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Title details for Scratch Beginnings by Adam W. Shepard - Available

Scratch Beginnings

by Adam W. Shepard
ebook
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A young man sets out to prove the American Dream is alive and well in this memoir of homelessness, grit, and perseverance.
After reading Barbara Ehrenreich's influential book, Nickel and Dimed, Adam Shepard felt discouraged by its hopeless view of American opportunity. He set out to disprove Ehrenreich's theory—the notion that those who start at the bottom stay at the bottom—by making something out of nothing to achieve the American Dream.
Shepard's plan was simple. With a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and $25 in cash, and restricted from using his contacts or college education, he headed out for Charleston, South Carolina, a randomly selected city with one objective: to work his way out of homelessness and into a life that would give him the opportunity for success. His goal was to have, after one year, $2,500, a working automobile, and a furnished apartment.
Scratch Beginnings is a personal account of Shepard's struggle to overcome the pressures placed on the homeless. His story will not only inspire readers but will also remind them that success can come to anyone who is willing to work hard—and that America is still one of the most hopeful countries in the world.
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Publisher: HarperCollins

Kindle Book

  • Release date: August 18, 2023

OverDrive Read

  • ISBN: 9780061981777
  • Release date: August 18, 2023

EPUB ebook

  • ISBN: 9780061981777
  • File size: 780 KB
  • Release date: August 18, 2023
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Formats

Kindle Book
OverDrive Read
EPUB ebook

subjects

Biography & Autobiography Sociology Nonfiction

Languages

English

Levels

Lexile® Measure:1040
Text Difficulty:6-8

A young man sets out to prove the American Dream is alive and well in this memoir of homelessness, grit, and perseverance.
After reading Barbara Ehrenreich's influential book, Nickel and Dimed, Adam Shepard felt discouraged by its hopeless view of American opportunity. He set out to disprove Ehrenreich's theory—the notion that those who start at the bottom stay at the bottom—by making something out of nothing to achieve the American Dream.
Shepard's plan was simple. With a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and $25 in cash, and restricted from using his contacts or college education, he headed out for Charleston, South Carolina, a randomly selected city with one objective: to work his way out of homelessness and into a life that would give him the opportunity for success. His goal was to have, after one year, $2,500, a working automobile, and a furnished apartment.
Scratch Beginnings is a personal account of Shepard's struggle to overcome the pressures placed on the homeless. His story will not only inspire readers but will also remind them that success can come to anyone who is willing to work hard—and that America is still one of the most hopeful countries in the world.
Expand title description text
Biography & Autobiography Sociology Nonfiction
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