The Holistic Book Club: Heartland by Sarah Smarsh

For Holistic’s February book club, the team read Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth by Sarah Smarsh.

The goal of our book club is to connect and explore the ways in which we can utilize the lessons learned from our reading to propel DEI in our work and lives. Smarsh’s memoir sparked conversations about social class, poverty, and the overarching ramifications of economic inequality. Read some of our teammates’ thoughts and reflections on the significance of Heartland below!

Guthrie Blechman: “Heartland brought poor rural Americans to the center of our focus and led to a great discussion about what it means to exist across levels of economic privilege in rural vs urban America. It allowed us to discuss how geography and privilege have shaped our experiences and all the ways we related to those in the book.”

Tanja Schroeder: “Heartland was my first book club read since joining the Holistic team. Aside from the book being an engaging and insightful memoir, the topics brought up opened space to reflect as a team and created an environment that was vulnerable, bonding, and unifying. I had never participated in a team book club, but last week saw the value.”

Tom Alexander: "Heartland was a very powerful book. I personally loved the way the author wrote the story; it evoked so much emotion and stirred so much thought as I was reading it. The book is important in helping all of us understand the powerful role that circumstances play in all of our lived experiences.

I loved being with our team to discuss this book today. I felt like we could have talked for four hours about it. I'm always struck at the willingness to be vulnerable that the Holistic crew shows day in and day out; it's eclipsed only by the surge of support that comes from the teammates in response. The book club brings out the best in a very great group of folks."

Maggie Heaps: “Heartland’s discourse on the systemic obstacles that create cycles of generational poverty brings attention to a population of rural America that contributes greatly to the success of our country, but is often forgotten. It’s painful to read Smarsh’s accounts of financial distress and abuse and recognize that just ‘working hard’ is not always enough to escape poverty–you have to confront the inequitable laws and systems in place that leave people behind.

Our book clubs have been something I consistently look forward to. Not only do I learn a great deal from the books we choose about topics closely related to our work, but also from the open discussions where our teammates can share their own experiences. Creating a space for real understanding and empathy at work is powerful.”

Gillian Pena: “I always enjoy our book clubs to host as a venue to not only learn about the topic at hand, but also our teammates. We have worked so hard to curate an environment where people feel welcomed, accepted, and able to bring their full selves to work. The Holistic Book Club is one of the best places to see that in action.”

Last month’s book and discussion reinforced the notion that there is more to a person than what meets the eye. It’s important to allow space for those around you to share their authentic selves, as exposure to diverse perspectives makes us better colleagues, leaders, and consultants.

If you’re interested in reading Heartland: