1

Limbo: Blue Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams

____________________

Limbo Critical Book Review

Presented to

Jennifer Enderlin

Arkansas Tech University

____________________

OL 4963

Organizational Leadership Capstone

____________________

by

Jenna Barnes

T01071922

Date Submitted

March 31st, 2024

Lubrano, A. (2004). Limbo: Blue-collar roots, white-collar dreams. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Introduction

There is a significant distinction between individuals who are born into blue-collar

families versus those from white-collar families. Higher education, or the lack thereof, is

primarily the component that distinguishes one from the other. In the book Limbo: Blue-collar

roots, white-collar dreams, the author describes the challenges he and other children of blue-

collar families face throughout upward social mobility. Alfred Lubrano, now a reporter for the

Philadelphia Inquirer, was born in Brooklyn, NY to a blue-collar family. Lubrano chose to

pursue higher education at Columbia University in lieu of bricklaying with his father. His writing

helps to explain the difficulty of movement between classes and the struggles to fit in socially

and professionally. He uses others’ accounts as well as his own throughout the book to help

explain both blue-collar and white-collar experiences. It also focuses deeply on what social

mobility feels like, both the positive and negative sides. Lubrano’s book encompasses what

many individuals have experienced but have been unable to articulate into words because of the

deep emotions involved in these transitions.

Summary

Lubrano starts the book by explaining the difference between blue-collar and white

collar, skilled or unskilled labor. In the introduction of the book, he explains that he is 2 people, a

person born into a working-class family who now lives in a middle-class, white-collar world.

Limbo tells the story of an individual who, because of their origin, fails to fit in and seemingly

straddles a line between the working class and the middle class throughout life. Lubrano refers to

individuals like himself as Straddlers. His point of view is that the middle-class has an advantage
 3

over the working class in academic, professional, and even social settings that goes beyond

material possessions. In the beginning of chapter 3, Lubrano states “College is where the Great

Change begins. People start to question the blue-collar take on the world.” He continues later in

the same beginning paragraph with saying “The core blue collar values and goals-loyalty to

family and friends, making money, marrying, and procreating-are supplanted by stuff you never

talked about at home: personal fulfillment, societal obligation, the pursuit of knowledge for

knowledge’s sake, and on and on.” With this, he is explaining the realization that there is a

different viewpoint of the world than just the one presented by his and other blue-collar families.

In chapter 6, Lubrano covers significant differences in the working class and middle

class. He explains a struggle many Straddlers face when he says “Regardless, if you come from

the working class, you haven't got a clue how to conduct yourself when you first land in an

office.” He also explains that there is a communication gap between him and his middle-class

colleagues. Early on in Chapter 7, Lubrano says “Class is not benign. It is in fact an invisible,

powerful force that influences what people expect out of a relationship and how they

communicate with one another” to explain how class affects many aspects of our lives, including

relationships with others. In the concluding chapter of the book, he says” Ideally, a Straddler

becomes bicultural: understand what made you who you are, then learn to navigate the new

setting.” The author used this sentence to explain that you never forget where you came from,

but you can learn to live a different way. The sense of duality that straddlers feel is an internal,

personal struggle that for some can last a lifetime. The author used his own personal story to

explain his struggles and testimony from others to explain the entire Straddler point of view. He
 4

also used expert testimony and evidence to help the reader better understand the concept of class

and upward mobility.

Critical Evaluation

The authors’ purpose in writing Limbo was to write a book for first generation college

graduates, those white-collar individuals born to blue-collar parents. He wanted to explain the

struggles he and others faced as they climbed the social ladder, all while giving these fellow

Straddlers something they could read and relate to. He wanted to highlight the class

consciousness between blue-collar and white-collar people, despite the infrequency of this

concept being discussed in both social and professional environments. Lubrano was successful in

demonstrating adequate evidence to support his claims. The author accomplished this by using

his own story, expert information, and others’ stories to help explain the challenges these

individuals had to overcome to progress forward and upward in society.

Lubrano’s approach is slightly ambiguous, depending on who the reader is. He clarified

early on that he is from a blue-collar, working-class family. This limits his viewpoint, although

he has made a transition into the middle-class when he authored the book. His own firsthand

experiences helped to shape his feelings toward both classes, whether positively or negatively.

