Disposable
America's Contempt for the Underclass
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Table of Contents
About The Book
In the tradition of Matthew Desmond’s Evicted and Andrea Elliot’s Invisible Child, Disposable is a poignant exploration of America’s underclass, left vulnerable by systemic racism and capitalism. Here, Sarah Jones delves into the lives of the essential workers, seniors, and people with disabilities who were disproportionately affected by COVID-19—not due to their age or profession, but because of the systemic inequality and poverty that left them exposed.
The pandemic served as a stark revelation of the true state of America, a country where the dream of prosperity is a distant mirage for millions. Jones argues that the pandemic didn’t create these dynamics, but rather revealed the existing social mobility issues and wealth gap that have long plagued the nation. Behind the staggering death toll are stories of lives lost, injustices suffered, and institutions that failed to protect their people.
Jones brings these stories to the forefront, transforming the abstract concept of the pandemic into a deeply personal and political phenomenon. She argues that America has abandoned a sacrificial underclass of millions but insists that another future is possible. By addressing the pervasive issues of racial justice and public policy, Jones calls for a future where no one is seen as disposable again.
Product Details
- Publisher: Avid Reader Press/Simon & Schuster (February 18, 2025)
- Length: 304 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982197421
Raves and Reviews
“A deeply reported, enlightening, and empathetic look at the populations that were hit hardest by the pandemic . . . The most powerful parts of her book are the personal stories she gathers from families affected by COVID-19.” —Associated Press
“Incisive . . . In the tradition of Barbara Ehrenreich, [Jones] combines interviews and firsthand observation of poverty with deeply researched history. . . . A full-throated, class-first critique of how the right-wing tendencies of American capitalism made the pandemic so devastating for the working poor . . . What Jones brings to this telling is an unflinching focus on American capital, its unholy marriage to the political class, and the way that union has eroded ordinary people’s faith in authorities.” —The New Republic
“Sarah Jones’s dispatches on culture, politics, and religion for New York over the years have been essential reading. . . . A gripping, important subject given justice by its chronicler.” —Inside Hook
“A disquieting examination of the systemic flaws laid bare by Covid. … Jones’s vision of America isn’t one where the poor stumbled into Covid-era tragedy by happenstance but one in which it was intentionally engineered, and she interweaves her account with a mind-boggling assortment of anecdotes and insights that showcase systemic harm and humiliation. … It’s a ghastly panorama of the American way of life.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“Jones examines ways in which the excesses of predatory capitalism can be contained. . . . A powerful, heartfelt argument for a more humane economics.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Disposable is a massive work of journalism—and a masterful act of love. Meticulously reported, voraciously researched, and poignantly rendered, Sarah Jones makes the blurry clear and the unseen visible. Both a scathing rebuke of corporate health care and a clear-eyed call to action, this book reminds us that we should not and cannot put the pandemic behind us.” —Beth Macy, author of Dopesick
“Jones, a senior writer for New York magazine covering politics and religion, offers a mix of reporting and personal narrative as she explores inequality in the United States. Using COVID as her marker, she exposes how the nation creates an underclass it then sacrifices; she also lays out arguments to turn the tide.” —Library Journal
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- Book Cover Image (jpg): Disposable Hardcover 9781982197421
- Author Photo (jpg): Sarah Jones Anna Carson DeWitt(0.1 MB)
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