Deeply thought-provoking and relevant! This is an intelligent and moving story that I definitely recommend!

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. At times, it was a hard read. The thought of so many children who are growing up, unloved and uncared for, literally makes my heart hurt. You realize throughout the whole book that while Henderson "made it" in the end, the majority of the children tossed around like trash and left to grow up almost feral simply won't make it. It's a sobering thought.

That being said, I see a whole lot of low reviews from people who he was likely speaking directly to - those who (still) will see him as having a simplistic idea on how to make things better, those who are called out on their false concern and crocodile tears. I don't fully agree 100% on some ideas and beliefs, but he backs up his views with statistics and proof at the end of each chapter, so anyone who flat out thinks it's not true clearly didn't even look at the data. He makes compelling arguments - from a viewpoint of having lived through it. You can understand there is nuance in most situations in life - something that a lot of the people with a lot of "luxury beliefs" just don't acknowledge.

Even if your genre isn't typically memoirs, I'd recommend giving this book a read.

I was able to make it through about 30% of this book before deciding to set it aside. The premise is fascinating and definitely something that I would love to learn more about however, I couldn't connect with the way the stories were told and everything felt so dry. An unfortunate DNF for me.

For the first portion of his memoir, Rob Henderson writes an interesting story about his life from foster care through adoption and ending as a graduate student. However, for the last seventy pages, he writes a flawed and rambling political message about social class. His theory about “luxury beliefs” would be interesting as an article, but it does not fit in with the rest of the book. In fact, for me, it took away from the memoir’s message. He writes to help other children who experience rough childhoods, yet his message for those children seems bleak. I was not his intended audience.

My thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.

I was intrigued but had a difficult time diving in. I was not drawn in like I would have hoped but this should not deter other readers. Rob’s story is an important one.

I only made it about halfway through this one. The writing was a bit clunky and the subject wasn’t keeping my attention. It may have been a “wrong place wrong time” book for me; I will try again in the future. Thank you!

Subtitled "A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class," TROUBLED by Rob Henderson describes his experiences in foster care, the military, Yale and Cambridge. In some ways, this text is reminiscent of 2016's Hillbilly Elegy as both chronicle childhood instability (life with drug addicts and abandonment by parents) followed by military stints and time at Yale (in fact, Vance "blurbed" this new book). Henderson is quietly reflective and focuses a great deal on what he labels as "luxury beliefs." He writes at length about differences in experiences and perspectives, noting, for example, "in one of my classes at Yale, I learned that eighteen out of the twenty students were raised by both of their birth parents. That stunned me, because none of the kids I knew growing up was raised by both of their parents." Later, he comments, "I grew to understand that there were aspects of social class that can't be quantified or put on a resume" and "part of integrating into this community meant having a cursory knowledge of the latest op-eds and fashionable news items." Henderson himself has written an essay with excerpts ("Only the affluent can afford to learn strange vocabulary. Ordinary people have real problems to worry about") from TROUBLED for The Wall Street Journal. Given Henderson's frustration, anger, and bitterness at "elites" and hypocrisy, it would be interesting to compare and contrast his conclusions with the analysis and commentary on the new book titled White Rural Rage recently published in The New York Times.

“Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class" by Rob Henderson is a powerful and introspective narrative that lays bare the impact of foster care on identity and social mobility. Henderson's memoir provides a raw and unflinching account of his journey through the foster care system, offering a poignant glimpse into the challenges faced by many individuals navigating similar paths. The author skillfully weaves his personal story with broader reflections on social class, resilience, and the transformative power of education. Henderson's narrative is both compelling and thought-provoking, inviting readers to contemplate the systemic issues embedded in the foster care system and the broader societal implications. "Troubled" is not just a memoir; it's a call to action, encouraging readers to consider the intersections of family, social class, and personal identity in the quest for understanding and empathy.

A sad and intriguing story of Rob Henderson’s life through the foster care system and after. I liked that Rob really dug deep and included some information to back up what he was saying. For fans of Educated and the Glass Castle.

I don’t typically enjoy memoirs, as I tend to find them overly angsty. I loved this one. I should state that, as a fan of Henderson’s essays and a subscriber of several years to his Substack, I was predisposed to like his memoir. That said, I believe I would have liked it even if I’d never heard of the guy. Despite his horrible childhood, Henderson avoided the naval-gazing I so dislike and told his story in a refreshingly open and confident way. Highly recommended (as is his Substack).

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
The man has been through so much in his life. From being bounced around in the foster care system to being adopted by parents who end up getting divorced, to military life, then schooling at some prestigious universities.
I enjoyed the whole book and the last few chapters were so good. His background is not the typical background of these elite college kids. His writing on luxury beliefs and being morally righteous is spot on. The hypocrisy among his fellow students was eye-opening.
I highly recommend this book.