Take a photo of a barcode or cover
nancyadelman's review against another edition
5.0
Five stars for this searing exploration of the causes and effects of poverty. David Shipler leaves no stone unturned in examining and explaining how various factors such as health, education, transportation, and others conspire to keep the working poor exactly where they are. Each chapter covers one factor, and includes anecdotes from real families and how they are getting by (or not). There are a few success stories in this book, but unfortunately not enough. This book should be required reading for everyone, but particularly social workers, voters, and politicians.
ncalv05's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.5
bookgirl1209's review against another edition
3.0
You know those internet memes about how "I work hard every day so my money can go to someone who chooses not to work"? Yeah, I hate those memes. This book articulates why.
I'm pretty sure that most of us are only about a month of no pay away from requiring government assistance and many people don't CHOOSE not to work - their options narrow and narrow until it is not feasible to work.
The book states at one point that something that is a minor inconvenience to an affluent family, a minor car repair, a temporary illness is catastrophic to the working poor, often resulting in the loss of employment.
An eye opening read about how, even with hard work and a pull-up-your-bootstraps mentality you cannot always escape the cycle of poverty.
I'm pretty sure that most of us are only about a month of no pay away from requiring government assistance and many people don't CHOOSE not to work - their options narrow and narrow until it is not feasible to work.
The book states at one point that something that is a minor inconvenience to an affluent family, a minor car repair, a temporary illness is catastrophic to the working poor, often resulting in the loss of employment.
An eye opening read about how, even with hard work and a pull-up-your-bootstraps mentality you cannot always escape the cycle of poverty.
princessrobotiv's review against another edition
4.0
The Working Poor is one of my longest outstanding reviews, and in the interest of continuing my "review every book" streak, I'm going to hop back in time and say a few things. My remembrance has dulled slightly, but I still had a bunch of quotes saved, so this review will be heavy on extracts with minor commentary from me. (This is why writing reviews soon after reading is critical -_- ).
Overall, my impressions were very favorable. Shipler approached this topic with a great deal of empathy, but also didn't shy from presenting the people who participated in his (I believe decades-spanning) study in an unfavorable light. The biggest strength of this book is its nuance. Having grown up relatively poor myself, I'm hyper-aware of the reductive arguments surrounding poverty in America. So often, people want to ascribe a person's poverty on choices that particular person has made, especially if those choices run contrary to the judger's own ideology or, perhaps, their own morality:
At the end of the day, I found great value in this book and would recommend it to everyone -- ESPECIALLY if you have rudely judged people's poverty based on perceived laziness, spending beyond their "means" (for example possessing cell phones or cable TV), having "too many" children, having children out of wedlock/as a single mother, having poor education/not attending college, etc. This book is for you if you are that person, as I think many of us have been at one point or other in our lives (especially if you grew up poor and managed to, miraculously, claw your way up out of it). Stop opening up your mouth to spew judgment and sit down to listen for a change. :)
Overall, my impressions were very favorable. Shipler approached this topic with a great deal of empathy, but also didn't shy from presenting the people who participated in his (I believe decades-spanning) study in an unfavorable light. The biggest strength of this book is its nuance. Having grown up relatively poor myself, I'm hyper-aware of the reductive arguments surrounding poverty in America. So often, people want to ascribe a person's poverty on choices that particular person has made, especially if those choices run contrary to the judger's own ideology or, perhaps, their own morality:
But the American Myth also provides a means of laying blame. In the Puritan legacy, hard work is not merely practical but also moral; its absence suggests an ethical lapse. A harsh logic dictates a hard judgment: If a person's diligent work leads to prosperity, if work is a moral virtue, and if anyone in the society can attain prosperity through work, then the failure to do so is a fall from righteousness. The marketplace is the fair and final judge; a low wage is somehow the worker's fault, for it simply reflects the low value of his labor. In the American atmosphere, poverty has always carried a whiff of sinfulness.Shipler does not allow for this type of thinking. His main argument is that poverty is a part of a highly-complex system, each part inextricably entwined with the other:
