largely modernist stream-of-conciousness style. It was adapted into a 1949 motion picture, Give Us This Day (U.S. title Christ in Concrete) and was directed by Edward Dmytryk.
Famous quotes containing the words christ in, christ and/or concrete:
“Christ in this country would quite likely have been arrested under the Suppression of Communism act.”
—Joost de Blank (1908–1968)
“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus...”
—Bible: New Testament, 1 Corinthians 1:4.
“Babies are necessary to grown-ups. A new baby is like the beginning of all things—wonder, hope, a dream of possibilities. In a world that is cutting down its trees to build highways, losing its earth to concrete ... babies are almost the only remaining link with nature, with the natural world of living things from which we spring.”
—Eda Le Shan (b. 1922)