Maid
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3.9 • 254 Ratings
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- $19.99
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- $19.99
Publisher Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER AND INSPIRATION FOR THE NETFLIX LIMITED SERIES, HAILED BY ROLLING STONE AS "A GREAT ONE."
"A single mother's personal, unflinching look at America's class divide, a description of the tightrope many families walk just to get by, and a reminder of the dignity of all work."
-PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, Obama's Summer Reading List
At 28, Stephanie Land's dreams of attending a university and becoming a writer quickly dissolved when a summer fling turned into an unplanned pregnancy. Before long, she found herself a single mother, scraping by as a housekeeper to make ends meet.
Maid is an emotionally raw, masterful account of Stephanie's years spent in service to upper middle class America as a "nameless ghost" who quietly shared in her clients' triumphs, tragedies, and deepest secrets. Driven to carve out a better life for her family, she cleaned by day and took online classes by night, writing relentlessly as she worked toward earning a college degree. She wrote of the true stories that weren't being told: of living on food stamps and WIC coupons, of government programs that barely provided housing, of aloof government employees who shamed her for receiving what little assistance she did. Above all else, she wrote about pursuing the myth of the American Dream from the poverty line, all the while slashing through deep-rooted stigmas of the working poor.
Maid is Stephanie's story, but it's not hers alone. It is an inspiring testament to the courage, determination, and ultimate strength of the human spirit.
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Single motherhood, an abusive ex, anxiety, depression, and the stigma of living in poverty—Stephanie Land has seen it all. In her powerful memoir, she details her experiences living on food stamps while cleaning other people’s massive homes and jumping through endless bureaucratic hoops to provide some semblance of security for her young daughter. Many of Land’s stories are shocking, tragic, and sometimes bizarre. Like that time her British stepfather assumed she’d pay for lunch after she had just moved out of a homeless shelter. Or when a clueless pediatrician treating her daughter’s ear infection instructed her simply to “do better.” Land’s narration makes her raw, cathartic book feel even more intimate. Maid is an incredible tale of survival in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles—and the perfect listen for anyone who’s ever felt down and lost.
Customer Reviews
A story worth hearing..but there are questions.
I ordered this book after watching the Netflix series, which captivated me within five minutes. I think the author does expose some truths about how we view those in poverty and what it takes to barely move to the next rung on the economic ladder. Now, why she decided that cleaning houses was her only option for employment, is a mystery. I understand that when you’re on public assistance if you get a small increase in income, you may exceed income limits for programs that you kinda still need. Still, there had to be jobs that offered her more opportunity and took less of a toll on her body and spirit. I also questioned how estranged she truly was from her family or was pride preventing her from seeking their help. In the end I think that she realized that some her choices led her where she was and that if she wanted her daughter to have more than a fighting chance in life she’d need to make different choices.
Inspiring
The determination of Stefanie is truly inspiring to me as a mom of a 14 month old boy. I am really so moved by this book and so happy they had a better life in the end.
Amazing
Triumphant and beautiful. This single Moms hardships and perseverance made me feel human and less alone. This book made me a better mother and I will definitely be listening again!