As the people in these pages show, working poverty is a constellation of difficulties that magnify one another: not just low wages but also low education, not just dead-end jobs but also limited abilities, not just insufficient savings but also unwise spending, not just poor housing but also poor parenting, not just the lack of health insurance but also the lack of healthy households. The villains are not just exploitative employers but also incapable employees, not just overworked teachers but also defeated and unruly pupils, not just bureaucrats who cheat the poor but also the poor who cheat themselves. The troubles run strongly along both macro and micro levels, as systemic problems in the structure of political and economic power, and as individual problems in personal and family life. All of the problems have to be attacked at once.There are also candid discussions regarding wage disparity, which examine common arguments surrounding the raising of the minimum wage. This was critical commentary considering we are still fighting this battle tirelessly and making very little progress. Shipler highlights that one of the biggest hurdles in raising the wages of the working poor is the comparison of those wages to the wages of others in positions deemed more "worthy" or deserving of money. So, essentially, we are promoting a predatory and unsustainable system based purely on a belief system about which jobs "matter" more than other jobs. Generally, of course, this is tied back to a college education and the cost thereof (though that is another can of worms, altogether):
"Pretty soon we've got these people who are being paid more than they really should be paid," he declared. Other employers echoed the conviction that there was a "right" wage for a job, and that if they raised their manual laborers' pay, they would have to do the same for their foremen, accountants, and executives to maintain a substantial distance between salaries.Shipler also discusses the common (and, in my opinion, despicable) arguments regarding whether poor people should be shamed for buying luxury items such as cable TV, premium foods, or (and this one we hear all the time) cell phones:
They are caught between America's hedonism and in dictum that the poor are supposed to sacrifice, suffer, and certainly not purchase any fun for themselves. So Ann Brash gets raised eyebrows when she buys raspberries, and many others come under criticism for such indulgences as cable TV. The monthly cable bills cause acid indigestion in some people who do anti-poverty work, and the harshest critics seem to be those who were once poor themselves.Another facet that I didn't expect Shipler to tackle, but which really added depth to his argument, was the inclusion of the struggles of undocumented workers in America. It's a contentious issue, now more than ever (*spits in the direction of our president*), but it needs to be discussed. Because there are millions of people supporting the backbone of our economy that we love to pretend don't exist, or else love to pretend exist as nothing more than malicious leeches, when the reality is far more sobering:
Being undocumented is precarious. Fearing deportation, you will think twice about contesting your wages or working conditions. You will be ineligible for government benefits except free school breakfast and lunch programs, emergency Medicaid, immunizations, and treatment for communicable diseases. And you'll suffer from less obvious inconveniences, such as the lack of a bank account, which will cost you in fees when you transfer money. In other words, American government and business gain financially from your inability to legalize your presence in the country.As I said, Shipler presents an even-handed case, and he isn't afraid to say when people make decisions that do push them farther into the brutal slipstream of poverty. Blame (who has it, and who ought to have it) is a huge theme:
Rarely are they infuriated by their conditions, and when their anger surfaces, it is often misdirected against their spouses, their children, or their co-workers. They do not usually blame their bosses, their government, their country, or the hierarchy of wealth, as they reasonably could. They often blame themselves, and they are sometimes right to do so.My main criticism with Shipler's work was that we actually spent a little too long in the minutiae of each of his case studies. For example, he usually elucidates an argument by providing a real-life example with a family/person living in poverty. These stories could go on forever, detailing every single detail of a particular person's "sob story", to be so crude, even after the point had already been made and the reader was ready to move on. Personally, I would have rather Shipler spent a little less time on the subjective personal accounts and more on some firm solutions. One of my frustrations was that Shipler presents all this fantastic commentary and then falls just short of offering up solutions such as socialized medicine, socialized education, limits on the amount CEOs are allowed to earn in comparison to their lowest-paid employee, etc. I wanted more of that, and didn't really get it.
At the end of the day, I found great value in this book and would recommend it to everyone -- ESPECIALLY if you have rudely judged people's poverty based on perceived laziness, spending beyond their "means" (for example possessing cell phones or cable TV), having "too many" children, having children out of wedlock/as a single mother, having poor education/not attending college, etc. This book is for you if you are that person, as I think many of us have been at one point or other in our lives (especially if you grew up poor and managed to, miraculously, claw your way up out of it). Stop opening up your mouth to spew judgment and sit down to listen for a change. :)
nrt43's review against another edition
4.0
Let me begin by saying this book was not an easy read for me. The author holds little back in describing the lives of the working poor, which can feel depressing, unsettling, and at times even hopeless.
