In modern America, there is a prevalent misconception in politics that there are only two ways to view class in the country, namely through left or right-wing ideology. If you were previously unaware of this false perception, this book will无疑 prove it to you.

Although some of the figures and examples may be a bit outdated twenty years later, the major ideas presented in the book remain highly relevant today. It offers the essential foundation for addressing the complex issue of class in America. By chronicling the lives of ordinary lower-class citizens over a period of five years, this book quickly strips away the comfortable blind spot that has been developed by the middle and upper classes.

This book has the power to evoke a wide range of emotions in its readers. It can make you laugh at the absurdities and injustices, cry at the hardships and struggles faced by the lower class, and scream with anger at the systemic inequalities that continue to persist. It is a fundamental read for those who hope to make sense of how poverty manages to endure in the so-called "land of opportunity."

A searing glimpse into the lifestyles of people working at the fringes of today's economy offers an incredibly elegant and intimate perspective.

We can vividly envision the aching feet of the Walmart greeter, who stands for long hours, welcoming customers with a smile despite the physical discomfort.

Equally poignant is the story of the formerly-affluent single mother, as her Jeep, once a symbol of her relative prosperity, collapses into a heap of junk metal. This event not only represents a loss of transportation but also a significant blow to her sense of stability and security.

Reading this book has had a profound impact on me. It has helped me have more compassion for myself and those like me. It makes me realize that we are all part of a complex economic landscape, and that the struggles and challenges faced by those at the fringes are very real. It encourages me to look beyond the surface and to see the humanity in everyone, regardless of their economic situation.

This is such an amazing book.

It not only educated me but also taught me an incredible amount.

I initially read it for school purposes, but it had a profound impact on me.

It inspired me to take action and work with those who are living in poverty.

The stories and lessons within the book opened my eyes to the harsh realities that many people face.

It made me realize that I have the power to make a difference.

Now, I am determined to do my part and contribute to improving the lives of those in need.

This book has truly changed my perspective and motivated me to become a better person.

I will always be grateful for having had the opportunity to read it.

An eye-opening portrayal of the difficulty of dealing with poverty in this country is presented, told from the perspective of those who deal with it on a daily basis. This book about the plight of the working poor in America is good, yet it is a little dated as it was copyrighted in 2004, before the real crisis hit in 2008. The problem of poverty is extremely complex. Each person affected by it is unique and has their own set of issues, such as addiction, abuse, health problems, lack of education or opportunities, racism/sexism, and so on. The book offers no easy set of solutions or simple formulas to solve this crisis.

Simple liberal or conservative analyses of the problem have some truth to them, but they really do not go far in making things better. Liberals would blame systemic problems with capitalism or racism that keep people down. Conservatives would argue that poverty is a result of poor life choices and a culture that promotes dependency. The truth seems to be that we need to approach the problem from multiple directions: universal health care, better transportation systems, more compassionate and flexible employers, education that is of high quality, stronger families, greater availability of healthy foods, better law enforcement in poor neighborhoods, and affordable housing that does not cause people to get sick, among others. The reality is that most poor people work very hard, but they are just one stroke of bad luck or one bad decision away from being homeless.

I can't recall any book I've perused where the synopsis was as precise as this one.

This is a magnificently humane exploration of the numerous forces at work for the underprivileged. It is raw, disheartening, unwavering, and above all, exquisitely written. Shipler unapologetically delves into the lives of the individuals he has spotlighted in the book, tracking them over several years and presenting a comprehensive view of the circumstances that have molded and continue to shape their lives.

The book is not limited to the poor in America alone; it is an outstanding, accurate portrayal of the psyche of anyone who has ever been on or near the brink of poverty anywhere in the world. If you have ever found yourself in such a situation, this book, I believe, transforms from a study of the poor into a book of self-discovery.

It makes you reflect on your own experiences, understand the struggles and hardships that others face, and gain a deeper appreciation for the complexity of the human condition. It is a powerful and thought-provoking read that has the potential to change the way you view poverty and those who are affected by it.

It's not entirely certain whether this book will truly be of assistance to anyone. However, it does offer a plethora of examples, suggestions, and reminders. I concur that young people ought to be educated (perhaps in school, on an annual basis) regarding everyday economics. Some of it may seem like common sense, yet evidently, a significant number of people simply aren't grasping it. Excluding drug and alcohol abuse, the average individual should be capable of remaining financially stable. This is essentially speculation and an opinion, but surely there are indeed ways to enhance one's life for the better.

For instance, understanding basic budgeting principles can help individuals manage their finances more effectively. By keeping track of income and expenses, one can make informed decisions about spending and saving. Additionally, learning about different investment options can provide opportunities for long-term financial growth. It's important to note that while these concepts may seem straightforward, many people struggle to implement them in their daily lives.

Moreover, teaching young people about economics at an early age can help them develop good financial habits that will serve them well throughout their lives. By instilling a sense of financial responsibility and awareness, we can empower the next generation to make sound financial decisions and build a more secure future for themselves.

If you don't know much about poverty, this book may prove useful to you, but go in with eyes open.

Shipler is at his best when he's letting the poor folks he speaks to speak for themselves. However, he is very much a liberal. While he's talking with poor people, we also get sympathetic interviews with bosses, managers, job trainers, "tough love" social workers, and the like.

He praises people who shape themselves (and allow themselves to be shaped) into well-behaved, obedient workers set on climbing into higher levels of workplace hierarchy. His solution for the plight of the working poor is very much reformist and government-centered. The poor should overwhelm the rich at the voting booth, but his critique of how successful that has been/could be is nonexistent.

The answer comes not from below - from poor people organizing themselves and building power - but from government programs, corporations, politicians, and benevolent gentry such as himself and his target audience. Capitalism needs to be changed, but is essentially good. It depends on poverty - Shipler says so quite uncritically. The issue for him is that the poor are treated better and given the opportunity to get ahead so others may replace them.

If any of this made you cringe, you might be better off finding something with a little more teeth.

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If a single cause were identified, a remedy might be readily designed. It would fit neatly into a liberal or conservative prescription. If either the system's exploitation or the victims' irresponsibility were to blame, one or the other side of the debate would be satisfied. If the reasons were merely corporate greed or government indifference or impoverished schools, then liberal solutions would suffice. If the causes were only the personal failures of parents and children, then conservative views would hold. But \\"repression is a seamless garment,\\" as Salman Rushdie wrote. This is repression of a kind, and it lacks clear boundaries that would define the beginning and end of accountability.

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This book serves to reinforce what, I earnestly hope, is already known by the educated audience perusing this review. The idea that \\"working harder\\" is seldom the panacea for poverty is a crucial one. Those of us who have achieved success in middle or upper class lives have reached this juncture not solely due to our own gumption. Instead, it is the result of a fortuitous combination of factors such as birth, wealth, positive role models, education, a stable upbringing, and good luck.

Do the poor sometimes make bad choices? Undoubtedly, and the book introduces us to numerous such cases. However, we also witness how many of these situations involve people who have never been taught better. They have never had the education or positive role models to learn essential skills like parenting or workplace etiquette. They lack access to services that are easily accessible to those with even a modicum of extra money, such as therapy, tutoring, or babysitting. Moreover, there are others who are doing everything right, yet due to bad fortune - like car problems or a sudden illness - they find themselves struggling to make any headway.

Overall, this is an eye-opening read, even for those who already recognize that the solutions to poverty are far more complex than political talking points would have us believe. A single, easily-applied solution will never be able to untangle the intricate web of problems and disadvantages faced by those striving to pull themselves up into prosperity. Let us acknowledge this reality and hold our leaders accountable when it comes to the next budget or election.

David K. Shipler is a remarkable writer who won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1987 for his work "Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land". This achievement earned him the well-deserved appellation of a Good Writer.

Similar to Lillian Rubin, Shipler makes his sources of observations clear through numerous and detailed life stories. While Rubin, a sociologist, bases her writings like "Just Friends The Role of Friendship in Our Lives" and "Intimate Strangers Men and Women Together" on qualitative studies from numerous in-depth interviews, Shipler, a journalist, adds direct observation of people in their surroundings. He often makes home visits and follows the same families over several years to see the changes in their lives.

Shipler's book "The Working Poor" spends a significant portion of its pages defining and describing the problem of people who have jobs yet still find themselves in poverty. The final pages offer some solutions, but regrettably, like many social change books, it presents only generalized suggestions. Shipler, a liberal, believes in adjusting the system rather than completely changing it. He supports income redistribution.

