January’s Book of the Month choice was a no-brainer for me. I love a good memoir and this one all but screamed at me when I saw it because of its relation to my line of work. I knew I had to read this book. It was just a bonus that I could get it through Book of the Month.
Book 3:
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive
by Stephanie Land
Genre:
Autobiography, Memoir
Published:
January 2019
Synopsis According to Mandi:
Without spoilers, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive is about Stephanie’s attempts to break the cycle of generational poverty as she raises her daughter on her own. Between cleaning houses and government assistance, Stephanie struggles to provide for her daughter and longs for a day when she can follow her dreams without the stress of financial concerns.
Favorite Quote(s):
“Recovering from the trauma was also vital, maybe the most critical, but not only could no one help me with that, I didn’t know yet what I needed. The months of poverty, instability, and insecurity created a panic response that would take years to undo.”
“We were expected to live off minimum wage, to work several jobs at varying hours, to afford basic needs while fighting for safe places to leave our children.”
“The most frustrating part of being stuck in the system were the penalties it seemed I received for improving my life.”
“It was the secrecy that fascinated me, the amount of energy she put into appearing perfect and clean.”
– Stephanie Land, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive
Awards (based upon my brief research):
None yet.
Pages:
288
My Overall Rating:
4 – I love a good memoir. There’s just something about reading the everyday doings of another person that teaches you a lot about yourself. Stephanie’s story is one of strength, courage, hope and a ridiculous amount of hard work. I’m so grateful for her transparency as she explained what it’s like to live reliant upon the system. I think a lot of us have messed up opinions of people in her situation and it saddens me to have read the things people said to her at times. She was dealt a tough hand to play yet she played it like a card shark.
Stephanie is such a talented writer, and I hope the opportunity she received to publish this book is a springboard into the life that’s to come for her and her daughters.
