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Not Keeping Up with Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class
 
 
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Not Keeping Up with Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class (Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: educated professional middle class, Our Parents, New York, New Economy (more...)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)

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Customers buy this book with High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families by Peter Gosselin

Not Keeping Up with Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class + High Wire: The Precarious Financial Lives of American Families
  • This item: Not Keeping Up with Our Parents: The Decline of the Professional Middle Class by Nan Mooney

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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Young people who were raised to believe that a college education guarantees them a spot in the middle class are instead grappling with rising levels of debt, stagnant wages and ballooning basic expenses, argues Mooney (I Can't Believe She Did That) in this affecting but thinly researched jeremiad. Mooney suggests that college graduates who choose creative or service professions, such as journalism, teaching and social work, generally find themselves in low-paying jobs that, paradoxically, require high-priced educations and even graduate degrees. The struggle to pay off student loans sets off a spiral of financial insecurity, as these educated professionals face escalating costs for housing, health insurance and child care. It's an interesting observation, but Mooney often doesn't delve deeply enough to create a true thesis; she does not fully examine the expectations that motivate graduates' decisions to choose to teach-their desire for meaningful work even at the expense of upward mobility-or their reluctance to leave expensive urban areas. Where Mooney backs up her points with solid research, she makes persuasive arguments, but she occasionally offers unsubstantiated generalizations and relies on research culled from interviews rather than hard data. For a more comprehensive treatment of this sobering trend, readers should turn to Warren and Tyagi's The Two-Income Trap or Up to Our Eyeballs, by analysts from liberal think tank Demos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.


From Booklist

Journalist Mooney discusses the financial plight of the educated professional middle class that graduated from a four-year college 2 to 20 years ago and earns annually between $30,000 and $70,000 ($100,000 for couples). They have freely chosen careers in education, the arts, and public service, with relatively low-paying jobs requiring high-cost education. These professionals face increasing mortgage payments, student loans, credit-card debt, less help with health care, retirement, and child care, while the cost of living increases and wages are stagnant. The author candidly acknowledges the influence of our materialistic values and the spending craze throughout America. With information from more than 100 interviews of diverse families, the author’s recommendations include improved government-backed education, health- and child-care programs, along with tax reform and an emphasis on changing society’s attitude toward money. Some may not agree with Mooney, but she gives an excellent analysis of the problems facing the professional middle class. --Mary Whaley --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 264 pages
  • Publisher: Beacon Press; Reprint edition (May 1, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0807011398
  • ISBN-13: 978-0807011393
  • Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,042,954 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Nan Mooney
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Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
5 star:
 (7)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful look at values and money, June 11, 2008
By Martha Brockenbrough (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
I'm not sure what book the one-star reviewer read. In [Not] Keeping Up with Our Parents, Nan Mooney explains how life has gotten harder for middle-class professionals. While housing, health insurance, food and student loan costs have risen, incomes have not. What's more, social programs such as Social Security and corporate pension programs have dwindled. This means that people who've made reasonable decisions--to study, and to pursue responsible careers that interest them--are having a hard time making ends meet. One of her fundamental points is that the crunch isn't necessarily the individual's fault. It's not that we're frittering away our money on lattes. Rather, it's that life has gotten more expensive, and our incomes haven't kept up. It's an important book, and a timely one. Here's hoping as we reshape our country with the upcoming presidential election, that we elect leaders who want to keep the middle class dream alive.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read this enlightening book, June 18, 2008
By C. Dominguez (Billings, MT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This is a really important book... I highly recommend it. It gives an enlightening perspective to our generation's career choices. Many of us struggle with our career choices. Should I choose a career path that I find socially responsible, creative, and fulfilling? Or should I choose a career that will provide my family financial stability and opportunities? It seems that our dream job should have all those aspects, but we often find ourselves having to make the choice. Nan's book analyzes how we got to the place we are at now. She uncovers all the uneasy topics and facts that we don't like to discuss at dinner table, much less barbecues or cocktail parties. I found the book to be very well rounded with thoughtful analysis with good practical recommendations for change.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars an eye-opener, June 13, 2008
My curiosity about (Not)Keeping Up With Our Parents was piqued after going to a reading by the author at a local bookstore. After reading it I was a bit shocked, but in a good way. I thought the interviews were well balanced and helped to shed light on this problem that many, many people have but are embarassed to talk about.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-Opening & Very Informative
I was drawn to this book since I work in the collections business for a financial institution. I deal with people who are in debt every day. Read more
Published 11 months ago by S. Smith

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Discussion of the Problem But Government Is Not the Solution
Nan Mooney has done an excellent job in "(Not) Keeping Up With Our Parents" of discussing the financial difficulties facing many of today's 20- and 30something college graduates... Read more
Published 13 months ago by CrimsonGirl

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Book But Focuses on the Wrong Problem
I am older and clearly not the target audience for this book. I belong to the "parents" generation. But I feel it is important to provide feedback from my generation... Read more
Published 14 months ago by LoneStarJeffe

5.0 out of 5 stars Strait forward and honest
I always like this author's books and this read was no exception. I was most surprised by what a fast read it is, considering my hesitancy to look at what my perceptions are about... Read more
Published 17 months ago by Pamela J.

5.0 out of 5 stars Smart, Timely Book
In this book, Nan Mooney strikes a cord with those in today's middle class. The real stories are fascinating. A smart, timely read. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Caroline S.

5.0 out of 5 stars awesome book
I thought this book was quite fantastic. Growing up my friends and I were told that if we went to college and got "a good job" we would be able to own our own home and send our... Read more
Published 17 months ago by V. Koos

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