About the Book

An unsparing, incisive, yet ultimately hopeful look at how we can shed the American obsession with self-reliance that has made us less healthy, less secure, and less fulfilled

The promise that you can “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” is central to the story of the American Dream. It’s the belief that if you work hard and rely on your own resources, you will eventually succeed. However, time and again we have seen how this foundational myth, with its emphasis on individual determination, brittle self-sufficiency, and personal accomplishment, does not help us. Instead, as income inequality rises around us, we are left with shame and self-blame for our condition.

Acclaimed journalist Alissa Quart argues that at the heart of our suffering is a do-it-yourself ethos, the misplaced belief in our own independence and the conviction that we must rely on ourselves alone. Looking at a range of delusions and half solutions—from “grit” to the false Horatio Alger story to the rise of GoFundMe—Quart reveals how we have been steered away from robust social programs that would address the root causes of our problems. Meanwhile, the responsibility for survival has been shifted onto the backs of ordinary people, burdening generations with debt instead of providing the social safety net we so desperately need.

Insightful, sharply argued, and characterized by Quart’s lively writing and deep reporting, and for fans of Evicted and Nickel and Dimed, Bootstrapped is a powerful examination of what ails us at a societal level and a plan for how we can free ourselves from these self-defeating narratives.

Critical Praise

“In Bootstrapped, Alissa Quart takes you on a wild journey to the ideological heart of the self-made myth. The reporting and storytelling here are incredible; my jaw literally dropped several times. But even as Quart tears down ‘the bootstraps’ con through compelling portraits of lived realities, she also builds up a demonstration — at once realistic and utopian — of the many ‘arts of interdependence,’ as she calls them, on which we rely. Ultimately, this book left me with much-needed hope, resolve, and curiosity about all the things we make possible together.”  — Jenny Odell, author of How to Do Nothing

“Alissa Quart is a national treasure. Among other things, she's the foremost chronicler of this country’s increasingly downwardly mobile middle class. Bootstrapped is an incisive and alarming reminder that we deserve more than what this country offers. This stirring book exposes what Quart calls the ‘dystopian social safety net,’ showing that the real way to do better is to work together for the common good." — Astra Taylor, author of Democracy May Not Exist, But We'll Miss It When it's Gone

“Quart shreds the myth that white wealth comes from individualism. She also breaks down how this lie is used to exploit America’s poorest workers, creating unprecedented riches for the few. Clear writing and consequential arguments make Bootstrapped an enlightening and informative page turner.”  — Sarah Schulman, author of Let The Record Show

“In this illuminating book, Alissa Quart takes on the most powerful idea in America, exploring the mythology that we become rich through solitary hard work. She also offers more fulfilling community-based ideas that can help us actually achieve a good life. A very important read.”  — Arlie Hochschild, author of Strangers In Their Own Land

“Quart’s vision of an America where no one needs to put on “codified theatrical performances via social media” to get the help they need is a breath of fresh air. This eloquent and incisive call to action inspires.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A contrarian rebuttal of the notion that wealthy Americans deserve everything they have and that the “poor are responsible for their own poverty...A provocative, important repudiation of gig-economy capitalism that proposes utopian rather than dystopian solutions.”  — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“As the heir apparent to the late, great Barbara Ehrenreich, Alissa Quart takes on the American myth of the self-made man. She shows us how taking care of our fellow citizens has been largely left to a ragtag network of nonprofits trying to address structural inequality. A must read for understanding our moment and a fierce wake-up call.” — Beth Macy, author of Dopesick

“How maddening is it that one of the central metaphors of the American Dream started as a joke? In this elegant and incisive book, Quart challenges us to see a through line of self creation from Thoreau to Reagan, weaving together stylish analysis and evocative reporting. Quart is a fantastically entertaining literary class warrior.” — Zephyr Teachout, author of Corruption in America

“Alissa Quart reveals how the shortcomings of social policy have affected real people’s real lives. She shows us the ugly truth: the book is so compelling you can’t look away.” — Ray Suarez, author of Latino Americans

"Alissa Quart is an essential chronicler of American inequality, and at a moment when the schism between the wealthy and everyone else seems to be getting wider and deeper by the hour, we need her work more than ever." — Literary Hub

"Bootstrapped asks readers to begin by simply questioning the dominant narrative of the go-it-alone American success story. Recommended for fans of Matthew Desmond’s Evicted (2016), Linda Tirado’s Hand to Mouth (2014), and Barbara Ehrenreich’s Bright-Sided (2009)." — Booklist

“Bootstrapped puts words to beliefs that I struggled to articulate as a teen and that haunted me into adulthood…Just as important, Bootstrapped urges readers to rethink their narratives of accomplishment. Quart encourages us to stop shaming others, and ourselves, for needing assistance and to acknowledge the ways we are all interdependent.” — Atlantic Review

"In Bootstrapped, the author (Squeezed) and executive director of the Economic Hardship Reporting Project brilliantly debunks the American 'fantasy of self-reliance,' which has been around since the 1830s, when the notions of 'pull yourself up by your bootstraps' and become a 'self-made man' first appeared....her book is a thoughtful, nuanced examination of our 'self-punishing' individualism." — New York Journal of Books

-

Product Details

• ISBN: 9780063028005
• ISBN 10: 006302800X
• Imprint: Ecco
• On Sale: 03/14/2023
• Trimsize: 6.000 in (w) x 9.000 in (h) x 0.970 in (d)
• Pages: 288
• List Price: $32.00
• BISAC1 : POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Economic Policy
• BISAC2 : POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Social Policy
• BISAC3 : SOCIAL SCIENCE / Social Classes