Born on third base A one percenter makes the case for tackling inequality, bringing wealth home, and committing to the common good

Chuck Collins, 1959-

Book - 2016

Saved in:
This item has been withdrawn.

2nd Floor Show me where

303.484/Collins
All copies withdrawn
Location Call Number   Status
2nd Floor 303.484/Collins Withdrawn
Subjects
Published
White River Junction, Vermont : Chelsea Green Publishing [2016]
Language
English
Main Author
Chuck Collins, 1959- (author)
Physical Description
xvi, 267 pages ; 23 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN
9781603586832
  • Foreword
  • Preface
  • Introduction: Time to Come Home
  • Part I. Born On Third Base
  • 1. I Heart the 1 Percent
  • 2. Proceed with Empathy
  • 3. Cracking Hearts Open
  • Part II. Seeing Our Commonwealth
  • 4. I Didn't Do It Alone
  • 5. In the Same Boat: On the Road with Bill Gates
  • Part III. Understanding Advantage
  • 6. The Privilege Drug
  • 7. The Greatest Subsidized Generation
  • 8. Black Wealth, Brown Wealth, White Wealth
  • 9. Unequal Opportunity
  • Part IV. Unnecessary Side Trips
  • 10. Miro in the Bathroom: Encounters with the Charitable Industrial Complex
  • 11. When Charity Disrupts Justice
  • Part V. Wealth, Come Home
  • 12. The Moment We Are In
  • 13. A Stake in the Common Good
  • 14. Neighborhood Real Security
  • 15. Community Resilience
  • 16. Bringing Wealth Home
  • 17. Openhearted Wealth
  • Part VI. The Invitations
  • 18. Wealthy, Come Home
  • 19. All Hands on Deck
  • Conclusion: I'm from Bloomfield Hills
  • Acknowledgments
  • Resources
  • Notes
  • Index
Review by Choice Review

Drawing on both engaging personal stories and economic research, Collins (Institute for Policy Studies) portrays an "economic apartheid" of growing inequality of wealth and opportunity in the US, and urges citizens, especially the wealthiest, to recommit to the broader community to address it. Collins describes "an empathetic barrier to change" that leads rich Americans to deride the industriousness of the less affluent. Raised in a "one percent" family, Collins understands how the wealthy are cut off from the wider society as their experiences lead them to adopt false myths of self-reliance and meritocracy. These views overlook the roles community and equity play in securing prosperity and well-being for rich and poor Americans. The overvaluing of self-reliance obscures the advantages of family wealth as well as the role of government programs in providing gains for the white middle class (in particular, home ownership) over other groups. Collins calls for empathy and solidarity among the rich, the affluent, and the poor to address inequality and environmental degradation. The book lists ways for the wealthy to connect to the larger society and support policies to bring about an equitable and sustainable future. Summing Up: Recommended. All readership levels. --James M Burke, Mount Holyoke College

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review

As the great-grandson of Oscar Meyer, Collins grew up in a wealthy and advantaged family. He considers himself part of the privileged 1 percent, born on third base, with only a short hop to make it to home plate. But Collins believes it's time for our society to come to a different home, one where inequality is addressed in a new way, where the economy can be made more inclusive, and where the 1 percent can engage with the other 99 to become partners in transforming the future. Collins (99 to 1: How Inequality Is Wrecking the World and What We Can Do about It, 2012) once again presents a convincing and deeply thought-provoking argument in favor of not just the need for societal change but the importance of individual action in making change happen. Written in a well-crafted, conversational style, Collins' latest is a gentle yet clear reminder to readers that real change starts by looking outside ourselves and making even the smallest connection with others.--Gladstein, Carol Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Collins (99 to 1), born to great privilege, takes a thoughtful, well-written, and carefully researched approach to solving the extreme imbalance in wealth distribution, directed toward one- and 99-percenters alike. Refreshingly, Collins not only talks the talk but walks the walk: at age 26 he gave up his $500,000 trust fund and dedicated his life to ending inequality. The book's first half outlines the problems of uneven wealth distribution, which have been made even more evident by the 2008 economic downturn. This part includes a section addressing racial issues in the U.S. and making the case for federal reparations for slavery. What Collins does even better than describing the challenge is, in the book's second half, outlining significant and specific solutions. He includes 10 elements of a program for the wealthiest 1% to follow, imploring readers to connect with both "people around us" and "people who are completely different." He makes an appeal for "humanity and empathy" at the book's very beginning, shows how he and others have worked to embody it, and reinforces the importance of this approach at the conclusion. Wherever readers fall on the economic scale, this is a worthwhile book to read, digest, and share. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.