Dignity: Seeking Respect and Equality in America's Back Row Communities

: Excellent

Italy on Jul 22, 2023

Steven N. Silver: The author visited small town America, mostly poor, minority, and often dangerous areas, for five years. His narrative was razor sharp; the photography was compelling. He was open about himself; fortunate, Catholic, liberal, with periods of alcohol and prescription drug abuse. He would ask others, " How do you want to be described?" And he would listen. He overcame mistrust, and he understood that interviewees did not want to be analyzed, humiliated or ignored. Most were without degrees or credentials, living in bleak neighborhoods without legal employment, and with at most limited ways to make money; sell drugs, weapons, protection, or exploited women. They looked for purpose and place in which they felt valued, often turf and bars, and parenthood for which they were often unprepared. Their parents might be absent or addicted. Many were born into rejection, isolation and despair.
Many in America's back row find shelter, escape from boredom, and community at McDonalds or other fast-food restaurants, and through evangelical churches in small buildings built for a different purpose. Through church they get hope, inclusion, esteem, guidance and freedom from rejection and judgment...

United States on Mar 24, 2023

Neil: This is a great book for fans of Chris Arnade. It's also good for gifting because it's an easy read, has decent photos, makes for good conversation and isn't partisan. Unless you want to make it partisan.

Unfortunately, Mr. Arnade doesn't have the answers for what plagues the underclass in America, so don't look to him for policy. This book is more descriptive than prescriptive.

For fans of the author you can follow him online for free or for a donation.

United States on Nov 16, 2022

Dennis: You cannot go wrong with this book. Opens your eyes to what we should all be striving for in the name of humanity.

Canada on Feb 06, 2021

E. Gardner: Very few books fundamentally change your outlook on life. Dignity, by Chris Arnade, is one of those books. Chris Arnade is a financier-turned-photographer who became disillusioned with his industry after the 2008–09 financial collapse. He turned to photography. After working at in investment bank in lower Manhattan he would walk towards the poor and forgotten parts of New York — taking pictures and talking with its residents.

He developed a framework to view modern America: The Front Row and Back Row. The Front Row is the overachievers, the ones who sat in the front row of class, got the right credentials and found themselves upwardly mobile in today’s information economy. They tend to migrate towards cities. The other, the back row, are those who didn’t. They either lacked the skills or didn’t value the credentials our new economy required. They were left behind.

Major politicians have spent the last two decades, arguing that our modern economy requires upskilling and movement. It’s an individual’s choice to be left behind. Sure, manufacturing is moving overseas, but so what? We’ll get cheaper socks, and if you’re a factory worker who lost their...

United States on Mar 19, 2020

William Jordan: The author tells us about, and photographs, back-row America in lots of places and the text and photos are all interesting. Mainly he tells us about the ways in which people cope with being in the back row - through drugs, religion, or identity - and how their lives are lived (the critical importance of McDonalds). Two discussions of Somali communities paint different pictures - one of relative success (in a Somali/white town) and one with more problems (where the town is Somali/white/Mexican)….

The author is strong on narrative and what has happened - jobs have disappeared; and education and mobility have become the keys to success; then bad things happen to the communities that are left behind...But there are no answers here

United Kingdom on Feb 05, 2020

MarcoPolo: Als Angestellter im New Yorker Wallstreet-Business war Christ Arnade ein Vertreter der "front row": gut verdienend inmitten gut verdienender Nachbarn, selbstverständlich liberal und "inklusiv" in seiner gesellschaftlichen Haltung. Die Toleranz der Mittelschicht hat aber eine Grenze: Wer nicht in der Lage oder nicht willens ist, Bildungsangebote anzunehmen, passt nicht ins Konzept einer Hochproduktivitäts-Wirtschaft. Wer es vorzieht, im Heimatort und bei der Familie zu bleiben, statt der Nachfrage am Arbeitsmarkt nachzureisen, gilt als dumb, verstockt und nicht zu retten.

Das ist die - längst auch in Europa - wachsende Schicht der "back row". Menschen, die zurückbleiben und sich isolieren in bröckelnden Stadtteilen oder Mietskasernen. Drogen bringen die Illusion von Lebensqualität und am Ende den toxischen Kreislauf von persönlichem Niedergang, kaputten Familien und Gewalt. Chris Arnade sucht sie auf und spricht mit ihnen. Offen, empathisch, ohne dabei dem einseitigen oder romantisierenden Blick des "Gutmenschen" zu verfallen. Er fängt ihre Lebenswelt sensibel und respektvoll in Fotos ein. Sein Buch wächst mit jeder Seite zu einem mächtigen Appell an die...

Germany on Feb 03, 2020

Paul T. Nicholas: This is a great book identifying the gaps we have in society right here in the U.S. I must say I'm guilty of pursuing education and status, as a way to get to the front row.

Hard work and rising a bit more in status does feel like it gives me the right to tell others to work and educate themselves like I did, which is wrong thinking.

I am a Christ follower and this is where I believe Chris was struggling with a decision about the Lord. Forget about religion. The Bible says it's easier for a camel to push through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to accept Christ and His Kingdom.

I can see this in my own life. I have everything I've ever wanted. Nice career, education, great family, healthy lifestyle, abundance of food. However, God has opened my eyes to the fact that He indeed has provided these things for me and I need to continue to grow in giving it back to him through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The poor do reach for the Lord more and when they truly find Him right where they are in their sin, He is there to take them in, have relationship with them and transform their lives beyond any material possessions the world has to offer.

United States on Dec 08, 2019

Tonyo: This is a new publication which I was led to by a favourable review in the Economist. It's a slim book padded out with lots of photographs, wide margins and wide spacing of lines. It's printed on super heavy, glossy paper to make it seem like a weighty book (and it is heavy).

The book is a study of what life in America is like for the most under-privileged people. It consists of more or less verbatim accounts of conversations with people the author meets on his travels. He summarises the common themes he hears and compares and contrasts their experiences with those of affluent Americans. The author really doesn't have that much to say and he repeats it many times, saying much the same thing about different people in different cities.

Nevertheless, since much of what he discovered appeared to be news to him, and therefore presumably to many other people with a similar socio-economic background, the book was well worth publishing. Maybe it should be compulsory reading. He did unearth some counter-intuitive facts, such as the churches are the most effective support organisations because they give people spiritual support - a sense of self worth and belonging - as well...

United Kingdom on Jun 19, 2019