Alissa Quart

An exploration into the "precariat," and how most Americans find themselves in economic distress.

The author speaks of her own experience and many people whom she has interviewed about their economic condition and standing. She compares and contrasts the predicament of the modern American worker with those of a generation or two ago. She vividly illustrates through her interviews how almost everyone is in distress: the condition of the poor; the problems of child care and the need for 24/7 childcare services; the cost of higher education but no guarantee of financial security; academics working for peanuts and in economic distress; the near impossibility of homeownership and the difficulties in affording a family; the challenges of American business policy toward parents and their needs; the promise, and failure, of post-graduate education to lead to greater financial security.

A must read for anyone who is convinced the problem with people today is they don't work hard enough or are entitled. A demonstration of how the Boomers inherited a great set of workplace standards and have eroded and denigrated them for their descendants.… (more)

This was a dense read but I'm so glad I made it all the way through. I was so glad to learn all that I did, and relieved at how certain concepts and topics were explored. Seeing my own experiences reflected back at me, at parts, was a huge relief. I wanted to hug the book at times, but I was reading an ebook so I did not. Several books she recommended, I had already tried to read. They were either boring, dense, or bordered on victim-blaming (eg "if poor people just worked more jobs or went back to school). But I recognized the titles and nodded, and agreed with the points she was making by mentioning them. I hope this is widely read. I did seek out other works of the author after getting through this, but they weren't as engaging.… (more)