What do you think?
Rate this book
Reading Classes: On Culture and Classism in America
Discussions of class make many Americans uncomfortable. This accessible book makes class visible in everyday life. Solely identifying political and economic inequalities between classes offers an incomplete picture of class dynamics in America, and may not connect with people's lived experiences. In Reading Classes , Barbara Jensen explores the anguish caused by class in our society, identifying classism―or anti–working class prejudice―as a central factor in the reproduction of inequality in America. Giving voice to the experiences and inner lives of working-class people, Jensen―a community and counseling psychologist―provides an in-depth, psychologically informed examination of how class in America is created and re-created through culture, with an emphasis on how working- and middle-class cultures differ and conflict. This book is unique in its claim that working-class cultures have positive qualities that serve to keep members within them, and that can haunt those who leave them behind. Through both autobiographical reflections on her dual citizenship in the working class and middle class and the life stories of students, clients, and relatives, Jensen brings into focus the clash between the realities of working-class life and middle-class expectations for working-class people. Focusing on education, she finds that at every point in their personal development and educational history, working-class children are misunderstood, ignored, or disrespected by middle-class teachers and administrators. Education, while often hailed as a way to "cross classes," brings with it its own set of conflicts and internal struggles. These problems can lead to a divided self, resulting in alienation and suffering for the upwardly mobile student. Jensen suggests how to increase awareness of the value of working-class cultures to a truly inclusive American society at personal, professional, and societal levels.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2012
7 people are currently reading
429 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
June 20, 2012
There are social classes in America??
Jensen brings up the verboten topic of class in America. We’re all one big class right? We’ve been lead to believe we’re all middle class with a froth of elite billionaires at the very top. Wrong. The working class makes up 63% of American society and the middle class make up 36% with 10% of those being upper middle class. I wish Jensen had been clearer where the demarcations between classes lay but I understand how that would be all but impossible. Instead she defines the working class as those who have not gone on to earn a four year degree and who work with their hands. They’re also characterized by a devotion to their friends and family and interacting with them in a cooperative way. They don’t seek to stand out but to get along amongst their peers, to fit in. Jensen also makes the point that without the work they do American society would be at a standstill. The working class is largely invisible to the rest of us yet we count on them to make us comfortable and supply our material needs.
Middle classes are taught to be individuals first and to compete. There is no premium placed on cooperation. They are expected to have at least a bachelor’s degree. They work at desks with ideas. Their product is thought that helps the elite class get and keep their market share. Propping up the elite class (A few times Jensen refers to these elite as a capitalist class.). This is something both the Middle and Working classes share…..serving the most affluent Americans. She also points out that those who achieve a college degree can squeak into the middle class but that often comes at the expense of distancing ourselves from our working class roots and families.
“Reading Classes” is a versatile book. I hope many lay people will read but also that it makes its way into sociology or psychology courses especially courses with an emphasis on cross cultural issues. I recently read Masih’s (editor) “The Chalk Circle” which included essays written by recent immigrants, minorities, and Americans growing up or living outside the US who were born here but experienced a different America than the middle classes. “Reading Classes” could shed light in economics or communications courses as well.
This is a well researched, academic book yet it’s amazingly readable. It’s almost like she was writing for us working classes! It’s close to impossible not to take it personally and to try and find your place in its paradigm. Jensen opened my eyes to many dynamics that have baffled me over the years especially in work situations. She states that though the working classes might use less complex words they have a vast repertoire of body cues and nuances that are easily understood by those with the same background. The middle classes, on the other hand, have been taught to ‘use their words’. The only legitimate communication is verbal; all other types should be ignored. In my career I’ve often been at a loss at meeting post mortems with my co-workers. When I give my take on the proceedings my co-workers reply to my observations with something such as, “That’s NOT what they said!” But they did. I saw it. I felt it.
At less than 250 pages this is a small book but you’ll find yourself reading slowly and pausing to contemplate her ideas. Again I’d like to emphasize how clearly and well Jensen writes.
This review was based on an e-galley provided by the publisher.
