A young man sets out to prove the American Dream is alive and well in this memoir of homelessness, grit, and perseverance.

After reading Barbara Ehrenreich's influential book, Nickel and Dimed, Adam Shepard felt discouraged by its hopeless view of American opportunity. He set out to disprove Ehrenreich's theory -- the notion that those who start at the bottom stay at the bottom -- by making something out of nothing to achieve the American Dream.

Shepard's plan was simple. With a sleeping bag, the clothes on his back, and $25 in cash, and restricted from using his contacts or college education, he headed out for Charleston, South Carolina, a randomly selected city with one objective: to work his way out of homelessness and into a life that would give him the opportunity for success. His goal was to have, after one year, $2,500, a working automobile, and a furnished apartment.

Scratch Beginnings is a personal account of Shepard's struggle to overcome the pressures placed on the homeless. His story will not only inspire readers but will also remind them that success can come to anyone who is willing to work hard -- and that America is still one of the most hopeful countries in the world.

• We started tracking this book on August 17, 2010.
• This book was $9.99 when we started tracking it.
• The price of this book has changed 230 times in the past 5,282 days.
• The current price of this book is $2.99 last checked 2 hours ago.
• The lowest price to date was $2.99 last reached on January 31, 2025.
• This book has been $2.99 22 times since we started tracking it.
• The highest price to date was $13.99 last reached on August 6, 2023.
• This book has been $13.99 4 times since we started tracking it.
• This book is currently at its lowest price since we started tracking it.

• Politics & Social Sciences

• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 290 Pages
• File Size: 1,411 KB