Stephanie Land shares 6 of her favorite eye-opening memoirs

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Stephanie Land is the author of "Maid," the best-selling 2019 memoir that inspired a Netflix series and chronicled the challenges of getting by as a house cleaner and single mother. Land’s new memoir, "Class," continues the story, as she chases a college degree.

'The Deeper the Roots' by Michael Tubbs (2021)

Growing up, Michael Tubbs was told by his mother to not tell anyone about their struggles at home. Tubbs’ memoir is his opportunity to tell his story, which carried him from a challenging upbringing in Stockton, California, to election as the city’s first Black mayor. The adversity he faced sheds light on the challenges of poverty and offers valuable insights for the pursuit of equity and justice. Buy it here. 

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'$2.00 a Day' by Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer (2015)

By exploring how Bill Clinton’s welfare reforms affected millions of people far below the poverty line, $2.00 a Day uncovers the hidden, harsh realities faced by 1.5 million American households — including 3 million children — surviving on $2 per person per day. Buy it here. 

'Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Thing' by Lauren Hough (2021)

Hough’s searing essays describe her journey from a troubled childhood in an infamous cult to finding her true self as an adult. With humor and raw honesty, she offers a profound reckoning with survival and how it feels to work so hard without making ends meet. Buy it here. 

'Black American Refugee' by Tiffanie Drayton (2022)

Drayton’s memoir is a poignant exploration of the enduring impacts of systemic racism and the elusiveness of the American dream for Black individuals. As she shares her journey from Trinidad and Tobago to the U.S., Drayton dives deep into the complexities of American culture and the disparities between Black and white communities. Buy it here. 

'Evicted' by Matthew Desmond (2016)

Desmond’s Pulitzer-winning study offers a powerful portrayal of poverty and housing instability in America. The gripping narrative he creates sheds light on the critical importance of a stable home and how it feels to be housing insecure. "Evicted" resonated deeply with my own experiences with homelessness. Buy it here.

'Caste' by Isabel Wilkerson (2020)

Wilkerson’s 2020 best-seller unveils the hidden caste system that has shaped America. Through real-life stories and profound insights, she shows how this hierarchy impacts daily life, culture, and politics, and her call for unity in fighting social inequality makes Caste a crucial read. Buy it here. 

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