PAPER GIRL A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America

Macy recounts, with a sense of gratitude and plucky amusement, her escape from poverty and alcoholism in small-town Ohio with the help of her staunch mother, supportive teachers, and a generous Pell Grant. She wants to know what it would take for a poor, ambitious kid to do the same these days and concludes that the barriers have multiplied to a nearly insurmountable level. And why has her former hometown become so angry, disconnected, lonely, and segregated by partisanship? It's depressing in so many ways. But Macy's performance is terrific. She's energetic, optimistic, and empathetic even as frustration with those who believe in fake right-wing conspiracies creeps into her voice. Beth Macy is a natural storyteller--both on the page and as a narrator. [Published: JANUARY 2026]