Lives on the Line: American Families and the Struggle to Make Ends Meet

Book Description

This landmark book examines the most urgent social problem facing us today: the welfare of America's children.

In Lives on the Line, Martha Shirk, Neil G. Bennett, and J. Lawrence Aber meld affecting personal profiles with sophisticated demographic analysis to create a vivid portrait of what life is like for more than 14 million American children growing up below the poverty line.

In personal profiles of ten families across the nation, from a Pacific Islander family in Hawaii to a homeless family in a wealthy New York City suburb, award-winning journalist Martha Shirk depicts the realities of life for children below the poverty line. She takes readers deep into the lives of families in poverty-lives sometimes marked by childhood abuse, parental loss, and long-term violence-and with each family explores their prospects for moving above the poverty threshold. Along the way, Shirk finds amazing resilience, resourcefulness, and strength of spirit in many of these poor families.

Neil G. Bennett, demographic research director for the highly respected National Center for Children in Poverty at Columbia University (NCCP), shatters many commonly held stereotypes by analyzing Census Bureau data to show which American children are most likely to be poor. He reports, for instance, that over 60 percent of poor young children have at least one employed parent, that most poor young children live in suburban or rural areas, and that a parent's graduation from high school is insufficient to insure against poverty. Among his most startling findings are that in the last two decades, the Young Child Poverty Rate grew significantly faster in the suburbs than in urban or rural areas, and that it grew much faster among whites than among blacks.

J. Lawrence Aber, the director of NCCP and a nationally recognized expert in child development and social policy, describes the effects of poverty on child development and showcases proven strategies for preventing or reducing child poverty. He also shows us that it is in our national self-interest to address the problem of child poverty by making a smart investment in America's future.

As a powerful portrait of the effects of poverty on America's children and families, Lives on the Line narrows the gap between "them" and "us." It will change the way you think about the poor.

Customer Reviews:

Heartbreaking and Inspiring.......2003-12-09

There are few books I've read over the past few years that have really stuck with me, and this is one of them. With the economy in a downturn, I find myself wondering what's happening to the families whose lives the authors tracked for a couple of years in the late 90s. The real-life families that are profiled here are truly memorable. Fans of "Nickel and Dimed" will like this book because it fills in a lot of the blanks about how poor families cope. The authors keep themselves out of their subjects' stories and basically let the families'words and actions demonstrate how difficult it is to live in poverty. I was inspired by the resourcefulness most of them bring to the challenge.

Review from Publishers Weekly.......1999-10-22

Review From Publisher's Weekly - Almost half of the nation's children live in officially defined poverty or near-poverty. Putting a human face on this and other statistics, the authors present a disturbing and provocative composite portrait of 10 families struggling to make ends meet--four white, two Hispanic, three black and one Hawaiian/Samoan. Bennett and Aber, both directors of Columbia University's National Center for Children in Poverty, and freelance journalist Shirk (a veteran St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter), identify three factors--teen parenthood, low educational achievement and temporary or low-wage work--that they call "the `Bermuda Triangle' of family poverty." Add the associated risks of domestic violence, poor child care and damage to early brain development from malnutrition, preventable birth complications, environmental toxins, etc., and readers will begin to see why poverty cuts across urban, suburban and rural areas. A few of the parents profiled here battle drug addiction; one gambles; several suffer from disabling depression; one single mother bravely raises a severely disabled five-year-old son afflicted with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and a 234-pound, 12-year-old daughter. In almost all the profiled families, one or both parents work, contradicting the widespread stereotype of the poor as lazy or irresponsible. In a succinct closing chapter, the authors call for a combination of public- and private-sector measures to help prevent or reduce child poverty. The issues they raise should fuel election-year debate. (Oct.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

LIVES ON THE LINE: AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET

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LIVES ON THE LINE: AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THE STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET

Manufacturer: Westview Press USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IAG07E

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Lives on the Line: American Families and the Struggle To Make Ends Meet
Martha Shirk
Manufacturer: Westview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N759J2

Book Description

Written by leading scholars, each title in the "Introduction to Law" series contains comprehensive treatment in black-letter style. Featuring footnotes citing to case law, statutory and other authorities, these volumes are ideal for in-depth research on particular issues and points of law.

