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Reviews
Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh
leighgoodmark's review against another edition
4.0
3.75 stars. I didn't love the framing of the book and found it more irritating as the book went on. This book is at its best when the author is telling stories about her family, less effective when she's making generalizations or drawing grand themes about poverty. But it's a far better book about the lives of rural folks than Hillbilly Elegy.
zbmorgan's review against another edition
3.0
I wanted to love this, but in reality, it was just alright for me - however, might be a fantastic book for other. I was simply looking for another Tara Westover, and those are big shoes to fill.
Ms. Smarsh has a unique voice, however, and while I wasn't sure how I would feel about the writing twist of writing the book to or for someone, by the end it made total sense. She is also unflinchingly candid about her families trials and tribulations, and while her and my solutions and causes to such trials and tribulations may not be the same in each case, her candor and honesty are really what set this book up there with other memoirs like the Clancys of Queens. Worth a read, also, if you've also never thought of 'flyover country' and wondered what it was like.
Ms. Smarsh has a unique voice, however, and while I wasn't sure how I would feel about the writing twist of writing the book to or for someone, by the end it made total sense. She is also unflinchingly candid about her families trials and tribulations, and while her and my solutions and causes to such trials and tribulations may not be the same in each case, her candor and honesty are really what set this book up there with other memoirs like the Clancys of Queens. Worth a read, also, if you've also never thought of 'flyover country' and wondered what it was like.
kristinshafel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.0
jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
3.0
If you’re thinking of writing your memoir about class and poverty to your not-yet-born/never-to-be-born daughter ’August’ my advice is – don’t. It’s weird and unneccessarily distracting.
kellerko's review against another edition
4.0
“For many poor women, there is a violence to merely existing: the pregnancies without health care, the unchecked harassment while waiting tables, the repetitive physical jobs that cause back and foot pain. “
kskristy's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
As someone who shares many similarities with the author’s upbringing, but little of her adult perspectives, this book challenged me. I enjoyed the familial anecdotes and the rich descriptions of the Kansas childhood that stirred in me waves of nostalgia and brought a knowing smile to my face more than a time or two. The author deftly interwove her lived experiences with an examination of class, poverty and policy in America. I don’t wholly agree with her views of on the role of government and the American dream, but I appreciate her research, reporting, her voice, and her story. It made me think—and remember—in the best way, and, for that, I give this book a 5-star rating.