The book covers various topics that show how working people stay poor, such as payday lenders, high-interest credit cards, poor budgeting, and working for minimum wage in retail or doing piece work in sweatshops. Low-paid workers can be found in many industries, including restaurants, farms, and construction. Immigrants, migrant workers, drug addicts, alcoholics, and ex-convicts are also among the low-wage workers. Poverty leads to a vicious circle of health and housing problems, which in turn affect education and lead back to poverty.

Shipler also discusses the Earned Income Tax Credit and the idea of a guaranteed annual income as potential solutions to poverty. However, he notes that the EITC has not had a significant impact and that the idea of a guaranteed annual income has not been seriously considered in recent years.

This book is a valuable resource for those who want to understand more about the working poor, but it may not be as useful for those who are trying to organize the poor for systemic change.

I never completed the reading, but I grasped the essence of what the working poor experience in America.

Poverty truly sucks. It is a harsh reality that affects countless individuals and families. The basic human hurts, tragedies, and struggles that they endure are always magnified simply because they are poor.

Solving these complex issues requires a dramatic reconstruction of thinking and action. It is not only the responsibility of the poor themselves but also of the accepted societal norms, the people in power, and spiritual leaders and influencers. We need to come together and work towards creating a more just and equitable society, where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive and succeed. Only then can we hope to alleviate the suffering of the working poor and build a better future for all.

Although there weren't any astonishing revelations (and I'm not sure that's even possible with this subject matter), the author did an excellent job of conveying the fragile interrelationships.

These include those between education, housing, health, upbringing, transportation, health insurance, and so on. He shows how one problem can trigger a devastating financial setback.

He writes, "For practically every family, then, the ingredients of poverty are part financial and part psychological, part personal and part social, part past and part present. Every problem magnifies the impact of the others, and with results far distant from the original cause."

For example, a run-down apartment can exacerbate a child's asthma. This leads to a call for an ambulance, generating a medical bill that cannot be paid. This ruins a credit record, hikes the interest rate on an auto loan, forces the purchase of an unreliable used car, jeopardizes a mother's punctuality at work, limits her promotions and earning capacity, and confines her to poor housing.

The author then proceeds to write about real people in such circumstances. And the people he writes about, for the most part, are hardworking people struggling to stay off welfare.

The writing is fair and balanced, and the author doesn't assign blame. One review said it was a book every American should read and read now. I wouldn't go that far, but I do think it's an important book. To the extent someone is interested in the subject matter, I highly recommend it. It's a book I will want my children to read when they approach adulthood.

I read this book many moons ago and had completely forgotten about it. One day, I randomly pulled it off the shelf and after flipping through a few dozen pages, I noticed some highlighting and notes. I'm guessing that at the time, it was for a college class, probably around 2005.

I wouldn't consider this a page-turner as it is rather dry and dense. However, I thought I could use a refresher, and who knows, maybe something has changed in the ten-plus years since I last read it.

Sadly, the answer is no. In fact, the current culture seems to be even more biased and disdainful towards the less fortunate. I wouldn't say that Americans loathe the poor, but the old bootstrap theory is still very much alive and well. This book is a great illustrator of why that method won't work, especially in today's oligarchy and power structure.

The poor are often some of the hardest workers, but working hard doesn't always translate into higher pay or upward mobility. There are so many factors at play, such as educational opportunities, migrant status, health concerns, childcare, and more. These factors stack the odds astronomically against those who are already struggling. Imagine having to choose between buying food or paying rent. It's a complete mess.

I would really like to analyze this book in more detail, but I'm guessing I already wrote an essay on it back in the day. And I'm sure you would be just as eager to read it as I would be to write it. That being said, I think this is an important book for everyone to read. Even if it's just a chapter, it provides a revealing look at what some of the less fortunate go through as they try to swim upstream against a powerful current. This book combines sociological research with individual stories of poverty in a way that will open your eyes and make you think about the ideology we hear so often. "Work harder!" is not a solution, and this book explains the many reasons why.

Lastly, I hope none of us ever have to experience what some of these individuals go through on a daily basis. This isn't just a book about panhandlers and drug addicts. Although there are examples of laziness and irresponsibility throughout, even these have underlying causes and factors that contribute to their prevalence.

I'm truly grateful for the opportunities I've been given and the luxuries I take for granted every day. "The Working Poor" will give you a new perspective, and hopefully, if enough people pay attention to this problem that has only gotten worse in the past thirteen years, maybe there's a chance for things to improve. People shouldn't have to be forced to choose between two essential things like food and rent.