Class cover art

Class

A Memoir

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

 NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A Good Morning America Book Club Pick
A New York Times Most Anticipated Books of Fall

From the New York Times bestselling author who inspired the hit Netflix series about a struggling mother barely making ends meet as a housecleaner, a “raw and inspiring” (People) memoir about college, motherhood, poverty, and life after Maid.

When Stephanie Land set out to write her memoir Maid, she never could have imagined what was to come. Handpicked by President Barack Obama as one of the best books of 2019, he called it an “unflinching look at America’s class divide…and a reminder of the dignity of all work.” Later, it was adapted into the hit Netflix series Maid, which was viewed by sixty-seven million households and was Netflix’s fourth most-watched show in 2021, garnering three Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Stephanie’s escape out of poverty and abuse in search of a better life inspired millions.

Maid was a story about a housecleaner, but it was also a story about a woman with a dream. In Class, Land takes us with her as she finishes college and pursues her writing career. Facing barriers at every turn including a byzantine loan system, food insecurity, the judgments of professors and fellow students who didn’t understand the demands of attending college while under the poverty line—Land finds a way to survive once again, finally graduating in her mid-thirties.

Class paints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. Who has the right to create art? Who has the right to go to college? And what kind of work is valued in our culture? In clear, candid, and moving prose, Class grapples with these questions, offering a searing indictment of America’s educational system and an inspiring testimony of a mother’s triumph against all odds. Social Classes & Economic Disparity Sociology Women Memoir

Critic reviews

"This deeply touching memoir sheds light on the seemingly insurmountable challenges encountered by impoverished people seeking better lives for themselves and their families. Fans of Maid and the Netflix series inspired by the book will want to listen to this." (Susan Cox)
"Stephanie Land, who wrote MAID, had a laser-focused goal to succeed as a writer, and this memoir proves that in spades. Her presentation of her life, which included an abusive husband, an unpredictable father to her daughter, and financial challenges, would send anyone over the edge. It all got her down, but she never gave up. Land’s exacting words and notable phrasing immerse listeners in a story of poverty, including the sacrifices she made to graduate from college and then get a Master of Fine Arts so she could write for a living. She concludes with an epilogue explaining her current successes. Fans of her previous work will be drawn to this memoir for its honesty, integrity, and candor."
All stars
Most relevant
Stephanie struck me as a very brave woman who always followed her heart and what she wants in life regardless of her very difficult circumstances. Some people might call it reckless but eventually it all paid off.

Struggles and hope

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved this book, it was so honest and gave such a deep insight into how the system has you constantly running through hoops. Everyone should read this book. The female judge had me shouting out loud! I’ve laughed, cried and cheered for this brave lady and her girls.

She was a great mum. She never gave up on her dream. But man, why does it have to be so hard for single parents.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thank you Stephanie, I’ve appreciated your candour and descriptions of your single parent journey in both Maid and this book. I cried at the end. I went on more walks to be able to listen to you more. Hope to hear from you again soon x

Thank you x

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Reading and watching Maid opened my eyes and gave me an insight into people’s lives I’ve never experienced before. I couldn’t stop listening to Class, I was obsessed with it. I wish I could unread Stephanie’s stories, to listen to them all over again. One of the best writers I’ve come across. A self Maid genius! I want more of your story please!

Another incredible story!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.