I am employed in a non-profit organization, and we recently read this book for our office book club.

If you have no understanding of the lives of poor individuals residing in the United States, you may discover that this book sheds light on issues that you have seldom contemplated. The book is composed as a compilation of stories, categorized by theme, regarding the lives of people whom the author interviews repeatedly over a period of several years. These stories might assist you in viewing the working poor and their diverse circumstances from a different perspective.

However, if you possess practical knowledge of what it is like to live as a poor person in the USA, I recommend skipping this one. The collection of stories presents numerous symptoms of poverty, yet it never fully connects to identify and address the fundamental cause of poverty in the United States. No solutions are proposed. It sometimes succumbs to the pitfall of presenting a single narrative. Indeed, poverty can be extremely dreadful. But no, the lives of all poor people are not wretched.

Personally, I was at times troubled by the language the author employed and occasionally felt that the book was on the verge of becoming similar to Ruby Payne's work. The term "illegal" is sometimes used instead of "undocumented," which always makes me extremely angry.

The Working Poor: Invisible in America is an important book penned by David Shipler.

It delves deep into the life stories and the numerous problems confronted by the working poor in the United States. Shipler dedicated several years to following individuals and families, witnessing their arduous struggles to achieve success, yet all too frequently seeing them fail.

These often overlooked people hail from diverse backgrounds and are engaged in a wide range of jobs. They include garment workers, migrant farm laborers, and those in behind-the-scenes restaurant positions.

Shipler meticulously examines the circumstances that have led to each individual's situation and presents his findings in a highly understandable and empathetic manner.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone, but especially to AmeriCorps workers.

Regardless of one's own background, this book offers an honest and upfront perspective on Americans who typically remain hidden from view. It provides a valuable insight into their lives and the challenges they face on a daily basis.

Working Poor

This remarkable book offers an outstanding and in-depth look into the lives of the working poor. It serves as a valuable resource that enables individuals from all walks of life and with various perspectives to truly understand the complex dynamics at play. It reveals how the existing system has a dual nature when it comes to the working poor. On one hand, it provides certain forms of assistance that are designed to help them get by and improve their circumstances. However, on the other hand, it also presents numerous obstacles and hindrances that make it difficult for the working poor to break free from the cycle of poverty. By delving into the details and nuances of their lives, this book sheds light on the challenges they face on a daily basis and the ways in which the system either alleviates or exacerbates those challenges. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a better understanding of this important social issue.

Poverty is a complex issue that results from the intricate interactions between personal and various societal, business, and governmental failures. The poor are especially vulnerable as small mistakes or misfortunes can snowball due to the lack of a safety net.

Sexual abuse and domestic violence are among the most heinous problems. At the extremes of the debate, liberals may overlook the dysfunctional family, while conservatives may focus solely on it. In reality, neither stereotype is correct. In the research along the edges of poverty, it was found that many adults had troubled childhoods, and these histories were both a cause and an effect, intertwined with numerous other difficulties such as money, housing, schooling, health, job, and neighborhood, which all reinforce one another.

Dr. Robert Needleman, a behavioral pediatrician, described how horrendous parenting can cause severe behavior problems, including difficulty in paying attention. Good psychological health is needed to succeed in school, and really bad parenting can prevent that.

A Baltimore malnutrition clinic video showed examples of poor parenting. In one session, a mother ignored her son who was playing with food instead of eating. In another, she had no interaction with her son while he was playing with blocks. In a third session, she mocked her son and snatched away his blocks. In the fourth session, she scolded her son for making a mess while she continued with her own puzzle.

Recent studies have shown that sensitive, responsive care in the first few years of life leads to greater school achievement, less need for special education, fewer behavior problems, less use of drugs and alcohol during adolescence, and a higher ability to form relationships among peers.

Working poverty is a constellation of difficulties that magnify one another, including low wages, low education, dead-end jobs, limited abilities, insufficient savings, unwise spending, poor housing, and poor parenting. 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 exist at both the macro and micro levels, as systemic problems in the structure of political and economic power, and as individual problems in personal and family life.