Jensen brings up the verboten topic of class in America. We’re all one big class right? We’ve been lead to believe we’re all middle class with a froth of elite billionaires at the very top. Wrong. The working class makes up 63% of American society and the middle class make up 36% with 10% of those being upper middle class. I wish Jensen had been clearer where the demarcations between classes lay but I understand how that would be all but impossible. Instead she defines the working class as those who have not gone on to earn a four year degree and who work with their hands. They’re also characterized by a devotion to their friends and family and interacting with them in a cooperative way. They don’t seek to stand out but to get along amongst their peers, to fit in. Jensen also makes the point that without the work they do American society would be at a standstill. The working class is largely invisible to the rest of us yet we count on them to make us comfortable and supply our material needs.
Middle classes are taught to be individuals first and to compete. There is no premium placed on cooperation. They are expected to have at least a bachelor’s degree. They work at desks with ideas. Their product is thought that helps the elite class get and keep their market share. Propping up the elite class (A few times Jensen refers to these elite as a capitalist class.). This is something both the Middle and Working classes share…..serving the most affluent Americans. She also points out that those who achieve a college degree can squeak into the middle class but that often comes at the expense of distancing ourselves from our working class roots and families.
“Reading Classes” is a versatile book. I hope many lay people will read but also that it makes its way into sociology or psychology courses especially courses with an emphasis on cross cultural issues. I recently read Masih’s (editor) “The Chalk Circle” which included essays written by recent immigrants, minorities, and Americans growing up or living outside the US who were born here but experienced a different America than the middle classes. “Reading Classes” could shed light in economics or communications courses as well.
This is a well researched, academic book yet it’s amazingly readable. It’s almost like she was writing for us working classes! It’s close to impossible not to take it personally and to try and find your place in its paradigm. Jensen opened my eyes to many dynamics that have baffled me over the years especially in work situations. She states that though the working classes might use less complex words they have a vast repertoire of body cues and nuances that are easily understood by those with the same background. The middle classes, on the other hand, have been taught to ‘use their words’. The only legitimate communication is verbal; all other types should be ignored. In my career I’ve often been at a loss at meeting post mortems with my co-workers. When I give my take on the proceedings my co-workers reply to my observations with something such as, “That’s NOT what they said!” But they did. I saw it. I felt it.
At less than 250 pages this is a small book but you’ll find yourself reading slowly and pausing to contemplate her ideas. Again I’d like to emphasize how clearly and well Jensen writes.
This review was based on an e-galley provided by the publisher.
July 1, 2012
This book is an interesting combination of a personal memoir and an analysis of theoretical and sociological studies addressing class issues in the US. The author is a psychologist who grew up in a working class family and due to her education and job has “crossed over” (her terminology) to the middle class. Her experience seems to be primarily rooted in the Midwest. She writes about class bias in the US, mainly as it effects school children and patients in counseling but as to others as well. The author’s theory is, “the most common form of classism is solipsism, or my-world-is-the whole-world, what I call class-blinder. The inability to see beyond one’s own world. The unspoken assumption is that everyone could know these things but that some are too primitive or unevolved to want to know.. Solipsism is often accompanied by judgments of taste: another form of classism. ‘Oh my God, she had plastic flowers and the couch was orange plaid! So tacky ….’ ”
One of the characteristics of people in the middle class, posits the author, v. working class, is that work and careers are the center of the middle class adult’s life, rather than working to live – a career defines a life. “For middle class people like me, too often, work is our life. Not only is this lonelier, it leads to problems like workaholism and emotional devastation if one loses one’s jobs.” I for one can completely identify with this. My career and its demands swallows everything up; it seems like my family revolves around my job demands. But when I visit with family and friends where I grew up, this concept just seems so foreign to them. I can’t help wondering who has it better?
Class is something I think about a lot. I work in a career that has me surrounded by upper middle class and upper class individuals. Most of my colleagues and clients came from this kind of background and married someone from a similar background. I live in an economically diverse community, to a certain extent but again the majority of people I know and who I socialize with are upper middle class and came from that type of background. I grew up in a small rural factory town and while my parents are professionals, there is no real segregation in such a small community. Everyone knows and socializes with everyone else. I thought that was normal growing up – but I learned quickly in college and in my professional career that what I thought was routine is not normal for other people. Most of the people I know, their only exposure to working class America is through movies or when they hire someone to do work for them. And unlike most of the people I know from college, grad school or law school, I married a working class man – our family straddles multiple lines and categories. Thus, going in to the book I felt very sympathetic to this author’s position and role. I started this book with high hopes and looked forward to new revelations. I am not sure it brought me new revelations, but it definitively helped me identify my own class judgments and prejudices.
