I read these books out of order, having started with Class and followed up with Maid. In Class, Land talks about a professor calling her writing relentless, and I can see why. Maid shows how inescapable poverty is. Land is always one car accident or daughter's illness away from homelessness. In fact, when the book starts, she is transitioning out of a homeless shelter, and her middle class safety net, her mother is being a total dick to her. The mom and stepdad go out to lunch with Stephanie and expect her to pay. When she says she can't, that all she can cover is her own hamburger, they take her last $10 for it. 

I hire a housecleaner sometimes, and after listening to Land talk about the work, I'm going to seriously reconsider the work I ask them to do and consider giving exorbitant tips.