10 books to help you understand inequality — and possible solutions

In “Maid,” author Stephanie Land offers a firsthand account of life as a single mother struggling under the weight of crushing poverty and what she calls a “broken system of government assistance.” Land grew up in Washington state and Alaska, raised by parents whose families “had lived in poverty for generations.” When she took her infant daughter and left what she describes as an abusive relationship, she was plunged into a world where she received just enough assistance to survive — as long as she complied with rules that felt like punishment for the crime of being poor. To learn more about the inequalities built into our economy and some potential solutions, here are nine more books to read after “Maid.” ‘One Fair Wage’ In “One Fair Wage: Ending Subminimum Pay in America,” Saru Jayaraman argues that the time has come to end laws that allow employers to pay workers far less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. Yet the pandemic also has galvanized them to advocate for higher pay or simply refuse to work without better conditions.. Saru Jayaraman, author of “One Fair Wage.” ‘Fulfillment’ For a case study of how the modern economy creates winners and losers, take a close look at Amazon and its impact on workers at both ends of the income spectrum. Book Club: Stephanie Land What: Stephanie Land discusses “Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive” with Times reporter Paloma Esquivel at the L.A. Times Book Club.