Nevertheless, David Shipler's The Working Poor is a powerful lesson of empathy. He forces his readers to see life through the eyes on those on margins of society. His goal is to highlight America's disregard for the working poor and make visible those we often overlook. Each chapter focuses on a different barrier for those at the financial bottom, painting a picture of the nature of poverty and the issues that keep so many down. However, he does so, not as much from the ivory tower of academics but rather through interviews with people from all over the country. Throughout the book, Shipler tells people's stories, describing what life is like being poor. Poverty is not simply because of bad decisions (although this is definitely a contributor). Nor is it simply the consequence of a corrupt system. The reasons for poverty are intensely complex, and only through a holistic system of supports (including kinship, housing, healthcare, transportation, education, a fair wage, etc.) does anyone rise from poverty.
The lessons he writes about are for all to consider. And sadly, those who need to hear this message the most will not read this book. Nevertheless, for a superb summary, look to: http://tamarackcommunity.ca/downloads/vc/work_poor_invisible_in_US.pdf
Nevertheless, David Shipler's The Working Poor is a powerful lesson of empathy. He forces his readers to see life through the eyes on those on margins of society. His goal is to highlight America's disregard for the working poor and make visible those we often overlook. Each chapter focuses on a different barrier for those at the financial bottom, painting a picture of the nature of poverty and the issues that keep so many down. However, he does so, not as much from the ivory tower of academics but rather through interviews with people from all over the country. Throughout the book, Shipler tells people's stories, describing what life is like being poor. Poverty is not simply because of bad decisions (although this is definitely a contributor). Nor is it simply the consequence of a corrupt system. The reasons for poverty are intensely complex, and only through a holistic system of supports (including kinship, housing, healthcare, transportation, education, a fair wage, etc.) does anyone rise from poverty.
The lessons he writes about are for all to consider. And sadly, those who need to hear this message the most will not read this book. Nevertheless, for a superb summary, look to: http://tamarackcommunity.ca/downloads/vc/work_poor_invisible_in_US.pdf
danchibnall's review against another edition
3.0
I often get into discussions with my father-in-law about the state of the nation, problems facing workers and companies, and especially the role of the government. My father-in-law will often say the phrase, "People just need to work harder" in response to my queries about how to get people out of poverty or dead-end jobs. Well, I heard that phrase one too many times, so I decided to read David Shipler's book to find out if this "American Dream" is as easy to do as it sounds.
It's not easy at all. Sure, people can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but that task requires more than just elbow grease and a little savings these days. When you are at this level, the smallest problem has gigantic ripples throughout your life. Shipler notes throughout the book how each person or family he talks to has had a significant financial downfall due to a series of events. These events are always inextricably connected. For example, a mother of two has a very low-paying job. She needs to drive to her job because the bus won't get her there in time. She also needs to drive her children to the day care center. One day after work, the car does not start. The kids are now at the day care center after hours, thus ringing up an extra bill which she cannot afford. Plus, the car is broken and must be fixed. Plus, she now has no way to get to work on time the next day or to get the kids to the day care.
There are numerous other instances of these types of ripple effects in the book. People living paycheck-to-paycheck cannot keep a bank account open due to minimum amount requirements. They often get billed extra fees because they go below the amount. Then they go into debt because they can't pay the extra fee back. And they don't qualify for certain help from organizations or the government because they don't have a bank account because it's been closed due to the lack of a minimum amount in the account.
These are the stories of the people who are trying and can't get out of the spiral. Shipler also writes about people who are just flat out lazy. These people play the system, lie, cheat, and steal to get their way, all without working. These people give the working poor a bad name.
To me, Shipler's message is that we need to meet these people halfway. If they put forth the effort to get on their feet, we need to help them get the other half. Right now, they have to walk about 98% of that on their own before anyone else steps in.
