Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive

I really enjoyed the book and learned a lot about how many people struggle daily to make ends meet. I was disappointed how people in the medical field judge people without knowing their circumstances. I was pulling for her all the way and glad it worked out. I also learned that hard work does not always equate to success - sometimes you need luck on your side.

Maid written by Stephanie Land is a memoir about her story of overcoming poverty, homelessness, and being a single mother. In pursuit of trying to own a safe home for her child and accomplishing a degree in writing, the book explores the battles and struggles of surviving on a low- paying job as a cleaner. The author worked well with sharing the powerful message of self-perseverance. With everything that went wrong her strength and willingness to be the best for her daughter was portrayed throughout the entire book. A moment that stuck out to me was when Land shared her blog about Mia, to remember all the great stories and perks of being a mother. It is truly emotional through all Land went through, she kept her focus on her daughter, working and wanting to provide the best life for her. At times the chapters felt repetitive as they are labeled by houses she works at, but it is not my place to judge her story. The book opened my eyes to the reality of being a single parent and the importance of being financially responsible, seeing how quickly life events can change. It also helped me reflect on the opportunity and privilege of continuing school to receive higher education and job satisfaction that comes with earning a degree. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ = Liked it I thought the book was an overall good read and has a powerful, positive message. It does end short, but there is a second part to Maid. Land inspires many who go through similar life experiences and shows how much people need grace because we never know what someone is going through.

It took me a while to get into the book, only because I was a single mom at one time, raising my two daughters. Once I got into it, I couldn't put it down. The struggle to afford necessities while providing for a small child is no easy feat. I related to the loneliness and isolation of single parenthood while friends, coworkers, and acquaintances are all married and seem to be thriving in life. Land's portrayal of systemic poverty, clawing her way out one class and semester at a time, resonated with me. Land's book touched on many situations I experienced as a single mother, and I appreciated her storytelling. However, I would have liked to read more about her interactions with her daughter in the book's first half. Overall, I give it five stars because I find myself thinking about the book after finishing it, and it's stayed with me, reminding me of what I endured as a single parent and what I overcame as well. Land's book also makes me want to deep clean my house, but I will resist that temptation. I would recommend others to read.

This one of the best books I have read in a while. It reveals of what it takes to keep your head above water while working for low wages, and leaving an abusive relationship. This book has enough evidence for ways to overhaul social services in our country

Maid by Stephanie Land is the story of a single mother and her story of escaping an abusive relationship, and finding herself in poverty all while trying to raise her young daughter. Land tells her story of how she attempted to make means to provide for her daughter. Eventually she gets a job as a maid and shares her clients story’s as she observes their households. This book was very inspiring and well written. I felt very moved hearing the story of a single mom preserve through her struggles. I would note though that this is a very wordy book. There are many pages in a row with zero dialogue. She goes into great detail about her clients homes and it can be pretty boring. If you’re a single mother I would definitely suggest reading this, I personally had no connection to her story so I did not really have that “I can’t put this down” feeling when reading this book.

This book is written in first person, the narrator being a newly single mother, and trying to go through the system of poverty, after realizing her last relationship was toxic. Netflix also has created a limited series (10 episode series) based on this book. The names and some of the situations have been changed. While I really enjoyed the show and its episodes, I enjoyed the book much more. This book tells the unfortunate story that so many have been through, domestic violence victims escaping, and having to start over because they relied on their previous partner for finances. It's not easy being poor, and it's definitely not easy being a single mother (I was a victim and then a single mother, but I earned the money, though he stole a lot of it.) Anyway, I didn't know if this book would be a trigger, but it wasn't. I think it is a must read for anyone, no matter who they are. This is the world of government assistance, WIC, SNAP benefits, and the search not just for housing but for a safe home, one that will not cause illness. This is such an inspiring story. She wrote the book well, and it brings to light some of the things that others may either not know about or want to know about. The After Show with McKensie Stewart & Amy Shannon is also doing a Write to Reel segment on this book and the limited series.

Plugged into a system of unrelenting poverty, domestic abuse and family dysfunction, she cleans her way to freedom and self respect. Life can derail dreams and send someone down a dark and depressing path. In the case of Stephanie Land, her aspirations to go to college and to become a writer were dashed because of an unplanned pregnancy after a summer fling. The father wanted her to terminate the pregnancy but that was not the choice she would make. At 28 years of age she soon became a single mother and took a job as a housekeeper, struggling to survive on meager wages. Soon her and her daughter were homeless. Despite the low wages and difficult conditions she continued her work as a maid and took interest in her clients lives and often wondered about their lifestyles and wrote about the people and their houses even though most were not present during her cleaning duties. She was just a "nameless ghost" going about her business of cleaning dirty toilets and scrubbing complete households. She wrote about her experiences with navigating government programs, which included food stamps and housing assistance. Land was shamed by government employees who were suppose to help her and she also faced the wrath of others in food stores who looked down on her as she desperately tried to keep herself and her child fed. She and her daughter were stigmatized as just another member of the working poor. It takes courage to write a memoir about situations and struggles that most would want to put behind them; however it's these life changing events that makes for an interesting and sobering story. I liked her writing style and the honesty about her choices in life. I applaud her accomplishments, especially her endeavors to become an accomplished writer. She made it to the top of the best seller lists! If you're looking for a memoir that brings with it inspiration and grit, this is it! I loved it!

My adult daughter suggested we form a book club of two and read this book together. She has seen the Netflix series and told me about it but her idea to read this together was a highlight in life for me and she couldn’t have chosen a better book! I literally felt every emotion of this mom. I saw so much of my mom in her and the struggles she endured. My mom had to do those things too. I had seen them from the child’s perspective firsthand but now I can see them from hers. I could totally identify with the mom and her desire to be a writer and her goal to be better than any generation before. I have a similar bond with my daughter and could appreciate every heart-tugging emotion she experienced. I haven’t walked in her shoes but my shoes have walked on many of the same paths as hers while leading me on a different journey. This book brings so much of her struggle to light allowing you to appreciate those in her position and maybe even shows us ways where we are failing people like her in our own lives. Perhaps an enlightened view of her life can lead to us as women collectively working to improve our laws, resources, and even our own mindsets so we change the world our future daughters, granddaughters, and nieces set out to conquer on their own one day soon. It is possible!

Amazing book, so easy to read and so motivational! Never give up and never settle for just surviving! Would definitely recommend it to everyone.

I've had this book for a while now. Only just got around to reading it. I thought it a very easy read and have already bought her other book. This book taught me some life lessons and I found myself agreeing with alot of her beliefs I read this book in a little under a week.I first perchased it when Nerflix was showing the series which is different in many ways .

This book highlights all too well the privilege of having family and friends around you who will lift you up in times of need. Stephanie‘s story has little to do with making bad decisions and it simply shows how circumstances can be so different for us all. Getting pregnant at 28 is hardly something to sneer at and many in this situation would have parents to help and potentially a degree behind them already. I wanted to jump into the book and give Stephanie a hug. Having so little support and having to struggle through this rough time making all the big and little decisions solo would have been so isolating -to say the least. I applaud her success in climbing out of her struggle and still enjoy watching her savour all the richer moments in life through her Twitter and Instagram. You go girl!

This novel is apparently the true story of a single mother working hard and fighting utter poverty all the time. It is both sad and conforting to know that some people never renounce and eventually succeed.

Fue un regalo y todo muy bien