The analysis of theory and sociological studies is very well done. Ms Jensen posits some interesting ideas concerning how middle class and working class families socialize their children in very different ways and that American schools are set up to be institutionally biased in favor of middle class children. She writes that working class parents socialize their children to survive in a group and work with other people as a group; whereas, middle class parents socialize their children to be focused on themselves and be an individual. For example, “middle class children were trained by their parents to name, hold and retrieve content from books and other print materials. They were further taught (1) to ask questions frequently; (2) to expect answers they can understand; (3) to answer questions themselves; and (4) to elaborate.”
Her observations and summaries are interesting stuff. They made me think and continue to make me think about my role, my family and how we fit into American society. I think it is worthwhile for most middle class and upper middle class people, particularly educators, health care workers and counselors to consider how class bias and class structure influences their way of thinking and approaching people.
Ultimately though, I thought the memoir sections were not well written and didn’t add much to the story. If it was entirely memoirs, I would have rated this book around 2 stars. In the end, I skimmed these parts. The personal narrative should have been edited significantly or written with a different tone. I do think that this book is worth the read to encourage readers to think about class, how so much judgment and disdain is built in to our daily thought process and ideas for changing this. So much of what we consider to be racism and xenophobia is tied into class as well. This book was enlightening to me and provided my husband and I a lot to discuss. Coming from such a different background he often has very different ideas on how our kids should spend their free time and this book opened my eyes to see his point of view.
One of the characteristics of people in the middle class, posits the author, v. working class, is that work and careers are the center of the middle class adult’s life, rather than working to live – a career defines a life. “For middle class people like me, too often, work is our life. Not only is this lonelier, it leads to problems like workaholism and emotional devastation if one loses one’s jobs.” I for one can completely identify with this. My career and its demands swallows everything up; it seems like my family revolves around my job demands. But when I visit with family and friends where I grew up, this concept just seems so foreign to them. I can’t help wondering who has it better?
Class is something I think about a lot. I work in a career that has me surrounded by upper middle class and upper class individuals. Most of my colleagues and clients came from this kind of background and married someone from a similar background. I live in an economically diverse community, to a certain extent but again the majority of people I know and who I socialize with are upper middle class and came from that type of background. I grew up in a small rural factory town and while my parents are professionals, there is no real segregation in such a small community. Everyone knows and socializes with everyone else. I thought that was normal growing up – but I learned quickly in college and in my professional career that what I thought was routine is not normal for other people. Most of the people I know, their only exposure to working class America is through movies or when they hire someone to do work for them. And unlike most of the people I know from college, grad school or law school, I married a working class man – our family straddles multiple lines and categories. Thus, going in to the book I felt very sympathetic to this author’s position and role. I started this book with high hopes and looked forward to new revelations. I am not sure it brought me new revelations, but it definitively helped me identify my own class judgments and prejudices.
The analysis of theory and sociological studies is very well done. Ms Jensen posits some interesting ideas concerning how middle class and working class families socialize their children in very different ways and that American schools are set up to be institutionally biased in favor of middle class children. She writes that working class parents socialize their children to survive in a group and work with other people as a group; whereas, middle class parents socialize their children to be focused on themselves and be an individual. For example, “middle class children were trained by their parents to name, hold and retrieve content from books and other print materials. They were further taught (1) to ask questions frequently; (2) to expect answers they can understand; (3) to answer questions themselves; and (4) to elaborate.”
Her observations and summaries are interesting stuff. They made me think and continue to make me think about my role, my family and how we fit into American society. I think it is worthwhile for most middle class and upper middle class people, particularly educators, health care workers and counselors to consider how class bias and class structure influences their way of thinking and approaching people.
Ultimately though, I thought the memoir sections were not well written and didn’t add much to the story. If it was entirely memoirs, I would have rated this book around 2 stars. In the end, I skimmed these parts. The personal narrative should have been edited significantly or written with a different tone. I do think that this book is worth the read to encourage readers to think about class, how so much judgment and disdain is built in to our daily thought process and ideas for changing this. So much of what we consider to be racism and xenophobia is tied into class as well. This book was enlightening to me and provided my husband and I a lot to discuss. Coming from such a different background he often has very different ideas on how our kids should spend their free time and this book opened my eyes to see his point of view.
