Have you ever wondered what it's really like to grow up in the shadows of poverty and mental illness? To navigate a childhood where survival means understanding your parents' demons before you understand yourself? In this powerful memoir, Deborah M. Foster pulls back the curtain on a reality many prefer to ignore. Growing up in Reagan-era America, Foster's childhood was a maze of unstable housing, religious fundamentalism, and the constant threat of family separation. As the eldest child of parents grappling with severe mental illness - a father with schizoaffective disorder and a mother with bipolar depression - she was forced to become an adult long before her time. From Utah to Wisconsin to Canada and finally Iowa, her family's journey through poverty reveals the devastating gaps in America's social welfare system and mental health care. Foster's unflinching account, backed by her firsthand experience and academic understanding, exposes the harsh realities faced by countless families trapped in similar circumstances. Her story illuminates how systemic failures perpetuate cycles of poverty and mental illness, while demonstrating the extraordinary resilience of the human spirit. 'What's So Bad About Being Poor?' isn't just another memoir - it's a wake-up call that challenges our assumptions about poverty, mental illness, and the American Dream. This compelling narrative offers vital insights for social workers, policy makers, and anyone seeking to understand the complex realities of families in crisis. Grab your copy of 'What's So Bad About Being Poor?' today and join the crucial conversation about mental health, poverty, and social justice in America.