This was a great book – all about what the poor have to go through to try to make it through life in the bottom rungs of the United States social system. The writer goes “undercover” to see what things are like, and after setting some rules for herself she manages to get a clear picture of just how difficult it is to get by in America.
When you consider this was written 25 years ago, it is sort of blood-curdling to think what is happening to the lower classes in the USA now. As I write this the gaps between the haves and the have-nots are yawning and to my understanding, unbridgeable.
I really liked the writer’s sense of humor, it comes across similar to mine in terms of snark and wit. It was impressive to see her sort of weaponize her wit on these appalling situations, and it made me wonder why there isn’t more writing like this.
The book alternates between sad, funny, and downright tragic, but the balance comes out nicely and I think that is what made me admire the writer most. Possibly thanks to this balance the book went on to make some real change in the world, as outlined in the author’s second afterword written 8 years after the book came out.
Next I am reading As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee.
