In this raw coming-of-age memoir, in the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, The Other Wes Moore, and Someone Has Led This Child to Believe, Rob Henderson vividly recounts growing up in foster care, enlisting in the US Air Force, attending elite universities, and pioneering the concept of “luxury beliefs”—ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class while inflicting costs on the less fortunate.
"Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class" is a memoir by Rob Henderson, published by Simon & Schuster's Gallery Books in February 2024. The book chronicles Henderson's journey from a turbulent childhood in the California foster care system to his service in the U.S. Air Force, and later, his academic pursuits at Yale University and the University of Cambridge.
In "Troubled," Henderson provides an unflinching portrayal of his early life, detailing the challenges of growing up in foster care and the resilience required to overcome adversity. He juxtaposes his personal narrative with the contrasting paths of friends who faced incarceration or untimely deaths, offering insights into the systemic issues within the foster care system and societal class structures.
The memoir also introduces Henderson's concept of "luxury beliefs," which he defines as ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class while imposing costs on the less fortunate. This notion critiques how certain ideological stances, often adopted by the elite, can inadvertently perpetuate social inequalities
Published on by eBooks
Categories: Autobiography Non-Fiction Historical