Customer Reviews:

Best Book on Feminist Legal Theory on the Market.......2003-07-29

This book is a must-read for anyone with an interest in feminist theory and what it might mean for the study of law. The writing is clear and engaging, perfect for undergraduates (should be mandatory reading for all women's studies students!) and law students alike. Even established feminist scholars would benefit from its insightful analysis of cases and legal concepts. The book does an outstanding job of exploring the multiplicity of views on what it means to be a feminist and to take a feminist approach to the study of law. It also engages timely debates on the role of biology and right-wing attacks on feminism, as well as recent feminist interest in global equality and human rights. Sections on applied feminist scholarship take an in-depth look at dynamic issues such as workplace equality, sexuality, and reproductive rights. This truly is the best book on feminist legal theory I have seen on the market!

Women in World Politics: An Introduction

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Women in World Politics: An Introduction

Manufacturer: Bergin & Garvey Paperback
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0897894111

Book Description

What roles do women play in world politics? Who are these women, and what impact do they have on international relations? D'Amico and Beckman have assembled a diverse array of contributors who provide a variety of answers. Some contributors consider women as national leaders and profile Chamorro, Gandhi, Thatcher, and Aquino as examples. Autobiographical essays and interviews describe the experiences of Margaret Anstee, Benazir Bhutto, Jeane Kirkpatrick, and Golda Meir. Other contributors analyze international women's movements, the roles of women in the Green Movement and in the revolutionary movements in Cuba and Nicaragua, and the work of Jane Addams in the peace movement. Some analyze the attitudes and beliefs of America's leading opinion makers on the subject of women and men in leadership roles. Written for beginning students in comparative politics and international relations, their work is both fundamental as an introductory text and pioneering in scope and conception.

Feminist Legal Theory: A Socio-Legal Introduction (Socio-Legal Book Series)

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Feminist Legal Theory: A Socio-Legal Introduction (Socio-Legal Book Series)
Helen Stacy
Manufacturer: Sage Publications Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 076196570X

Book Description

The critically acclaimed laboratory standard, Methods in Enzymology, is one of the most highly respected publications in the field of biochemistry. Since 1955, each volume has been eagerly awaited, frequently consulted, and praised by researchers and reviewers alike. The series contains much material still relevant today - truly an essential publication for researchers in all fields of life sciences.

Book Description

''A grand compilation...Well-bound, well-printed....It is sure that this pioneering book will help growing interest of the separation scientists in aqueous biphasic systems and broaden the scope of the field.'' --- Indian Chemical Society, 1998

Aqueous Biphasic Separations - Biomolecules to Metal Ions

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Aqueous Biphasic Separations - Biomolecules to Metal Ions
Robin D.;Eiteman, Mark A., Rogers
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OS9TC8

Amazon.com

What's the deal with 20th-century physics? How and why did it get so complicated, so abstract, that even Einstein had trouble believing in it? Most of us need someone to come along and explain it all in words that make sense; fortunately, astrophysicist and science writer extraordinaire John Gribbin has seized that role with a flair and passion unequalled. He has outdone himself with Q Is for Quantum: An Encyclopedia of Particle Physics, 545 pages of definitions, histories, and biographical sketches that illuminate the ever-expanding search for the most basic forces of nature in a style that is at once witty, clear, engaging, and scientifically rigorous. No serious student of modern science (no dilettante, either) should be without it when reading about the greatest intellectual work of our time.

Whether he's explaining the intricacies of quantum chromodynamics or exploring the wild life and ideas of Richard Feynman, Gribbin uses just the right words, illustrations, and even (gasp!) equations to perfectly express the essentials to his interested, intelligent readers. Of special interest are the extensive timelines that close the volume and anchor particular scientists and their achievements within the context of world history; these are both helpful in grasping the development of physics and excellent aids to browsing. So, whether you want to expand your knowledge of modern science or just need a little help on Monday's midterm, Q Is for Quantum is the right book for you. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

THE QUANTUM WORLD FROM A TO Z

Here in one volume, the award-winning science writer and physicist John Gribbin has provided everything you need to know about the quantum world -- the place where most of the greatest scientific advances of the twentieth century have been made.

This exceptional A to Z reference begins with a thorough introduction setting out the current state of knowledge in particle physics. Throughout, Gribbin includes articles on the structure of particles and their interactions, accounts of the theoretical breakthroughs in quantum mechanics and their practical applications, and entertaining biographies of the scientists who have blazed the trail of discovery. In a special section, "Timelines," key dates in our quest to understand the quantum world are mapped out alongside landmarks in world history and the history of science.

An encyclopedia of the fundamental science of the future, Q is for Quantum is an essential companion for anyone interested in particle physics.

Customer Reviews:

The Quest is the Quantum .......2007-08-04

Gribbin's book is 'An Encyclopedia of Particle Physics' and it is a must in the library for seekers to understand the quantum world. Without using equations, the terms are well written for the lay person. This is an excellent reference book. Bettye Johnson, award-winning author, Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls.

read it cover to cover :).......2005-12-31

if you want to learn about physics, this book is great for the history and concepts :) it's an encyclopedia, but can be read cover to cover :) the important thing is to read critically! not everything is what it seems! :)

Excellent Dictionary.......2005-10-20

Explains clearly the importance of Quantum Physics as it applies to life in general. Easy references.

Mind your Q's.......2005-07-19

I found the book a great reference source for modern physics.
Particularly interesting was some of the background information on the physicists who made valuable contributions to the field. The material is easy to read and comprehend. All that is required is a desire to learn.

An excellent reference book.......2004-09-06

In the past few months, I have become very interested in Quantum Mechanics. My math background is zilch. I started with Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe", found I needed more background to understand it, went to "The Fabric of the Universe", still needed something simpler and ended up with John Gribbin's "In Search of Schrodinger's Cat". I am now reading "Schrodinger's Kittens". Somewhere along the line I purchased "Q is for Quantum". I have found it immensely helpful in explaining concepts or terms that I was confused about, plus explaining new concepts. If I don't understand something I have read in any of the other books, I go to "Q is for Quantum". John Gribbin's explanations are clear and easy to understand. I would highly recommend this book for anyone who is interested in Quantum Mechanics. I am not sure how useful it would be for a "real" physicist with all the math needed to understand Quantum Mechanics, but for this layperson, it is a terrifically helpful book. It is truely an encyclopedia.

Q is for Quantum An Encyclopedia of Particle Physics

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Q is for Quantum An Encyclopedia of Particle Physics
John with (Mary Gribbin, Editor) and (Jonathan Gribbin, Illustrator) and (Timelines by Benjamin Gribbin) Gribbin
Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000W73OSG

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Q IS FOR QUANTUM AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PARTICLE PHYSICS

Manufacturer: Free Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GQJQ62

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The Episodes of Vathek (Dedalus European Classics)
William Beckford
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

19th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1873982615

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THE EPISODES OF VATHEK
WILLIAM BECKFORD
Manufacturer: STEPHEN SWIFT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000S5W668

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THE EPISODES OF VATHEK
William Beckford
Manufacturer: Dedalus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000LKLCPQ

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The Episodes of Vathek
William; Gemmett, Robert J. (editor) Beckford
Manufacturer: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000P0VXZG

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THE EPISODES OF VATHEK.

Manufacturer: Stephen Swift
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HL4V2A

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Beckford's Soulscape?

Time very well spent

HOW COME YOU DO SO MUCH WRONG VATHEK?

An exotic dark fantasy

FANTASY / GOTHIC / ARABIAN NIGHTS

Vathek et ses épisodes
William Beckford , and Didier Girard
Manufacturer: José Corti
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
French | Foreign Language Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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Melmoth the Wanderer (Penguin Classics)

The Castle of Otranto: A Gothic Story (Oxford World's Classics)

The Mysteries of Udolpho (Penguin Classics)

The Vampyre: And Other Tales of the Macabre (Oxford World's Classics)

The Monk (Oxford World's Classics)

ASIN: 2714308074

Book Description

Witches, demons, human sacrifices and other spectral horrors: all intercept Vathek as he journeys to the underworld in this weird and wonderful gothic masterpiece.

This classic of 18th century Gothic literature, was highly acclaimed by such eminent writers as Byron and H P Lovecraft and remains the most extreme example of this genre.

Originally composed in French, Vathek was translated into English in 1816, and it is this version which is now presented as part of the popular Creation Classics series. The book includes lithographs by the symbolist artist Odilon Redon, complementing the bizarre text and making this the most completely decadent edition available in print. An introduction by Jeremy Reed illuminates both the text and the eccentric life of William Beckford, a youthful millionaire who spent his fortunes on building the ultimate Gothic folly, where he indulged in such homosexual indiscretions that he was finally exiled from England.

Customer Reviews:

Beckford's Soulscape?.......2007-03-07

The tale of Vathek is undeniably a wonderful oriental fable, where enlightenment ethics are presented and critiqued. If read in conjunction with Samuel Johnson "Rasselas", Montesquieu's Persian Letters and "Arabian Nights" one may be able to better understand the landscape upon which orientalism (a term used by Beckford himself to illuminate the period's infatuation with the orient, not to be confused with Said's) and enlightenment values where divulged. Beckford's tale however speaks of a more prescient sphere where the author's inner struggles and thwarted tragic desultoriness devolves. As with all literature this compact gem stands on her own; however many have tried to extract a moral import and some have even described a mystique of knowledge and a system of ethics with undue fastidiousness. In a more likely scenario we have a wonton fable whimsical and indulgent, crafted as a parody of "orientalism". Knowledge of Beckford's life may serve the reader well but should not hinder her enjoyment. The author's disquietude trumps an increasing distance from the absurd drive and hedonistic tendencies of the protagonist, while we feel a sympathetic kinship laxed the more into the novella we proceed. The author wrote this fable in French and supervised the translation as best he could. The grotesque and the sublime are here married insolubly but tend to find a balance suspended over a void that derides and insinuates the emptiness of a spiritual fantasy in turmoil.
The ending paragraphs are singed with a sad glow that seems to recriminate as much as it moralizes: much like a father that punishes a child only to feel remorse over the fact that his own blood cannot enjoy what is most enjoyable. He is not convinced and Beckford created a wonderful fable where much is exposed, but the simplicity, the arrogance and the conviction are to be regaled with the same comic grotesque sprightliness with which he infuses his narrative.
A quick fun read that demands little of us, but in degrees can disclose a sensibility we may be dismissive of if we are to package it as a tale where orientalism meets enlightenment values.

Time very well spent.......2006-07-15

Vathek was Caliph in the area of approximately present-day Iraq, at some unknown time in the past. He was generally a fair person, but woe unto him who got Vathek angry. He lived in an immense castle, with the absolute finest of everything. One day, a very strange, and very ugly, man stood before his throne. He had a hideous laugh, but didn't speak. He showed Vathek all manner of rare and exotic items, including sabers inscribed in an unknown language, inscriptions which kept changing from day to day. The stranger was thrown in prison for his unwillingness to speak. The next morning, finding the stranger gone, Vathek totally blows his top.

Finding himself outside the castle, at the foot of the nearby mountains, Vathek hears a voice coming out of a huge crevasse. It is the stranger, called a giaour, who promises Vathek all the powers of heaven in exchange for the blood of fifty young boys. Vathek provides the boys, through the guise of a sporting competition, then the giaour reneges on its part of the deal. When the people, especially the parents, understand what's happened, Vathek has to get back to the castle and lock the doors, until the anger subsides.

Later, Vathek commands the creation of a great caravan to a place called Rocnabad, home of famous springs. For various reasons, he needs to get away from the castle for a while. This is going to be the biggest, and grandest, caravan ever. On the journey, the caravan is attacked by wild animals, with a number of casualties. Vathek, his wives and senior advisers, can no longer be carried the rest of the way, because of lack of personnel, but actually have to walk to Rocnabad.

At Rocnabad, there is a castle as big or bigger than the one that Vathek left behind. He meets a young woman named Nouronihar, who he wants as one of his wives (as Caliph, what Vathek wants, Vathek gets). She is promised to a man named Gulchenrouz. The lovers drink a potion that will make them look dead for several days, then, the idea is that they go and live somewhere else, away from Vathek.

This is one of the very few novels set in the world of the Arabian Nights, a world of eunuchs, slaves and harem girls. It was first published over 200 years ago (in the 1780s), so the style of writing is very different than what is normal for a modern reader. Therefore, it will take some patience on the part of the reader. If you can find a copy, it is time, and money, very well spent.

HOW COME YOU DO SO MUCH WRONG VATHEK?.......2002-04-30

Vathek is another work in an endless series with the Faust myth as its backbone. Except here, instead of being set in Germany, the setting is the ancient middle east in which genies and devils inhabit the land.

Vathek is a caliph who is loved but also feared by his people. In fact, if he really loses his temper, just the sight of his gaze can cause death. His court makes The Satyricon look like a sunday school with its voluptuousness and excess. There are even five wings of his palace, with each one dedicated to a sense with names such as "The Delight of the Eyes" and "The Palace of Perfumes". Oh, the decadence! Of course someone as attached to physical gratification as Vathek is sure to stomp on the moral and religious boundaries of Allah and get in trouble.

Much like God and Yahweh in the Book of Job, Allah allows Vathek to be tempted and tried by demons as a bizarre test of his faith. Actually, maybe in both cases it was a test of God's faith in man. The faith that man will do the right thing in the end. That he will turn away from evil. That he will have an epiphany which will redeem him. Vathek isn't so lucky.

An evil being in the disguise of a man, called the Gaiour, comes to Vathek's court with all sorts of magical artifacts which seem to give their bearer otherworldy powers. Vathek becomes entranced by the thought of having powers over spirits and other men and begins to follow a direct line to eternal hell. In order to court evil spirits, Vathek becomes a mass murderer, a blasphemer, a betrayer, a killer of his own people. He is helped in this by his mother, Carathis, who hasn't even heard the word goodness. She constructs a tower much like the Tower of Babel, in order to reach to the gods and to serve as storage for her arcane items.

The book, much like Dante's Inferno, becomes a little much at times. I mean, how many deeds of evil can we experience before we go, "ok, he's going to Hell now!" Sometimes you sense that some of this is intentional and tongue in cheek. At other times, you're horrified at the evil that most of the characters do. Any characters that are good are trampled upon by the evil. The last couple of pages are truly disturbing. I liked this book and would recommend it to anyone that keeps an open mind about fantasy or who is interested in the question of how much knowledge is too much knowledge.

An exotic dark fantasy.......2002-01-15

Leaving aside the question of whether this book is a 'gothic' novel or not, it is a dark fantasy. It shares with its more conventionally gothic brethren a tale of dark deeds in an exotic setting, where an alien and exciting religion is practised.

In the standard Gothic tale, allusions to Roman Catholicism, thought of by respectable Englishmen as a dark, oppressive, and half-pagan faith, were part of the conventional apparatus. Beckford chose instead to imagine the world of Islam, an even more exotic milieu that added some flashes of bright colours to the dark and sorcerous background of his book. His choice of an even more exotic setting allowed him greater freedom in portraying characters who defied social convention and fell into exotic habits of mind.

My understanding is that it is a matter of some debate to what extent the English text of -Vathek- is a translation from the French, or an original English composition. I do not have the French text in front of me, but it has been represented to me that Beckford's "original" French is rather like the French of Oscar Wilde's -Salome-, and needed extensive editing to be acceptable to a French readership.

At any rate, -Vathek- is a prime example of early dark fantasy. The description, of course, will be richer than you are used to, but Beckford's prose actually seems to move quite quickly. Fans of H. P. Lovecraft or Clark Ashton Smith will find that it is quite easy to slip into. And the tale is indeed a vivid one, right up to the exceptional ending when Vathek and Carathis are damned to the halls of Eblis, their hearts seared with unquenchable fire.

This is a good edition of the story, and the notes and maps are helpful.

FANTASY / GOTHIC / ARABIAN NIGHTS.......2001-04-06

Those are the three categories that I've seen this story put in. Vathek tells the tale about a man with an exceedingly high tower. This man named Vathek is very greedy. The reading can be a little rough at times, which is why I took off one star, but there are some very memorable scenes. Two that really stick out in my mind are: When the stranger in the dungeon escapes. And when Vathek ascends his tall tower, thinking how tall he stands over his minions--then he looks up at the stars and grimaces, because the stars are still the same distance away. Both of these scenes are towards the beginning, which I think is the best part of the book. The middle details Vathek's journey to some far off place. But then it picks up again towards the end. I don't normally read Gothics--if this IS a Gothic, opinions vary--but it is a very good book and definitely one I plan on adding to my permanent collection. Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges gave enthusiastic mention to this book in one of his works.

Vathek with The Episodes of Vathek. (In Two Volumes)

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Vathek with The Episodes of Vathek. (In Two Volumes)
William; Chapman, Guy (editor) Beckford
Manufacturer: Constable: London & Houghton Mifflin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LE87IW

The history of the Caliph Vathek, including The episodes of Vathek;: An Arabian tale (Adult fantasy)

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The history of the Caliph Vathek, including The episodes of Vathek;: An Arabian tale (Adult fantasy)
William Beckford
Manufacturer: Ballantine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

French | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006C2HR6

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