I was hoping for some fresh ideas on how the left can connect with the working class, but this Audiobook fell flat. The arguments weren't persuasive, and the writing was tedious. Thank you to MacMillan audio and NetGalley for this ALC for my honest review.

I was absolutely the target audience for Outclassed. I love learning about class as the division in this country and I was really excited for some new information and perspective on that. I think Williams does a great job collecting and presenting a lot of data about class/the education gap/job opportunities in the US but I don't know if she lands making a cohesive argument shaped by those data points. It felt a bit info-dumpy at times. Ultimately, I agree with Williams' argument, I just don't know if she offers much in the way of tangible solutions and I'm not sure many will get through this without feeling bogged down at times.

The narration was great as was the audio production. I would highly recommend this version of the book to prospective readers.

Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class and How to Win Them Back by Joan C. Williams (book image in cover) feels less like a new book but more like an update on her previous book White Working Class. Expanding on the foundation of the previous book, this is more inclusive of all working class populations and provides more details on how the Right has used class anger to appeal to populations they didn't have access to in the past. In addition it provides a roadmap for the left to regain some traction again with portions of the working class population support they have lost.

The narration by Kirsten Potter made this academic topic easy to understand and follow, allowing me to complete the book in one sitting. I recommend this book for those who are interested in current affairs, socioeconomics and politics.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Rating: 5 Stars
Release Date: May 20 2025

#MacmillanAudio
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There is no shortage of books addressing why working class whites feel ignored, under appreciated, and drawn to right wing political platforms. In this timely and well-written book the author frames this in terms of class, what the left could do to be more welcoming, and why it's important to do so

I think the words to describe this book would be "meh" and "oversimplification". This author, like so many of her predecessors and peers, focuses on "class" while failing to take other factors into account like mis/disinformation, social pressures, racism, and others. Some of the suggestions are helpful but as Trump 2.0 unfolds more horrors daily, this books feels outdated already.

I initially started to take notes on each chapter, saying who needed to read this book. But the time I was done, the answer was anyone that cares about the path of the United States needs to read this book.

It made so many points about division that felt so ‘common sense’ that I was a bit shook up that I’d missed them.

Audiobook is very well done, and the chapters are short enough that even listening 15-20 minutes per day would get you through this book in time to make an impact. In fact, I would actually say that listening to it smaller bits at a time will have more impact.

If you read one non-fiction book this year, and are left leaning: please make it this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

This book was so well researched and informative. I enjoyed the narrators voice and pacing. I can't wait to tell everyone of my bookclub buddies. If we are smart enough to discuss policy, we are smart enough to understand blue collar, pink collar, and white collar values and need for good jobs without a college degree! We can all agree that the middle class is important! This book gives you perspective on those things world-wide!

Very informative, research packed book. I learned a lot from the information but felt powerless to enact any noticeable change. I hope the right people read this book so future elections can be positively affected. Thank you to NetGalley for ARC of audiobook!

#Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class and How to Win Them Back integrates research, anecdotes, and frankly a bit of pluck to describe how the far right has strategically taken up the culture war. The book is timely as it is situated right after the results of the 2024 elections, including some of the results of the House and Senate races. This book is not written for the working class; it’s written for the college-educated progressives on one side of the “diploma divide.”

The author does a good job of providing some success stories, namely Democrats that won contentious or red-leaning working class elections (e.g. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, John Fetterman, and Gretchen Whitmer), and how some of these success stories might be replicated. A major example is how the country completely shifted on gay marriage in just a few decades. She weaves aspects of racism, sexism, religiosity, homophobia/heterosexism, even geography into a larger argument that socioeconomic status is the primary unifier amongst groups. I do think it’s a bit overly simplistic, particularly with how those intersectional identities both shape and have been shaped by socioeconomic status. The author doesn’t ignore these, but perhaps downsizes them to highlight her larger points. For what it’s worth, the author also acknowledges that this book is not going to help the Left win those who are entrenched in white nationalism, but rather those who are truly more middle ground (which in her view is the economically disadvantaged).

For a book about stats and political anecdotes, both the author and the narrator kept me engaged regardless of how much I agreed or disagreed, no easy feat in a nearly 400-page audiobook! Each chapter felt like listening to a podcast (truly mean that in the best way!) and call me a nerd but I loved the key points recap at the end of each chapter!

Do I think this is a singular solution to bridge the diploma divide? Absolutely not. But I do think it provides a few steps on that bridge, and certainly provides some insightful and compelling counterpoints to far right talking points.

This book may appeal to those who liked: NIckel and Dimed, Cost of Living, White Rural Rage

Reviewed as part of #ARC from #NetGalley. Many thanks to Macmillan Audio/St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review.

Disclosure: I listened to the audiobook and did not have access to the print version, so I have not (yet) reviewed the author’s sources.

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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!

Honestly I was surprised to see the heavily negative reviews for this book when I finished because I very much liked it. I have already used information I have learned from this in conversations I've had about politics and why we are where we're at today. I already inherently agreed with Williams' thesis that Democrats need to get back to representing the people and not just academic elites, so I guess that could have biased me. This book is also severely information heavy - I enjoyed that, myself. I think this book was, honestly, written for people who are actually working in politics, rather than the average reader. The audio format of this was well done and made the info-dumping easier to digest.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.