Class Lives is an anthology of narratives dramatizing the lived experience of class in America. It includes forty original essays from authors who represent a range of classes, genders, races, ethnicities, ages, and occupations across the United States. Born into poverty, working class, the middle class, and the owning class-and every place in between-the contributors describe their class journeys in narrative form, recounting one or two key stories that illustrate their growing awareness of class and their place, changing or stable, within the class system.

Introduction: Caviar, College, Coupons, and Cheeseby Felice YeskelPART I. POOR AND LOW INCOMECleaning Up the Trash: Fighting Shameby Linda StoutNorth American Peasantby Fisher LavellI Work with Worn-Out Toolsby Janet LightfootMexican Girl from Fontanaby Geneva Reynaga-AbikoWhat They Say about Poor Girlsby Stephanie JonesBetter Thanby Patience RageNo Yellow Tickets: The Stigma of Poverty in the School Lunch Lineby Wendy WilliamsPART II. WORKING CLASSReflectionsThose of Us from Rio Lindaby Dwight LangThe Cost of Passingby John Rosario-PerezThe Floors of the Metby Karen EstrellaWashroom Class Politicsby Timothy HarrisArtichokesby N. Jeanne BurnsHere's How to Drive the Poor Crazyby Michaelann BewseeRed Datsun Securityby Karen SpectorWorking Class and CollegeA Box from My Grandfatherby Janet CaseyVacuum Cleaner Truthby Sierra FleenorI Am Working Classby Michelle M. TokarczykHitting the Academic Class Ceilingby K. StrickerBlue-Collar Heart, Ivy League Worldby Jennifer O'Connor DuffyBetween Scarcity and Plentyby Camisha JonesA Nuyorican's Journey to Higher Education: Toward Meritocracy or Internalized Classism?by Jim BonillaMy Parents' Hands Are on My Backby Christine OverallPART III. MIDDLE CLASS"Better Be Street": My Adventures in Cross-Class Romanceby Polly TroutIt's Who You Know and How You Talkby Betsy Leondar-WrightChildhood Friendship: When Class Didn't Matterby Pamela BurrowsFinding Myself in the Middleby Monica CrumbackA Privileged Path in a Class-Shattered Worldby Anne EllingerOreo?: A Black American Experienceby John VaughnClass Is Always with Usby Kyle HarrisPART IV. OWNING CLASSBorn on Third Baseby Chuck CollinsMoney Was Never a Worryby Catherine OrlandThe Women Who Cared for My Grandparentsby Sarah BurgessWhat Was It Like Growing Up Owning-Class?by Jennifer LaddA Day of Traveling across the Class Spectrumby Charlotte RedwaySocial Capitalby Sally GottesmanPART V. MIXED CLASSComing Cleanby April RosenblumFerragamos: A Cross-Class Experienceby Zoe GreenbergGirl Scout Greenby Mariah BooneLiving beyond Class: My Journey from Haiti to Harvardby Jacques FleuryAfterword: The Power of Storyby Chuck CollinsAbout the ContributorsResourcesAbout Class Action