Book Review: Heartland, by Sarah Smarsh

Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth (an autobiography) was incredible. And eye-opening. And bias-uncovering. And privilege awakening. Much like Eviction and Maid, I learned so much about the intersection of poverty, culture, and politics; but this time the tale was woven through the history of small family farms in our country. The writing was as stark and beautiful as the land it described. Through the gentle vehicle she uses to tell the story of growing up and out of the cycles she was born into, it’s clear how much respect she has for the women who came before her, doing the best they could with the circumstances they were given. It was lovely, and inspiring, and not always easy to accept. Please consider opening yourself up to it.

[Image: me, sitting cross-legged on the floor in a pair of red sneakers, holding a copy of Heartland by Sarah Smarsh. The top of my Christmas tree peeks out above my shoes.]

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