Although being incredibly sad, this was a very good book. It did stray from the topic at hand from time to time, but each new topic was directly related to the troubles the working poor face (lack of healthy diet, no health insurance, lack of good parenting skills, etc.)
So now I have to recommend this book to my father-in-law so he can see that it takes more than just "working hard" to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. It's a Sisyphean task.
It's not easy at all. Sure, people can pull themselves up by their bootstraps, but that task requires more than just elbow grease and a little savings these days. When you are at this level, the smallest problem has gigantic ripples throughout your life. Shipler notes throughout the book how each person or family he talks to has had a significant financial downfall due to a series of events. These events are always inextricably connected. For example, a mother of two has a very low-paying job. She needs to drive to her job because the bus won't get her there in time. She also needs to drive her children to the day care center. One day after work, the car does not start. The kids are now at the day care center after hours, thus ringing up an extra bill which she cannot afford. Plus, the car is broken and must be fixed. Plus, she now has no way to get to work on time the next day or to get the kids to the day care.
There are numerous other instances of these types of ripple effects in the book. People living paycheck-to-paycheck cannot keep a bank account open due to minimum amount requirements. They often get billed extra fees because they go below the amount. Then they go into debt because they can't pay the extra fee back. And they don't qualify for certain help from organizations or the government because they don't have a bank account because it's been closed due to the lack of a minimum amount in the account.
These are the stories of the people who are trying and can't get out of the spiral. Shipler also writes about people who are just flat out lazy. These people play the system, lie, cheat, and steal to get their way, all without working. These people give the working poor a bad name.
To me, Shipler's message is that we need to meet these people halfway. If they put forth the effort to get on their feet, we need to help them get the other half. Right now, they have to walk about 98% of that on their own before anyone else steps in.
Although being incredibly sad, this was a very good book. It did stray from the topic at hand from time to time, but each new topic was directly related to the troubles the working poor face (lack of healthy diet, no health insurance, lack of good parenting skills, etc.)
So now I have to recommend this book to my father-in-law so he can see that it takes more than just "working hard" to pull yourself up by your bootstraps. It's a Sisyphean task.
marthagal's review against another edition
5.0
I found this book fascinating and heartbreaking, because there is no good solution to this problem. I highly recommend this.
akross's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
Slow start to my book reading year, partly due to this book. Insightful, but it could have been better organized and more actively oriented towards solutions at the end.
Slow start to my book reading year, partly due to this book. Insightful, but it could have been better organized and more actively oriented towards solutions at the end.
mrsdragon's review against another edition
3.0
Shipler didn't tell me anything new (small problems for an affluent family are HUGE problems for poorer families), but he did offer the specific examples which demonstrated this point.
His research is thorough and although the book is told mostly as a series of anecdotes, they are culled from a large pool of data and supported by statistics.
I was a bit disappointed that despite his insistence that his book laid equal blame on both liberals and conservatives that his conclusion clearly leaned more "liberals are right!". Tightening that up would have made his point more successfully. Because he's correct that this isn't a liberal/conservative issue. This is a HUMAN issue and both sides have something to offer.
Shipler does a wonderful job of showing the interconnectedness of issues which make poverty a sinkhole that is continually caving in while you try to repair it. I'll be ruminating over these stories for awhile.
His research is thorough and although the book is told mostly as a series of anecdotes, they are culled from a large pool of data and supported by statistics.
I was a bit disappointed that despite his insistence that his book laid equal blame on both liberals and conservatives that his conclusion clearly leaned more "liberals are right!". Tightening that up would have made his point more successfully. Because he's correct that this isn't a liberal/conservative issue. This is a HUMAN issue and both sides have something to offer.
Shipler does a wonderful job of showing the interconnectedness of issues which make poverty a sinkhole that is continually caving in while you try to repair it. I'll be ruminating over these stories for awhile.
msbethreads's review against another edition
4.0
Unutterably depressing but very interesting. There's quite a few different examples/cases that highlight the variety of the problems: drugs, bad luck, poor decision based in lack of experience, environment... it's a worthwhile read. It's amazing how often a poor decision seems like a good decision at the time - or, worse, like there was no choice at all.