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Our Kids
Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis | Robert D. Putnam
A New York Times bestseller and a passionate, urgent (The New Yorker) examination of the growing inequality gap from the bestselling author of Bowling Alone: why fewer Americans today have the opportunity for upward mobility. Central to the very idea of America is the principle that we are a nation of opportunity. But over the last quarter century we have seen a disturbing opportunity gap emerge. We Americans have always believed that those who have talent and try hard will succeed, but this central tenet of the American Dream seems no longer true or at the least, much less true than it was. In Our Kids, Robert Putnam offers a personal and authoritative look at this new American crisis, beginning with the example of his high school class of 1959 in Port Clinton, Ohio. The vast majority of those students went on to lives better than those of their parents. But their children and grandchildren have faced diminishing prospects. Putnam tells the tale of lessening opportunity through poignant life stories of rich, middle class, and poor kids from cities and suburbs across the country, brilliantly blended with the latest social-science research. A truly masterful volume (Financial Times), Our Kids provides a disturbing account of the American dream that is thoughtful and persuasive (The Economist). Our Kids offers a rare combination of individual testimony and rigorous evidence: No one can finish this book and feel complacent about equal opportunity (The New York Times Book Review).
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TheBookgeekFrau
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Starting this one tonight in the hopes of getting 1 bingo for March as I continue toward a full card on my January #BookspinBingo

33 likes1 stack add
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KTitone14
Mehso-so

Overall a good book

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HannaPolkadots
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Pickpick

The writing is good, the topic interesting, and the best parts are the many in-depth interviews done with young adults and their parents, from different places in The US and different socio-economic backgrounds. Some issues are more American, but others I recognize in my own country as well.

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HannaPolkadots
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Very interesting and definitely relevant.

23 likes2 stack adds
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HannaPolkadots
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1. Cleaning the apartment
2. Cleaning, sewing, attend a concert, reading...
3. Something called "julemanna"
4. Our Kids by Robert Putnam
5. Will do! ? Happy Friday @Cinfhen !
#friyayintro @howjessreads

Cinfhen Hi!!!! It‘s been soooo long!!! What‘s new???? Hope all is well xx 5y
HannaPolkadots @Cinfhen - same old, same old 😉 Counting down to Christmas break. What about you? 5y
Cinfhen Pretty much the same! Some family is in town visiting so extra happy at the moment 🥰 5y
16 likes3 comments
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Theshadedbuffalo
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@Mommamanzi 🌟🌟 they love them! You are amazing, thank you so much!!

Mommamanzi Yay! Thank you for letting me know. I was getting worried. I hope they can enjoy them. 6y
Theshadedbuffalo @Mommamanzi my kids threw away the packaging before I could tag you, so I forgot to. But I kept the picture! Thanks for your kindness! 6y
tammysue 🤩🙌🏻 6y
29 likes3 comments
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WanderingBookaneer
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Pickpick

Nothing new is added to the conversation of the widening gap in education & upward mobility that results from parental resources. What makes the book worthwhile are the personal stories the author shares to prove his point. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

104 likes5 stack adds
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PagesOfKate
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Things can get #nasty when the dream turns into a nightmare.
#Fiercefeb
@Cinfhen @batsy

batsy Very intriguing! 6y
Cinfhen Sounds really sad, the harsh reality is depressing. Interesting though... 6y
[DELETED] 3803335244 This looks very interesting. I don‘t usually read these kinds of books but this one I want too. With 5 kids, a must read. 6y
PagesOfKate I'm probably coming at it all from a colder, more distanced angle @ForeverNerdy . I can't imagine what it must be like to consider the growing economic divide in the U.S from an insider perspective, especially as a mother of 5. I would recommend the book though. It's informative without being too heavy going. That being said, there are a lot of similar books out there right now dealing with the same subject. 6y
49 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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HannaPolkadots
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Both @RestlessFickleBookSlut and @DebbieGrillo tagged me for #fivestarpredictions - thank you! 😀 many to choose from, but I landed on these goodies.

Forgot to tag someone! If you've already been tagged just smile and ignore 😁 @Suelizbeth @Avanders

Avanders 😁 I'd never ignore it, but I have done it twice 😉 thanks for tagging though!! I'm honestly tempted to do a third..... 😳 7y
Sace @Avanders is the best! 7y
Avanders @RestlessFickleBookSlut aww! The feeling is mutual!! 🤗🤗 7y
Suelizbeth I will definitely post something, but it may not be until this weekend. Thanks for tagging me! This is making me think about what I'm reading/will be reading. 📚❤️ 7y
20 likes5 comments
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DocBrown
Pickpick

Solid yet accessible, the book's biggest contribution is to press the claim that all children in the United States should be considered 'our kids,' when in reality they are increasingly not. And we are all the poorer for it, in more ways than one.

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GoneFishing

Parental wealth is especially important for social mobility, because it can provide informal insurance that allows kids to take more risks in search of more reward.

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INdebatecoach
Pickpick

Sobering description of the effects of income inequality in the U. S. While some of his conclusions are more conjecture than proven, his anecdotal evidence works well to paint the picture of needed work to be done to ensure equality of opportunity for everyone.

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INdebatecoach
Pickpick

Sobering description of the effects of income inequality in the U. S. While some of his conclusions are more conjecture than proven, his anecdotal evidence works well to paint the picture of needed work to be done to ensure equality of opportunity for everyone.