Reviews
"Remarkable and disconcerting. . . . This exceptional work of journalism chronicles the lives of America’s homeless families. . . . Schweid traveled through a nation that privileged Americans generally try to avoid and deny. These more fortunate Americans are embarrassed, indifferent and sometimes actively hostile to the desperate plight of their hidden neighbors. Schweid’s book is a compelling account of his findings."—Truthdig
"Schweid creates some vivid portraits of day-to-day struggles . . . . You close the book wondering where those millions of homeless children will sleep tonight."—WBUR, The ARTery
"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."—Journal of Children and Poverty
"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
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