A few years ago, I had the chance to spend a few hours with Bob Putnam at his house in New Hampshire.  We talked about a book he was working on, which he had actually delayed his retirement to write.  Bob had become increasingly troubled by what he observed, and what the data confirms—that we have a growing “opportunity gap” for America’s young people.  

Bob’s book, “Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis,” hit shelves this week.  The stories Bob tells, from his own experience and those of others across the country, along with the data that Bob presents, are powerful evidence of a deeply disturbing trend: that poor kids in America are far less likely to reach the American Dream than rich kids in America. 

If you read this book—and I really hope you do—the first thing you’ll notice is that what Putnam is trying to do with “Our Kids” is so similar to what we’ve always tried to do at America’s Promise Alliance.  Bob hopes that his book will help draw attention to the challenge of the opportunity gap, drive a national conversation around the issue, and motivate everyone—from office seekers to individuals and institutions—to think about how we can create the conditions under which all young people have a real opportunity to thrive. 

Here’s a snapshot of some of the stats you can expect to find in “Our Kids:”

• Money is more important than brains—kids from low-income families with high test scores have less of a chance of graduating from college than kids from well-off families with low test scores.
   
• Forty years ago, well-educated parents spent the same amount of time reading to their kids as less-educated parents. Today, kids from well-off families get 45 minutes of more story time a day—and 50 percent more nurturing—than kids from low-income families.
   
• Kids from low-income environments are comparatively less trusting. Most underserved kids believe that, “Love gets you hurt; trust gets you killed.” Or as the Washington Post put it, “Poverty isn’t just a form of deprivation; it’s a form of isolation, too.”

The book has already generated lots of media buzz, and I hope it will continue to do so. For our part here at America’s Promise, we will do everything we can to keep this issue and conversation front and center on the list of national and community priorities.

You really should read and share “Our Kids,” but to give you a flavor, here are links to some great pieces on Bob and his book:

'Bowling Alone' Author Tackles The American Dream

The terrible loneliness of growing up poor in Robert Putnam’s America