On the subject of books about poor whites and continuing with the Ehrenreich thread.
Joe Bageant's Deer Hunting With Jesus <http://www.joebageant.com/> is about white poor southerners written by a guy who grew up redneck, moved to the city and became a "godless commie" then moved back and lives part of the year in the redneck town he grew up in. The real focus of the book is how did the Republicans get that poor white vote when it runs so contrary to their interests. Maybe because the Left was asleep, he suggests. His #1 piece of advice. Stop preaching about gun control.