Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class (Live Girls) [Paperback]

Michelle Tea (Editor)

Book Description

Series: Live Girls | Publication Date: February 6, 2004

While many recent books have thoughtfully examined the plight of the working poor in America, none of the authors of these books is able to claim a working-class background, and there are associated methodological and ethical concerns raised when most of the explicatory writing on how poverty affects women and girls is done by educated, upper-class journalists. It was these concerns that prompted indie icon Michelle Tea—whose memoir, The Chelsea Whistle, details her own working-class roots in gritty Chelsea, Massachusetts—to collect these fierce, honest, tender essays written by writers who can’t go home to the suburbs when their assignment is over. These wide-ranging essays cover everything from stealing and selling blood to make ends meet; to “jumping” class; how if time equals money, then being poor means waiting; surviving and returning to the ghetto; and how feminine identity is shaped by poverty. Contributors include Dorothy Allison, Diane Di Prima, Terri Griffith, Daisy Hernandez, Frances Varian, Eileen Myles, Shawna Kenney, Siobhan Brooks, Terry Ryan, and more.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (February 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580051030
• ISBN-13: 978-1580051033
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #153,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finally, March 24, 2004

By 

emily (humboldt) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class (Live Girls) (Paperback)

In a society that addresses classism as little as it does michelle tea and the authors of this book do marvels. I did cartwheels reading essays about why its messed up to say things such as 'ghetto' and the offensiveness of white-trash themed parties. I would love everyone to read this book, or at least my middle-class and upper-class activist friends. Class too often gets added on as just one more -ism without ever really being addressed... this book shows that it needs to be, but not in mouthfulls of long feminist theory, but in wonderful first person narratives that are inspiring and thought provoking. Michelle Tea continues to by my sheroe. As do theauthors in this anthology. Read it :)

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diamonds in the rough, February 8, 2004

By 

lindsay (U.K.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class (Live Girls) (Paperback)

Michelle Tea has carefully selected some of the most sparkling, witty and promising female writers, each peice masterfully demonstrates the varying scope of which class has effected their lives. These life testimonies, although often heart wrenching demonstrations of strength and determination are as full of real life as they are of crafted prose, startling style and hope. The writers offer their different stories not for sympathy or sadness, but a proclaimation of how it was, is and will be for generations of women growing up working class in America, fighting, loving and shouting to get their voices heard. Brilliant! A rare proclamation of what its like growing up poor and female, we should hear more like this...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Without a Net- Michelle Tea, September 2, 2005

By 

Erin Hanki "the spink" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Without a Net: The Female Experience of Growing Up Working Class (Live Girls) (Paperback)

This is absolutely one of my favorite books- I've recommended it to everyone and so far no one's been disappointed, regardless of their gender or class background. Amazing book- raw and powerful, an inspiring collection of work. Many of the stories can be really painful or difficult to read, but altogether the collection leave a bold and positive impression of strength and beauty in unexpected (or overlooked) places. It's also a great introduction to a lot of kick-ass female writers that you might not be familiar with.