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"Richard Schweid casts an intensely thorough and compassionate eye on the plight of homeless families in America. In a nation pledging itself to liberty and justice for all, why can we not add to that pledge decent housing for those struggling to live among us in dignity?"—Emmylou Harris
"Richard Schweid provides a narrative for the quick fall into homelessness for families who may as well be living next door. I was shocked to read about a situation in my own city, Portland, Oregon, which was a problem I noticed, but never fully understood. Invisible Nation is a call to action against an urgent problem."—Christopher Ryan, author of Sex at Dawn: How We Mate, Why We Stray, and What It Means for Modern Relationships
"Invisible Nation is a must-read for policy makers, students of sociology, and anyone else concerned about the widening wage gap in our country."—Dale Maharidge, Pulitzer Prize–winner and author of Someplace Like America: Tales from the New Great Depression
"Richard Schweid’s account of the damage done to homeless children in our society is not only heartrending but also amounts to a call to action. Read this book and do something about it."—Madison Smartt Bell, author of Zig Zag Wanderer: Stories from Here, Stories from There
"A brilliant and passionate book that shines a bright light on America's darkest shame."—Allen Frances, chair of the DSM-IV Task Force and of the Department of Psychiatry at Duke University School of Medicine
List of contents
Introduction: The Family Room
1. Nashville, Tennessee: Off the Charts in Music City
2. Boston, Massachusetts: Falling by the Wayside
3. Fairfax, Virginia: Beltway Blues
4. Portland, Oregon: The Modern Almshouse
5. Trenton, New Jersey: Rapid Rehousing
Conclusion: Turning It Around
Notes
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Index
About the author
Richard Schweid is a journalist and documentary reporter. He is the author of nine nonfiction books, including Che’s Chevrolet, Fidel’s Oldsmobile: On the Road in Cuba, Hot Peppers: The Story of Cajuns and Capsicum, Consider the Eel: A Natural and Gastronomic History, and The Cockroach Papers: A Compendium of History and Lore. He has also produced or reported more than two dozen documentaries for Catalonian public television, including the Oscar-nominated Balseros.
Summary
Based on in-depth reporting from five major cities, this book looks backward at the historical context of family homelessness, as well as forward at what needs to be done to alleviate this widespread, although often hidden, poverty. It is suitable for anyone who wants to know what is happening to the millions of families living in poverty.
Additional text
"Invisible Nation exemplifies the relevance of history to social science research and policymaking and would be most useful in social welfare history courses aimed at students of social work, policy, and other practical disciplines."