Although he was influenced by his experiences, his conclusion, that there is a stronger sense of

struggle for those from blue collar families trying to move up in society, is genuine.

With Limbo, Lubrano uncovers the bandwagon effect that is the internal battle within

white-collar children of blue-collar families. It is a depiction of people who are torn between

who they were raised to be and who they want to become. Limbo has contributed to the better
 5

understanding of differences between classes, educational access, pursuit of higher education,

and the challenges of class mobility. One strength of the book is Lubrano’s wit and how he

shares his experiences in a way that is easily relatable. Another strength is Limbo covers a

subculture often forgotten about and easily overlooked, the children of blue-collar families. The

book is especially pertinent to Straddlers who live a limbo existence. Limbo helps deliver a

powerful insight into the lives of individuals who come from working, blue-collar beginnings.

One should read this book to obtain a better understanding of differences and struggles across

classes.

Lubrano successfully supports his thesis by providing examples and interviews from

other individuals with similar backgrounds. He has an interesting viewpoint because of his

background and the shift he made into the middle class. Although he does try to describe some

viewpoints of the middle class and white-collar individuals, the focus of the book is on the

struggles that the working class children face and class inequality. The most notable weakness in

Limbo is the lack of information and experiences from those who were born into white-collar

families. Since it was authored several years ago, it has an antiquated attitude but remains

somewhat relevant for culture today. The struggles that Lubrano exhibited in his book are still

common issues among those who have upbringings like his.

In the beginning of the book, the author stresses the duality that Straddlers feel and

experiences of those who grew up in a working-class family. In chapter one, Lubrano states

“Americans have always embraced the notion that this is a land of opportunity with rags-to-

riches possibilities. It's true that there are apples to be picked, but one can argue not everyone has

equal access to the fruit.” This quote helps to explain the inequality between classes to support
 6

his claim of struggles that Straddlers face. “One thing limbo folk understand, regardless of

generation, is that they were among a small minority of peers who stood out, stood up, and

walked away” (Page 61). Lubrano uses this quote to help readers better understand one of the

challenges that Straddlers must face on their journey across classes: their families. They are

different from those around them, including their family, because they see more potential in the

world than at home. This quote by Lubrano highlights a specific struggle of Straddlers: “One of

the most obvious ways in which blue-collar students are separated from their white-collar peers

is that they have to earn money while going to school” (Page 87). Individuals who come from

lower classes must work to pay for school because often their parents cannot or will not pay for

it. In Chapter 5, Lubrano explains “They need to go back to the world they left, to see what’s still

there” (Page 121). This is in reference to children of blue-collar families who leave home and

then return to where they came from for a visit and have realizations about why they left.

Although people leave their working-class families for different reasons, coming home will

always help them remember where they came from and who they are. There are many struggles

explained by Lubrano throughout the book and he uses adequate examples to illustrate them.

Lubrano effectively supports his thesis in each chapter to help readers embrace his work on

explaining challenges that an often-overlooked group of people face throughout their lives.

Conclusion

Lubrano uses personal experiences and those from other Straddlers to present the idea

that white-collar children from blue-collar families struggle to fit into the middle class in both

social and professional atmospheres. I enjoyed reading Limbo and would recommend it to

individuals who have experienced the benefits and disadvantages of upward class mobility. I
 7

would also encourage first-generation college graduates to read the book because I feel as though

it is relatable to them and especially for someone from a blue-collar family background.

Limbo taught me that problems exist throughout both the working and middle class. It

provides a different perspective of the world and social status that many do not have. Through

the stories shared in Limbo by Lubrano and others, I found an insightful and informative book

that was a delightful read. In future leadership roles, I will use the information I have learned

about social class issues in our society to build an environment in which all individuals are

treated equally, regardless of background. This means that I will give a voice to individuals who

do not have one so that I can ensure we are inclusive of all. I will strive to provide my employees

with a leader who is empathetic, trustworthy, and inclusive to eliminate some of the issues that

can be presented with class differences. Limbo helped to better my understanding of what social

mobility feels like and ways that I can combat the issues people face with it. It is a step in the

direction of understanding for others and a future with equality in opportunities across social

classes.
 8

References

Lubrano, A. (2004). Limbo: Blue-collar roots, white-collar dreams. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.