Edin, Kathryn

"Three of the nation's top scholars, known for tackling key mysteries about poverty in America, turn their attention from the country's poorest people to its poorest places. Based on a fresh, data-driven approach, they discover that America's most disadvantaged communities are not the big cities that get the most notice. Instead, nearly all are rural. Little if any attention has been paid to these places or to the people who make their lives there. This revelation set in motion a five-year journey across Appalachia, the Cotton and Tobacco Belts of the Deep South, and South Texas. Immersing themselves in these communities, pouring over centuries of local history, attending parades and festivals, the authors trace the legacies of the deepest poverty in America, including inequalities shaping people's health, livelihoods, and upward social mobility for families"--Provided by publisher.

Studies the economic life of single mothers on welfare and in low-paying jobs, and argues that while women who hold jobs do have more income, they are less able to make ends meet due to the increased costs of child care, transportation, and other expenses.

Discusses the reasons some poor single mothers have children before focusing on marriage, despite the economic and societal risks, based on discussions with 162 low-income women.