To address these problems, holistic remedies are vital. Gateways to addressing a family's range of handicaps are needed, and they are best established at intersections through which working poor families are likely to travel, such as doctors and lawyers, schools and parenting classes, banks, health insurance information, public housing, and English classes, job training.

Voting is not the answer as most Americans don't vote their class interests. In 2000, 19% of Americans thought they were in the top 1% of wage earners, and another 20% expected to be. This is unfortunate as no key sector of the free-enterprise system escapes the pervasive influence of government through tax policy, regulation, wage requirements, subsidies, grants, and the like.

Thomas Paine's statement in Common Sense that "Society in every state is a blessing, but Government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one" highlights the complex role of government.

In conclusion, opportunity and poverty in this country cannot be explained by either the American Myth that hard work is a panacea or by the Anti-Myth that the system imprisons the poor. Relief will come, if at all, in an amalgam that recognizes both society's obligation through government and business, and the individual's obligation through labor and family—and the commitment of both society and individual through education.

I've been on a poverty rage lately, and this book was like adding fuel to that fire.

It's a narrative that is skillfully interlaced with dozens of individual stories. Without having to explicitly point it out, the book seems to lay blame everywhere. Shipler, for the most part, stays out of the political fray. In fact, he mostly steers clear of the preaching business as well. He simply lays out the facts and research, supplements them with personal stories, conversations, and by following families for years at a time. But mostly, he allows the reader, like me, to reach our own conclusions.

He astutely points out the flaws in both the liberal and conservative approaches to poverty. He notes that liberals tend to think the problem lies in anything but the dysfunctional family, while conservatives tend to believe it's all about the dysfunctional family. Both paradigms, he asserts, are incorrect. And he continues to build a devastating case for how the poor in America are truly invisible.

This book reads like a captivating novel, and I simply couldn't put it down. It's a required reading for my teenaged children. I want them to understand the complex world that surrounds them and gain a deeper appreciation for the struggles and realities of those living in poverty.

This is an excellent book that offers profound insights into how people find themselves in a state of poverty and also presents some possible solutions. The individuals described in this book are all good-natured people who have made efforts but unfortunately lost their hold on the ladder of success. As a result, they are left facing numerous insurmountable problems that continuously keep them down. It is truly a thought-provoking work that should be made required reading in high schools. By doing so, students can gain a better understanding of the complex issues surrounding poverty and perhaps be inspired to take action to make a positive change in the world.

I decided to read this book as it was on a list of books that parents wished to be banned from a high school reading list due to its being "critical of capitalism". However, those parents didn't actually read the book. What the book truly criticizes is this: the wealthiest nation in the world fails to have the will to adopt a holistic, comprehensive, and programmatic approach to addressing the numerous causes of poverty, preventing individuals on the verge of destitution from finding a path to the middle class.

Rather than simply blaming the system or the individual, the author points out that people exist on a spectrum. Each person bears some personal responsibility, and some blame lies with "the system" - including low wages, government bureaucracy, poor schools, the inability to secure decent housing and/or reliable transportation, and a complete lack of access to good medical treatment. Additionally, he argues that strong kinship ties - whether family or community - can alleviate some of these circumstances if one is fortunate enough to possess this asset. Many of the individuals profiled in the book did not have such support. He effectively demonstrates how these problems are all interconnected and how one crisis or a single bad choice can trigger a cascading effect of issues when lacking the necessary health, money, family support, community, or job security to manage.

To find solutions, one cannot focus on just one issue, such as housing, employment, or medical care, and attempt to make it the "solution to poverty". If one believes that the government should leave this issue to churches, charities, and non-profits, the author points out how many of these issues can be traced back to laws and government policies. Moreover, no single church, charity, or non-profit is capable of comprehensively addressing the problems faced by some of these people. Chasing after one program here and another there can itself become a full-time job. However, he doesn't advocate for the government to take over entirely - there is a role for the private sector, the non-profit sector, charitable organizations, and churches as well - and there is also a need for people to take personal responsibility for their own actions and decisions. In the conclusion, he calls for political opponents to "cross into each other's territory to pick up solutions from the opposing side". Unfortunately, this is likely not going to happen anytime soon.

