The Queen

Book cover of The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth

Book description

*** WINNER OF THE NATIONAL CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY ***
*** LONGLISTED FOR THE PEN/JACQUELINE BOGRAD WELD AWARD FOR BIOGRAPHY ***

'The Queen is an invaluable work of non-fiction' - David Grann, Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Queen as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Mark Robert Rank

Author

One of the most enduring stereotypes about poverty and welfare, has been that of the welfare queen – someone living the good life on welfare and grossly abusing the system.

Ronald Reagan used the example of Linda Taylor in the 1970s to epitomize and capitalize on this myth in order to score political points. Josh Levin tracked down the actual story of Linda Taylor. As is so often the case, the truth is much stranger than fiction.

A riveting biography of the individual who was at ground zero of the welfare queen myth.

From Mark's list on understanding the paradox of American inequality.