The life stories presented are truly great. They offer valuable insights and are engaging.

However, his analysis leaves a lot to be desired. It is not up to par with the quality of the life stories.

Moreover, he is severely lacking in an understanding of carework and gender in general. This deficiency undermines the credibility of his analysis.

Carework is a crucial aspect of our society, and a proper understanding of it is essential for a comprehensive analysis.

Similarly, gender plays a significant role in various aspects of life, and ignoring or misinterpreting it can lead to inaccurate conclusions.

It is important that he addresses these gaps in his knowledge and improves his analysis to do justice to the great life stories.

Only then can his work be considered truly valuable and meaningful.

I often engage in discussions with my father-in-law regarding the state of the nation, the problems confronting workers and companies, and particularly the role of the government. My father-in-law frequently utters the phrase, "People just need to work harder" when I pose queries about how to assist people in escaping poverty or dead-end jobs. Well, having heard that phrase one too many times, I resolved to read David Shipler's book to determine if this "American Dream" is as straightforward as it sounds.

It turns out to be anything but easy.诚然，人们可以靠自己的努力振作起来，但如今，这项任务所需的不仅仅是辛勤的劳动和一点积蓄。当你处于这种水平时，最小的问题都会在你的生活中产生巨大的连锁反应。Shipler在书中多次指出，他所交谈的每个人或家庭都因一系列事件而遭受了重大的经济挫折。这些事件总是有着千丝万缕的联系。例如，一位两个孩子的母亲从事着一份薪水极低的工作。她需要开车去上班，因为公交车无法及时将她送到那里。她还需要开车送孩子去日托中心。一天下班后，汽车无法启动。孩子们现在已经过了日托中心的托管时间，因此产生了一笔她无法承担的额外费用。此外，汽车坏了必须修理。而且，她现在没有办法在第二天准时上班或送孩子去日托中心。

书中还有许多其他此类连锁反应的例子。靠薪水过活的人们由于最低存款额的要求而无法维持银行账户的开通。他们经常因为存款低于规定金额而被收取额外费用。然后，他们因为无法偿还额外费用而陷入债务。而且，他们没有资格从组织或政府获得某些帮助，因为他们没有银行账户，而这是由于账户中缺乏最低存款额而导致账户被关闭。

这些是那些努力尝试却无法摆脱困境的人们的故事。Shipler还写到了那些完全懒惰的人。这些人利用制度，撒谎、欺骗和偷窃来达到自己的目的，而根本不工作。这些人给劳动贫困者带来了坏名声。

在我看来，Shipler的观点是我们需要与这些人达成妥协。如果他们付出努力站起来，我们就需要帮助他们走完另一半路。目前，在其他人介入之前，他们必须自己走大约98%的路。

尽管这本书令人极其悲伤，但它确实是一本非常好的书。它有时会偏离手头的主题，但每个新主题都与劳动贫困者所面临的困境直接相关（缺乏健康饮食、没有医疗保险、缺乏良好的育儿技能等）。

所以现在我必须向我的岳父推荐这本书，以便他能明白，要靠自己的努力振作起来，不仅仅需要“努力工作”。这是一项艰巨的任务。

If you're seeking an accessible primer on poverty in America today, look no further.

Shipler's "The Working Poor" is as carefully considered and carefully researched as one would hope. He delves deep into the lives of factory workers who are grappling with low wages and the pressure of tight deadlines. At the same time, he also converses with factory owners to understand the poor labor practices that have been forced upon them by the globalized marketplace.

Shipler writes about the disparities in physical health among the working poor and then turns his attention to psychological wellbeing and the profound impact of trauma on the ability of low-income households to better their circumstances.

Even his policy prescriptions are measured. While other authors in this genre may recommend overly idealistic solutions like universal housing vouchers or an inner city Marshall Plan, Shipler simply encourages his readers to vote and advocates for more practical best practices. These include apprenticeships and vocational training to enhance skills, parenting programs to support families, and equitable school funding to provide quality education.

There may not be anything entirely new here, but what is presented works. It offers an engaging, comprehensive, and practical read on America's vulnerable population, shedding light on the complex issues surrounding poverty and suggesting feasible ways to address them.

A very well-written book presents extremely sad yet true stories that will make any reader of the book come to the realization of just how horrible and tough it is to provide for a family with a very low wage.

After perusing the first few chapters of the book, I became aware that I had viewed the working poor in the same way as society did, namely as lazy. Many individuals believe that the working poor and women on welfare are regarded as being lazy. Lazy to secure a job where they could potentially be promoted and which could be considered real work. However, this is not the case. They work the hardest and yet remain impoverished. All the additional assistance they require is then withdrawn due to the greater number of hours they invest in their job.

This book truly opened my eyes and made me understand how dreadful society can be, including myself. Witnessing a person collecting cans for an extra 5 cents in their pocket should not be dismissed as 'easy' money or a job for someone who is 'lazy' to actually have a proper job. It is simply a means to meet their basic needs. I did not perceive it in this light until I read the book. This book has taught me a great deal. David K. Shipler contends that the working poor who work hard should not remain poor. Nevertheless, the reality has persisted.

I truly relished reading this book and I recommend it to anyone who believes that money is merely a piece of paper and is effortless to obtain because, in fact, it is not.

This book is nearly 10 years old now, so parts are certainly a little out of date.

Especially the section on healthcare in the final chapter. For the most part, though, what is most depressing is how little things have changed.

Whether the poor are native born or immigrant, of any race such as white, black, Asian, or Hispanic, they face a continuous stream of crises.

These include bureaucratic issues, housing problems, difficulties with childcare, transportation challenges, and healthcare crises.

Any one of these can potentially lead to an employment crisis. Meanwhile, the schools have failed many of them, and in turn, are failing their children.

Often, this is because the parents don't trust the teachers and administration based on their own experiences. Hunger and chronic seemingly minor health conditions, especially asthma and allergies, as well as learning disabilities and poor eyesight, can strongly affect a student's ability to learn.

For a slightly more prosperous family, these things would be solvable. Allergies and asthma can be alleviated by moving to a roach- and carpet-free apartment. Glasses can fix vision problems, and demanding proper school services can help with learning problems.

However, many of the poor cannot simply do these things without risking their jobs due to transportation issues or losing wages from taking time off.

Social services are often weak, and many do not even receive what they qualify for. The hoops that one has to jump through can be arduous and require more time off work.

The staff can also be rude and difficult, and shame the recipients.

Drugs and alcohol pull many of the working poor further down, as do the childrearing practices employed by overtired and hungry parents. Shipler discusses how patchy services do not help because everything is interconnected.

A child's asthma results in missed school, lack of health insurance leads to no meds and worse attacks and more missed school.

A doctor's appointment results in hours lost at work or even a job lost. The cockroaches in the cheap apartment are the root of all these issues.

But the family cannot move because there is nowhere else for them to go that is on a busline and moving is expensive.

So, it is still an interesting book, albeit a bit out of date due to its age. Also, it is depressing.

This is a truly depressing account of numerous individuals who are burdened by poverty and, with few exceptions, find it extremely difficult to break free. The book offers substantial evidence to support the view that the poor are trapped by an uncaring and hostile society. From the various tales and in-depth analyses, valuable nuggets of potential policy directions emerge.

For example, there is a significant focus on the disparity in spending for schooling based on local real estate valuation. Clearly, centralizing revenues and then distributing them according to actual need would be a more preferable approach to addressing such imbalances. The author also provides a great deal of detail about the numerous hurdles faced by the working poor when attempting to access social services.

A couple of possible ideas came to my mind after reading this. Firstly, a centralized data system that gathers all relevant information and then generates matching programs, complete with applications, ID cards, authorizations, and so on, would enable those in need to have a one-stop shopping experience. Another small but significant idea would be to add or increase, where it doesn't already exist, the night-time hours for social service agencies. This would allow people to access these services without having to take time off from work.

Shipler makes it abundantly clear that dysfunction within families is a major contributing factor to poverty, and in many cases, all the social services in the world may not be sufficient to bring about a meaningful change. However, overall, it remains evident that the needs of the poor are vast, and society is not adequately focused on how to integrate the poor more fully into the middle class mainstream. This is truly gripping and heart-rending material, and unfortunately, things have only deteriorated further over the years with continued assaults on the needy. It is an essential read for anyone seriously interested in public welfare policy.

=============================EXTRA STUFF

The author's blog, The Shipler Report, FB and Twitter pages

A list of Shipler's articles for New Yorker magazine

I have watched a series of documentaries about the working poor in Japan, specifically focusing on women and elderly people. One might think that Japan, with its relatively low illiteracy rate and fairly good education system, would not have such a problem. However, the prosperity that once prevailed has collapsed over the past 20 years.

In this book, there are vivid examples of various people, including Americans and both legal and illegal immigrants. I noticed that a common characteristic among them is the lack of priority in spending their already meager incomes. It's as if they are already in debt, yet they still feel the need to subscribe to cable TV or buy things that are not even essential. Consuming wisely is indeed a key factor. Learning how to save money in the first place really requires practice.

I have observed that many people in financial difficulties are unaware that cutting unnecessary expenses is actually a good starting point to摆脱 poverty.

With all these stories of people struggling, it's no surprise that many movies nowadays also depict such tales.

To get out of poverty, education offers the only hope, but it also necessitates a society that provides free education. In the US, many people accumulate debt while pursuing education, especially if they don't have parental support for tuition.

The banking system globally seems to be taking advantage of these people深陷债务. On top of their desperate loans, they are required to pay higher interest simply because they lack credibility. It seems like a vicious circle. How can we break this system? I have no answer.

"Escaping poverty seems to require everything to be in place. You need a set of skills, a reasonable starting salary, and opportunities for promotion. These are all prerequisites. But that's not enough. You also need clear goals, plenty of courage, a strong sense of self-esteem, no huge debts, no diseases or addictions, a family that supports your development, upright friends, and proper help from private or government institutions." All these conditions, like a combination of favorable timing, geographical advantages, and harmonious human relations, seem indispensable. But it's obvious that regardless of the economic situation, their living conditions seem to remain unchanged, with little improvement. Over time, countless people who have been swept up by the American dream have become tired of hope and exhausted their dreams.

The United States was once a spiritual holy land for countless dream chasers. Tens of thousands of young people shed their blood and youth on this land. Some did achieve success, but countless others who rushed in blindly fell into despair. With the changes and development of the times, the American dream has increasingly become a short-lived and brilliant bubble in American history. It's beautiful, but it's too easy to burst. Now, the class solidification in the US is becoming more and more serious. A person who is full of enthusiasm but has not armed their mind with knowledge and skills, and only acts bravely without thinking, is just daydreaming if they渴望 seek a glorious绽放 of life. As the book says, "Education is like a kind of capital. The more you have, the more you get."

Succeeded in making me feel terrible for a bunch of people.

And then it stopped me from sleeping an entire night while I panicked about never finding a job.

If you go in, like I did, knowing that a lot of people work and are poor.

And that poverty is a complex problem with more than one cause.

I'm not sure there's much here for you.

It seems that this situation has had a significant impact on my emotions and sleep.

The thought of a large number of people suffering and my own uncertainty about employment has really weighed on me.

Perhaps for those who are already aware of the complexity of poverty and the challenges faced by the working poor, this experience might not offer much new.

But for me, it has been a wake-up call, making me more acutely aware of these issues and causing me a great deal of distress.

I hope that in the future, I can find a way to better understand and address these problems, and perhaps even make a positive difference.

A very well put together study of poverty in the US has been conducted.

It employs life stories in conjunction with statistics to vividly illustrate that poverty is far from a simple problem.

Neither the political left nor the right can fully encapsulate the complex nature of the problems or offer comprehensive possible solutions.

The study delves deep into the real-life experiences of those living in poverty, showing the diverse and often intertwined factors that contribute to their circumstances.

By presenting both qualitative and quantitative data, it provides a more nuanced understanding of poverty in the US.

It challenges the simplistic views often presented by the political spectrum and calls for a more comprehensive and collaborative approach to addressing this pressing issue.

Overall, this study serves as an important reminder that poverty is a multi-faceted problem that requires a multi-faceted solution.

This is a difficult read due to the subject matter. It is essentially an in-depth list of the ways in which people can slip through the cracks when lacking the resources of family, community, or care from the state.

However, there is an important call to action within the book, along with many uplifting stories that prevent it from being a complete downer.

Even over a decade since its publication, this book remains relevant. It serves as a reminder of the importance of having a support system in place for those who may be vulnerable.

The stories within the book can inspire readers to take action and make a difference in the lives of others. It shows that even in the face of difficult circumstances, there is always hope and the possibility of a better future.

Overall, this book is a valuable read that offers both a sobering look at the challenges faced by some and a source of inspiration for those who want to make a positive change.

I remember the very first time I set foot in the US. The sight of poverty that surrounded me truly struck me. It was something I had never witnessed to such an extent in Australia or the other developed countries I had visited before. Ever since I made the move here 7 years ago, I have been constantly curious. How could a society that takes pride in the boundless achievements it offers to those willing to work hard, have a layer of people who seem to be forever trapped in a cycle of poverty?

This book delves into the many factors contributing to poverty in the US and why it remains such a stubborn problem. It does so through interviews with the working poor and those who dedicate their lives to helping them. On both sides of the political spectrum, there is a lot of harsh language regarding this issue. At one extreme, people decry the laziness and bad choices of the poor, suggesting they deserve their plight. At the other end, the blame is placed on a system that completely suppresses any positive initiative. The truth, as always, lies somewhere in between. While it does point out areas where institutions need to improve, it also shifts some of the responsibility onto the poor themselves for their bad decisions.

The book didn't contain any revelations that were completely unknown to me. However, it vividly demonstrates how small mistakes or misfortunes that would be just a minor setback for those with more income and resources can push a person with a weaker safety net onto the street. Poverty becomes intractable due to a complex web of problems that feed off each other. "A dilapidated apartment can worsen a child's asthma, leading to an ambulance call, which results in an unpaid medical bill, ruining a credit record, increasing the interest rate on an auto loan, forcing the purchase of an unreliable used car, jeopardizing a mother's punctuality at work, limiting her promotions and earning potential, and ultimately confining her to poor housing." What is especially heartbreaking are the numerous examples of how this cycle becomes intergenerational. Kids growing up in troubled homes, witnessing such horrible things at a young age, become unable to perform well in school and end up falling further and further behind the rest of society.

The book was disturbing and rather depressing to read, but it was definitely an eye-opener.

America is often regarded as a wealthy nation.

However, this book reveals untold tales and presents the readers with the dark underbelly of the country.

On one hand, while the author focuses on the poverty issue in the states, the hardships endured by the poor as described in the book also mirror the dilemmas faced by families in other countries.

No one desires to be constantly burdened by financial concerns.

These impoverished characters strive arduously to combat poverty.

Yet, poverty is not merely about a lack of money.

Its problems are interconnected, leading to a complex and nightmarish cycle.

For instance, a single mother working hard for minimum wage may not have the time to look after her children.

Consequently, when the teacher calls to discuss the child's misbehavior at school, she may feel helpless.

The child's poor performance in class could be due to a longing for the attention he doesn't receive at home.

He might skip class and fail to complete high school, ultimately ending up in the same low-paying job as his mother.

This cycle continues.

The key to solving these problems lies in tracing back to the root cause of poverty.

Otherwise, an abundance of social alms will never suffice.