American Dream : Three Women, Ten Kids, and a Nation's Drive to End Welfare

by DeParle, Jason

• ISBN13: 9780143034377
• ISBN10: 0143034375
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-08-30
• Publisher: Penguin Books

Summary

In this definitive work, two-time Pulitzer finalist Jason DeParle cuts between the mean streets of Milwaukee and the corridors of Washington to produce a masterpiece of literary journalism. At the heart of the story are three cousins whose different lives follow similar trajectories. Leaving welfare, Angie puts her heart in her work. Jewell bets on an imprisoned man. Opal guards a tragic secret that threatens her kids and her life. DeParle traces their family history back six generations to slavery and weaves poor people, politicians, reformers, and rogues into a spellbinding epic.With a vivid sense of humanity, DeParle demonstrates that although we live in a country where anyone can make it, generation after generation some families don’t. To read American Dreamis to understand why.

Author Biography

Jason DeParle is a senior writer for the New York Times and a frequent contributor to the New York Times Magazine. He won a George Polk Award in 1999 and was a two- time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the welfare system. He lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and their two sons.

Table of Contents

PART I. WELFARE
1 The Pledge: Washington and Milwaukee, 1991	3	(17)
2 The Plantation: Mississippi, 1840-1960	20	(18)
3 The Crossroads: Chicago, 1966-1991	38	(20)
4 The Survivors: Milwaukee, 1991-1995	58	(27)
PART II. ENDING WELFARE
5 The Accidental Program: Washington, 1935-1991	85	(16)
6 The Establishment Fails: Washington, 1992-1994	101	(22)
7 Redefining Compassion: Washington, 1994-1995	123	(15)
8 The Elusive President: Washington, 1995-1996	138	(17)
9 The Radical Cuts the Rolls: Milwaukee, 1995-1996	155
PART III. AFTER WELFARE
10 Angie and Jewell Go to Work: Milwaukee, 1996-1998	175	(21)
11 Opal's Hidden Addiction: Milwaukee, 1996-1998	196	(12)
12 Half a Safety Net: The United States, 1997-2003	208	(14)
13 W-2 Buys the Crack: Milwaukee, 1998	222	(8)
14 Golf Balls and Corporate Dreams: Milwaukee, 1997-1999	230	(21)
15 Caseworker XMI28W: Milwaukee, 1998-2000	251	(13)
16 Boyfriends: Milwaukee, Spring 1999	264	(18)
17 Money: Milwaukee, Summer 1999	282	(21)
18 A Shot at the American Dream: Milwaukee, Fall 1999	303	(20)
Epilogue Washington and Milwaukee, 1999-2004	323	(16)
Timeline	339	(4)
Notes	343	(62)
Acknowledgments	405	(6)
Index	411