Book Share: Our Kids

One of the most striking things about Our Kids is just how honest it is about the conditions facing students, 1950s-2000s. Many times while reading through the myriad narratives and individual case studies I saw myself. Many of the narratives suggested hardships brought on by the internal and external issues facing the family structure, whether a familial loss, a lack of training for careers, drug/alcohol issues, and mental/physical illness. While reading I would drift a bit to think about the issues in my own life and my will to succeed, but I would also think about individuals that I grew up with and built communities around in my early life: were these the struggles they faced as well? Do they understand the prevailing winds in our US economy and history that may have influenced their success?