Non-Fiction Review

Deep Inside LiteBlue
by Ronald Williams, Jr.
ISBN-10: 1424128560
Review by Heather Froeschl

For every job there is room to improve work conditions. For every job there are several co-workers who will complain but never do a thing, to that one who speaks up and makes things better…or not. At the very least, they have tried. One of the most important jobs in America, in my mind anyway, is the United States Postal Service. In Ronald Williams, Jr.’s book, “Deep Inside LiteBlue,” he discusses the inside scene of the USPS, and the typical challenges that are dealt with. Many of these things are just as readily occurring in nearly any job you could think of. Williams’ experience is more relatable than you might imagine.

Have you ever wondered what that letter you stick a stamp on goes through before it reaches your mother’s hands some 300 miles away? The next time you complain about another first class stamp price hike, take a moment to consider the travel costs of your letter. What has to happen to ensure delivery? A whole lot of shaking in going on. “Deep Inside LiteBlue” explains the inner workings of the USPS: the technology, the people, the supervisors, the trays per minute processing, the mandatory holiday work. Then he goes into the progress he’s seen in overcoming problems along the way. He looks at morality building, lack of understanding of the system by supervisors, problems on the line, overtime, sick time, wasted time. Many of the situations he speaks of are happening in all kinds of business and there is the true purpose of this book…to enlighten the masses about efficiency in business practices.

So what exactly is the LiteBlue? The heart of the matter: the people of the USPS. Williams comes from a job which we all rely on. He is an interesting guy working an interesting and vital job. His book speaks in an every man voice, encouraging others to stand up for what is needed in the workplace.