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The Exit Is the Entrance
Starting work at just fourteen, Lydia Paar has held an impressive array of jobs—twenty-seven in total—across twenty-five homes in eight states. This collection of essays delves into her efforts to navigate and redefine the lower-middle-class American experience across a variety of urban and rural settings. From the bustling streets of Portland to the barren deserts, from Army basic training to long-distance bus rides, and even to the somber St. Louis funeral homes, Paar's journey is one of seeking peace, connection, and freedom.
Each essay examines the internal emotional labor involved in her journey: the work of love and friendship, learning, movement, maintenance, and faith in the potential for positive change. Traversing diverse interior and exterior landscapes, Paar reflects on subcultures, agendas, violence, alliances, and the interplay between the natural world and human endeavors. Ultimately, she contemplates how our attempts at transformation often lead to our own transformation.