Sonya Huber's memoir takes us behind the scenes in one of the most invisible professions in the United States: direct care. Huber went into the field of direct care work in mental health hoping to make a difference in the lives of teenagers, and planning for a career in social work. What she encountered was startling and revealing—dangerous and unhealthy conditions, poverty wages, and work that took a heavy emotional toll. Melding reporting with personal experiences, she searches for possible solutions for workers and clients alike, bringing to light a profession that serves our most vulnerable population with some of the most stressed-out workers. Humane and beautifully written, this memoir will make everyone stop and think about how we care for each other in this culture.

Sonya Huber has written two books of creative nonfiction, Cover Me: A Health Insurance Memoir (University of Nebraska Press, 2010), finalist for the ForeWord Book of the Year; and Opa Nobody (University of Nebraska Press, 2008), shortlisted for the Saroyan Prize. She has also written a textbook, The Backwards Research Guide for Writers: Using Your Life for Reflection, Connection, and Inspiration (Equinox Publications, 2011). Her work has been published in literary journals and magazines, including Brevity, Creative Nonfiction, Fourth Genre, Crab Orchard Review, Hotel Amerika, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and the Washington Post Magazine. Her essays have received the 2013 Creative Nonfiction Award from Terrain and will appear in the forthcoming book, The Best of Creative Nonfiction. She teaches in the Department of English at Fairfield University and in the Fairfield Low-Residency MFA Program. Visit her at www.sonyahuber.com.

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