Joe Gutierrez tells five stories from his 42 years as a steelworker in the book, The Heat: Steelworkers' Lives and Legends. In one story, called "Snow Danced in August," he describes a scene of silvery dust flakes that frequently floated to the floor in an area of the mill where steel strips rolled over pads in a tall cooling tower. For years, workers and visitors alike flocked to the sight, which was especially picturesque at night.

Then they discovered the dust was asbestos. "Everybody breathed it," wrote Gutierrez. He now suffers from the slow, choking grip of asbestosis, as do many plant workers.

"Who am I? I'm everybody. Can't walk too far now. I get tired real fast and it hurts when I breathe, sometimes. And to think we used to fight over that job."

How many things in our culture resemble the silver flakes in that steel mill? Enchanting but deadly.