August 12, 2012
This book magnificently illuminates the cultural dimension of class differences. Goes far beyond defining class in economic, or even socioeconomic, terms. Should be read by everyone who has any kind of professional contact with those outside their own class, especially teachers and counselors.
An amazingly smooth and entertaining read, for a book so thoroughly researched and academically rigorous. Jensen seamlessly blends personal memoir, penetrating insight, and scientific research to present a valuable addition to writings about social class in America.
An amazingly smooth and entertaining read, for a book so thoroughly researched and academically rigorous. Jensen seamlessly blends personal memoir, penetrating insight, and scientific research to present a valuable addition to writings about social class in America.
May 28, 2013
I bought this book after attending a panel and workshop presented by the author at a con, and I was so hungry to learn more that I bought her book. Class in America is a subject that we don't like to talk about. In fact, many people pretend (and maybe even believe)it doesn't exist.
Jensen is an academic, and the writing lapses into a more academic style at times, but she peppers this book with enough anecdotes to make it accessible to ordinary people. She talks about the differences between working class and middle class people, from raising children to the structure of family gatherings to work culture and attitudes towards independence and school and solidarity. She talks about how cultural differences between classes are sometimes couched as differences in morality or taste.
What I liked most about this book is the way in which it made me think about the difference between classes as cultural differences. It made me realize that "go to school and get an education so you can get ahead" basically just means to go from working class to middle class, with the inherent costs of distancing oneself from ones culture. It made me think about the war on the working class. I think it's no surprise that more than one television show that invites the middle class to mock the working class came out right after the Occupy Wall Street movement. After all, the first thing that the CIA does when it wants to destabilize a country (so they can take over)is to inflame preexisting internecine tensions.
The author has a distinct liberal slant, which isn't surprising considering the subject matter. I roll my eyes at Obama-worship, but I skimmed past the political slant, because this book has very valuable information here about class in America. I recommend this for people who want to know more about how our country works.
Jensen is an academic, and the writing lapses into a more academic style at times, but she peppers this book with enough anecdotes to make it accessible to ordinary people. She talks about the differences between working class and middle class people, from raising children to the structure of family gatherings to work culture and attitudes towards independence and school and solidarity. She talks about how cultural differences between classes are sometimes couched as differences in morality or taste.
What I liked most about this book is the way in which it made me think about the difference between classes as cultural differences. It made me realize that "go to school and get an education so you can get ahead" basically just means to go from working class to middle class, with the inherent costs of distancing oneself from ones culture. It made me think about the war on the working class. I think it's no surprise that more than one television show that invites the middle class to mock the working class came out right after the Occupy Wall Street movement. After all, the first thing that the CIA does when it wants to destabilize a country (so they can take over)is to inflame preexisting internecine tensions.
The author has a distinct liberal slant, which isn't surprising considering the subject matter. I roll my eyes at Obama-worship, but I skimmed past the political slant, because this book has very valuable information here about class in America. I recommend this for people who want to know more about how our country works.
April 2, 2018
I really got a lot out of this book--it helped me to contextualize some of my family's dynamics. Highly recommended if you're working class; Jensen portrays working class people and their communities with respect and love and a bit of idealization as well.
December 29, 2012
I have tried to read this book several times since I picked it up. Sometimes it makes me angry, sometimes it doesn't, sometimes my emotions get the better of me. I have no idea why, but I can't read this book for the sake of reading it. I take it personally...which is weird, because I think the author and I have a lot in common. Still, some of the things she says makes me take them in a way she does not intend, I know she doesn't, but still I have to walk away. I've suggested other people read it, so it's not that I hate it, I just hate what it makes me feel. I'm walking away, again, for now, and maybe, I'll walk back to it again in the future, maybe.
April 1, 2013
The information was a bit repetitive. I felt the book could have been about half as long. There was, however, a great combination of information and memoir to support the culture of the working-class.
July 20, 2012
She is an amazing woman who deserves to be out there in the public eye and recognized for her contributions to the field. (*stephen colbert* hint hint*)
July 17, 2013
Great book, important subject matter, and a much needed discussion in this country.
August 13, 2018
I learned so much, including why college was so difficult for this first-gen college student 40 years ago. Good read!
