Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth

Poverty. Any reader interested in getting perspective about poverty and our national class divide should consider reading Sarah Smarsh’s finely written memoir titled, Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth. Smarsh blends her personal story with reflections and observations about life in America. I found myself thinking about choices and the challenges of breaking out of poverty, as well as the rewards of hard work. The lives of women dominate this narrative including the imagined unborn daughter of the author who is addressed in a quirky way in the text. Nonetheless, whether a reader experienced poverty or is merely curious, this memoir is likely to stimulate reflections about life in our contemporary culture. Rating: Four-star (I like it) Click here to purchase Heartland from amazon.com.