In and Out of the Working Class

by Michael D. Yates

In a series of autobiographical essays written on the border between fiction and non-fiction, a radical economist considers what it means to live in and through the theories about class that have informed his work and teaching. Yates seeks to bring the complexity and ambiguity of class, racial, and gender identity into focus through his own life. Yates writes of the erosion of self-confidence and the anxiety caused by the everyday fears of working-class families. He speaks honestly of the ambivalence and heartbreak caused by upward economic mobility, while relating in a deeply personal way to the structures of class inequality in American life.

Genres: Nonfiction

170 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

Reviews

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My daughter is a political science major with a minor is psychology at Mount A and this is one of her course books. When I started reading it, I was not impressed with the writers narrative style. My first thoughts were he is not Stephen King but how many writers are. It became more compelling as I continued and I have to say the last few chapters I couldn't put it down. Very engaging and written in a simple style but it still manages to be thought provoking. Any person who works for money in our capitalist western society , or plans to should read this. It does end on a positive note.