December 30, 2023
As someone who grew up in working class family, in working class schools, who has had to navigate middle class spaces, culture, and systems, this book has given me an incredibly powerful and validating understanding of my experiences with middle and working class culture. I'll be thinking about and processing the information in this book for many years and will continue to recommend it highly to anyone who wants to understand class better, especially to working class friends and family. Easily one of the best books on class I've ever read. Shoutout to Barbara Jensen, a true working class hero!
July 23, 2025
The many specific descriptions of behaviors and preferences of both working and middle class people were informative and I can see many in my daily activities. Being aware of these differences can undoubtedly help anyone to better understand another's background while avoiding misinterpretations. Definitely one of the better books on crossovers between working & middle class.
December 1, 2019
I read this for a college English class, not a book I would choose myself. It said the same things over and over. I enjoyed the stories from the author's personal and professional life.
January 27, 2020
WOW This book explains so much- I think this is particularly important for those in education fields to read.
February 12, 2016
-This book should be called: Let's Make America Collectivist So We Can All Be Poor Together!
-Book was extremely repetitive, boring, repetitive, incorrect, self-obsessed, and did I mention repetitive? The whole thing could be edited down to a 10-page personal essay.
-Author is not educated, but she thinks she is. There were no truly intelligent moments in this book. It was more one long excuse as to why she was such a horrible jerk in high school. Though the way she writes about it, she makes it clear that she was "cool" and being obnoxious wasn't her fault.
-Author is so irrational, so uneducated, and simply NOT bright, she will praise unions on the same page that she laments the destruction of the small family businesses, totally unaware of the role that unions play in making it impossible for small businesses to make it. She thinks the problem with America is the new middle class individualism that has sprung up in the last 40 years. That's right, she genuinely thinks American individualism is new. And a problem.
-She thinks she has written a book about middle-class prejudice against lower class, but misses her repeated jabs at the middle-class and the intense prejudice the lower-class feels against the middle class.
-I could go on an on but this book was so bad it just isn't worth any more of my time.
-Book was extremely repetitive, boring, repetitive, incorrect, self-obsessed, and did I mention repetitive? The whole thing could be edited down to a 10-page personal essay.
-Author is not educated, but she thinks she is. There were no truly intelligent moments in this book. It was more one long excuse as to why she was such a horrible jerk in high school. Though the way she writes about it, she makes it clear that she was "cool" and being obnoxious wasn't her fault.
-Author is so irrational, so uneducated, and simply NOT bright, she will praise unions on the same page that she laments the destruction of the small family businesses, totally unaware of the role that unions play in making it impossible for small businesses to make it. She thinks the problem with America is the new middle class individualism that has sprung up in the last 40 years. That's right, she genuinely thinks American individualism is new. And a problem.
-She thinks she has written a book about middle-class prejudice against lower class, but misses her repeated jabs at the middle-class and the intense prejudice the lower-class feels against the middle class.
-I could go on an on but this book was so bad it just isn't worth any more of my time.
January 17, 2017
Insightful and important. In her writing debut, Barbara Jensen crafts an effective case for the working class-middle class cultural chasm. She details the differences, and to a lesser extent the similarities, between the cultures, providing poignant examples, and describes what these differences mean in terms of education, economics, mental health, parenting, and social contexts. She devotes thoughtful chapters to the experience of "class-crossover," wherein individuals shift from working class to middle class by various means. Jensen's own working class background and training as a psychologist give depth and candor to her valuable work.
December 16, 2014
I'm glad I read this book and learned about the class system in the US. The book focuses on working-class families from Minnesota (or really anywhere in the Midwest), but applies to other working-class communities as well.
I hadn't realized that I was guilty of solipsism. In fact, I hadn't realized that there even was such a word! :-) Seriously, I thought my middle-class worldview and upbringing were more universal than they really are, and was very interested to learn about a typical working-class upbringing, communication styles, collaboration versus competitiveness, etc.
I hadn't realized that I was guilty of solipsism. In fact, I hadn't realized that there even was such a word! :-) Seriously, I thought my middle-class worldview and upbringing were more universal than they really are, and was very interested to learn about a typical working-class upbringing, communication styles, collaboration versus competitiveness, etc.
July 18, 2014
Usually not my type of book, but this really was interesting. Really opened my eyes to the issue of class in America, and challenged many long held perceptions. If read with your own experiences in mind you can learn a lot about yourself as well. Highly recommend this book!
Read
November 18, 2015Thought provoking
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews