Book Review: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class by Rob Henderson/ Memoir

Hello dear Readers,

Below is my book review of Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class by Rob Henderson.

Title: Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Genre: Memoir

Author: Rob Henderson

Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date: February 20, 2024

Language: English

Hardcover: 336 pages
Meet the Author: Rob Henderson
Buy Me: Amazon

Book Description

In this raw coming-of-age memoir, in the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace, The Other Wes Moore, and Someone Has Led This Child to Believe, Rob Henderson vividly recounts growing up in foster care, enlisting in the US Air Force, attending elite universities, and pioneering the concept of “luxury beliefs”—ideas and opinions that confer status on the upper class while inflicting costs on the less fortunate.

Rob Henderson was born to a drug-addicted mother and a father he never met, ultimately shuttling between ten different foster homes in California. When he was adopted into a loving family, he hoped that life would finally be stable and safe. Divorce, tragedy, poverty, and violence marked his adolescent and teen years, propelling Henderson to join the military upon completing high school.

An unflinching portrait of shattered families, desperation, and determination, Troubled recounts Henderson’s expectation-defying young life and juxtaposes his story with those of his friends who wound up incarcerated or killed. He retreads the steps and missteps he took to escape the drama and disorder of his youth. As he navigates the peaks and valleys of social class, Henderson finds that he remains on the outside looking in. His greatest achievements—a military career, an undergraduate education from Yale, and a PhD from Cambridge—feel like hollow measures of success. He argues that stability at home is more important than external accomplishments, and he illustrates the ways the most privileged among us benefit from a set of social standards that actively harm the most vulnerable.

My Thoughts

A heartbreaking but eye-opening story.

I found Robert Henderson's story fascinating. Not just for his very impressive academic achievements but also for his very early awareness of the not so good things in this world. Granted, Robert goes through a lot of hardships from a very young age but sadly seems to me like he developed kind of an early adult radar for a kid, which is understandable. 

I can only imagine how difficult and horrible is to be separated from your biological mother, have no relationship whatsoever with your mom or your dad, and have to go through the Foster Care system. Like I said, I can only imagine but I can see how these situations can alter a person's life forever, and that was the case for Robert indeed. 

I also found it interesting his views on social class, and his views on education, especially since he had access to these called elite universities, and how the pressure of just being there can have negative and positive impacts on a person's life. 

Although Robert's story is very heartbreaking at times, when he describes his experiences being a foster kid, I also found his story very inspirational and one that could absolutely be of help to others. 

Thank you Gallery Books for the free advanced copy, in exchange for an honest review. 

Wendy