Rather than banning this book, it should be on the reading list of every social studies class in America.

This is an eye-opening book that presents a reality that many of us are unfamiliar with.

It offers valuable insights and perspectives that can broaden our understanding.

However, it should be noted that the author has a certain bias, especially against some organizations and government entities.

This bias may influence the way the information is presented and interpreted.

Despite this, I still highly recommend this book as it can stimulate our thinking and encourage us to question the status quo.

It is important to approach the book with a critical eye and consider different viewpoints.

By doing so, we can gain a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and make more informed decisions.

Overall, this book is a worthwhile read for those who are interested in exploring new ideas and challenging their existing beliefs.

This book was truly amazing from start to finish.

It provided me with a unique view into a lifestyle that I had never been exposed to before.

What's more, it presented solutions in a way that did not attack or belittle any political party.

However, what really grabbed my attention and touched my heart were the stories told in each chapter and section.

As I read, my heart broke for these individuals who had endured so much.

Their experiences were both harrowing and inspiring, and they made me realize just how much we can learn from one another.

This book is not just a good read; it's a powerful reminder of the importance of empathy and understanding in our lives.

I would highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a thought-provoking and engaging read.

The Working Poor is one of my longest outstanding reviews. 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, yet didn't shy away from presenting the participants in his (I believe decades-spanning) study in an unfavorable light. The book's biggest strength is its nuance. Growing up relatively poor myself, I'm hyper-aware of the reductive arguments surrounding poverty in America. People often want to ascribe a person's poverty to the choices they've made, especially if those choices conflict with the judger's own ideology or morality. Shipler doesn't allow for this type of thinking. His main argument is that poverty is part of a highly-complex system, with each part inextricably linked to the others.

There are also candid discussions about wage disparity, examining common arguments regarding the raising of the minimum wage. This was critical commentary considering we're still fighting this battle tirelessly with little progress. Shipler highlights that one of the biggest hurdles in raising the wages of the working poor is the comparison to the wages of others in positions deemed more "worthy" or deserving of money.

Shipler also tackles the common (and, in my opinion, despicable) arguments about whether poor people should be shamed for buying luxury items like cable TV, premium foods, or cell phones. Another aspect I didn't expect him to address, but which added depth to his argument, was the inclusion of the struggles of undocumented workers in America. It's a contentious issue, especially now, but it needs to be discussed.

My main criticism was that we spent a little too long in the minutiae of each case study. Shipler often elucidates an argument with a real-life example, but these stories could go on forever, even after the point had been made. Personally, I would have preferred he spent less time on the subjective personal accounts and more on firm solutions. I wanted more on socialized medicine, socialized education, limits on CEO pay, etc.

At the end of the day, I found great value in this book and would recommend it to everyone, especially those who have rudely judged people's poverty based on perceived laziness, spending beyond their "means", having "too many" children, having children out of wedlock, having poor education, or not attending college. Stop opening your mouth to spew judgment and sit down to listen for a change. :)

This book is highly relatable to me due to its subject matter.

"The Working Poor" is a remarkable collection of qualitative long-time data regarding several individuals who are deeply entrenched in welfare and poverty.

The author not only presents the data but also adds his own unique perspective on the misgivings of the government and society.

There are numerous factors that contribute to being poor, and it is truly wonderful that Shipler addresses them comprehensively.

It is important to note that there is no single solution for helping lower-income people. Instead, there are a multitude of ideas that have the potential to be of great assistance. However, these ideas are often pushed aside or overlooked due to a lack of funding or a lack of genuine concern.

While a few of the interviewed individuals managed to climb out of the depths of poverty, the reality is that so many others remain in the same position or are even worse off.

People who complain that there isn't a solution or a happy ending have completely missed the mark. In fact, they may very well be part of the problem.

We need to recognize the complexity of the issue and take proactive steps to address it.

There is a distinct class divide in the labor market.

Those with a bachelor's degree are often regarded as having a profession, while those with only a high-school degree are seen as having an occupation. Educational levels not only mirror social class but also contribute to its formation. Graduating from college is a class act that both彰显 class status and perpetuates it.

