The memoir adds to the surge of literary works in recent times addressing poverty in the United States. It is told from the lens of an individual who has had firsthand experience with absolute poverty and depending on government assistance. This person is tackling the struggles of single motherhood while living on minimum wage that barely covers the expenses and basic needs. This portrait of those living below the poverty line also delves into the lives of the bourgeoisie in America. While focusing on this socioeconomic inequality, Land mentions the red tape and bureaucracy of government services.
As a single mother with no higher education, Land narrates the life she led trying to take care of her young child. Working for wealthy clients as a housekeeper, she gets a glimpse into a life that is out of her reach despite her hard work and determination. Though she never grew up in poverty, Land grapple with this new reality that consists of homeless shelters and food stamps. In addition to the amount of paperwork required to secure government assistance, the benefits are not enough to offer stability. Land also takes us through her experience with domestic violence that worsens the path to finding a safety net. She works dead-end jobs while taking night classes for a degree to enable her to escape these trappings of poverty.
This book as a product of her hard work through all the tribulations attests to the grit harbored by the most neglected populace in America. Kirkus Reviews wrote “For readers who believe individuals living below the poverty line are lazy and/or intellectually challenged, this memoir is a stark, necessary corrective. Purposefully or otherwise, the narrative also offers a powerful argument for increasing government benefits for the working poor during an era when most benefits are being slashed.”
