Have you ever wondered what it's really like to grow up in the
shadows of poverty and mental illness? To navigate a childhood
where survival means understanding your parents' demons before
you understand yourself? In this powerful memoir, Deborah M.
Foster pulls back the curtain on a reality many prefer to ignore.
Growing up in Reagan-era America, Foster's childhood was a maze of
unstable housing, religious fundamentalism, and the constant threat
of family separation. As the eldest child of parents grappling with
severe mental illness — a father with schizoaffective disorder and a
mother with bipolar depression — she was forced to become an adult
long before her time. From Utah to Wisconsin to Canada and finally
Iowa, her family's journey through poverty reveals the devastating
gaps in America's social welfare system and mental health care.
Foster's unflinching account, backed by her firsthand experience and
academic understanding, exposes the harsh realities faced by
countless families trapped in similar circumstances. Her story
illuminates how systemic failures perpetuate cycles of poverty and
mental illness, while demonstrating the extraordinary resilience of the
human spirit.
'What's So Bad About Being Poor?' isn't just another memoir — it's a
wake-up call that challenges our assumptions about poverty, mental
illness, and the American Dream. This compelling narrative offers vital
insights for social workers, policy makers, and anyone seeking to
understand the complex realities of families in crisis.
Grab your copy of 'What's So Bad About Being Poor?' today and join
the crucial conversation about mental health, poverty, and social
justice in America.