If we simply define the working class as those without a college degree, then a significant portion of all Americans can be classified as such. A better definition of the working class might be: those who lack power over their work, having no control over when they work, how much they are paid, how fast they work, or whether they will be laid off at the slightest tremor on Wall Street.

Although we are currently hearing a great deal about the "looming recession", low-wage workers have been experiencing their own recession for years. Poor people have clearly understood the message: the powers that be are not concerned about them. At the same time, the middle class is still being courted and told by politicians and political pundits that they alone are important and the only class deserving of any assistance. This has not only caused the middle class to lose their sense of responsibility to the broader community but also made them feel entitled. This highlights the great conservative lie: a sense of "entitlement" does not come when you are working two jobs to make ends meet and receive a helping hand from the government. It comes when you have a great deal and are still told that your struggles are the same as everyone else's.

The middle class lives in a world where sweat is merely a metaphor for hard work, but rarely its consequence. Hundreds of small tasks are completed reliably and consistently every day, seemingly without anyone doing them. This makes the middle class, both liberals and conservatives, completely dependent on the working class, the large number of underpaid, undereducated, and overworked individuals.

Moreover, while the middle class is educated enough to think for themselves, they are also comfortable enough to be highly susceptible to propaganda. This is part of the reason why I don't like middle-class people very much. They are quick to become complacent in any situation and, while routinely claiming to sympathize with the poor and working class, they can't stand their smell, openly criticize every decision they make, and vote against every program intended to help them. But my bitterness goes even deeper. Because their 401k's are built on the backs of my brothers and sisters. And it is because my brothers and sisters are willing to endure hardship and work themselves to the bone all day to create value that others get to keep that these assholes make their money in the first place. We are the reason inflation remains low and their private retirement accounts remain stable. While we are left entirely dependent on the Social Security program, which is constantly under threat of being slashed and privatized by some backdoor method by the ownership class to boost, in a wonderfully self-serving loop, the stock market, which primarily serves the middle and upper classes.

"It is time to be ashamed," concludes David Shipler at the end of this book, which is an essential survey of the forgotten millions who toil around or below the poverty line. The shame lies in the false notion that hard work and prosperity go hand in hand in America and that social advancement is possible for anyone of good character who, in political rhetoric, pulls themselves up by their own bootstraps.

Unlike Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel And Dimed and other first-person accounts of wage slavery, The Working Poor takes a much broader approach than just personal history. Overcoming his challenging subject with a flurry of anecdotes, Shipler writes in a style similar to an especially inspiring campaign speech, with each new aspect of misery supported by a vividly described human example. Few of his subjects can be easily fit into ideological boxes: they are neither the welfare slackers of right-wing imagination nor the saintly martyrs of an unjust system. They are just flawed individuals who live paycheck to paycheck, vulnerable to the next crippling setback.

Oddly enough, it was initially a former manager who first introduced me to Shipler's work. He preached to me that what made this book great was that it shifted the blame for the problems of the poor onto the poor themselves, thus holding them accountable and providing room for personal responsibility. This was hardly a convincing argument. So for a long time, I didn't bother to read Shipler's book. But now that I have and reflecting on what I was initially told about it, I can now honestly say that he had a truly gross oversimplification and misreading. Instead, what Shipler does is link the formation and transmission of emotional and psychological problems to systemic problems, showing how they interact to form patterns of poverty. Growing up poor puts people at risk, while coming from a stable family, having good health, speaking English, and having role models are all things that can reduce risk, although even then it is precarious. It's not about personal responsibility: it's about the formation of the personal and the political in each other. It's really a first-rate sociological analysis, and I wonder how some idiotic middle manager could ever come to the completely wrong conclusions from it. Actually, I can. He was a complete fucking moron. Which, in his defense, is a prerequisite for middle management.

Nevertheless, The Working Poor remains a highly readable account of working-class life in America, even though it offers few solutions, as these problems are far too complex to have easily accessible answers. But if you can find it in yourself to read just one book about the position of the poor in America, this would be a good choice. Because the working poor deserve dignity, and they deserve it now.