A review by shellbybranch
The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler

informative reflective sad slow-paced

4.25

One of the more comprehensive books that can articulate, through the working class' narratives, how challenging it can be to escape poverty in the US. It is the combination of both individual choices and underfunded/bureaucratic social programming that maintains social class standing. Unfortunately, the lower class cannot afford to make mistakes in the same way that the upper class can. Each story is compelling, and the author presents plenty of scholarly references and political insight to frame the macro landscape of the experiences that are being told. Unfortunately, 20 years later, not much has changed in the US (including the minimum wage). But the workers are organizing! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings