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Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive

Stephanie Land

Start date: May 5, 2022

Finish date: May 23, 2022

Why we're reading this: Maid is Reading Challenge 2022 Book Club's May selection! This book club will be held via Zoom on Monday,…more
[close] Maid is Reading Challenge 2022 Book Club's May selection! This book club will be held via Zoom on Monday, 5/23 at 6:00 PM. Visit our website or call 515-283-4152 to register or for more details, including current COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions. Registration is required for this program.

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What Members Thought

Jan 15, 2022 Courtney rated it it was amazing

Shelves: book-club

2024 reread:
Just as good as I remembered. Land's writing is vulnerable and emotional and battles with the perceptions of single moms on government assistance.

Original 2022 review:
It seemed like no matter how much I tried to prove otherwise, "poor" was always associated with dirty. How was I supposed to present myself to landlords as a responsible tenant when I was faced with a wall of stigmas stacked so high?

This book has been on my radar for awhile and I finally picked it up because Stephani 2024 reread:
Just as good as I remembered. Land's writing is vulnerable and emotional and battles with the perceptions of single moms on government assistance.

Original 2022 review:
It seemed like no matter how much I tried to prove otherwise, "poor" was always associated with dirty. How was I supposed to present myself to landlords as a responsible tenant when I was faced with a wall of stigmas stacked so high?

This book has been on my radar for awhile and I finally picked it up because Stephanie Land is coming to do an author event in Des Moines and it seemed right that I read her book before seeing her speak. And oh my gosh, I'm so glad I did.

Land has an incredible way of telling her story that makes this book un-put-downable. There's an acknowledgement that this is the way she remembers her story at the beginning, acknowledging that memories are often a fickle thing. But she has so much heart in these pages that it becomes impossible not to cheer for her.

I see a lot of other reviewers harshly criticizing her for decisions she made in regards to money or partners or whatnot. I myself questioned why she'd give up TBRA assistance (which is so hard to get!) to move in with a partner she hasn't known for long. But in the end, it is her story and her decisions. She acknowledges that sometimes they weren't the "best" use of funds but she is always aware and unapologetic about the choices she made. And really, who among us hasn't made some extravagant purchase when we got some sudden cash inflow even though there was a "better" use of that money.

Perhaps that's why this book is so important, for Land to share her story, her hardships, and for other people to read about it and experience her perspective. Land isn't perfect, but no one is, and she puts nearly everything on the table in this book. She explains the reasoning for her choices and moves on, because at the time, she felt it was the best decision to be made. And really, when forced between multiple not great options, she chose the one that was most needed for her and her daughter.

An astounding story, I highly recommend this book. ...more

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Mar 12, 2022 Stephanie Caffrey marked it as dnf

Picked for book club, not usually a book I pick up. Gave it a 60 page try, not really my cup of tea. Life's too short to read books you don't enjoy. ...more

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