The author of No Shame in My Game: the Working Poor in the Inner City turns her critical eye toward retirement, the struggles many Baby Boomers are encountering as they enter their golden years, and the not-so-bright future of Social Security and other protections for the aged.
Newman is a gifted writer ... As she has done in her previous work, Newman creates vivid individual portraits in her latest book to humanize her analysis ... Newman’s compelling portrait of the grim state of retirement security in the United States should serve as a catalyst for major reforms ... But perhaps well-grounded and lucid chronicles like Newman’s can help to build the sense of urgency and shared purpose that will be needed to turn the tide.
Paired chapters contrasting impoverished Opelousas, LA, and middle-class Ogden, UT reveal striking similarities and vastly different outcomes between these two communities that share faith-based and familial connectivity, but diverge in policy, infrastructure, and the ravages of generational poverty and institutional racism. This bleak but not hopeless exploration concludes with a succinct call for pension reform ... Strongly recommended for policymakers, business and nonprofit leaders, and general readers concerned (and who isn't?) about their retirement.
Sociologist Newman delves into the uncertainty confronting today’s retiring workers, using personal stories to explore the problems faced by blue-collared Teamsters, white-collared United Airlines workers, and Detroit’s municipal employees ... This well-argued study offers a broad look at the insecurity threatening generations to come and possible solutions to this complex issue.
