Review of "The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind the American Myth”
As a Black woman reading Josh Levin’s The Queen, I was full of anger, shock, awe, intrigue, and horror. The book is an examination of the origins of the term “welfare queen” and the woman whose crimes spawned it. The book weaves in the experiences of law enforcement, reporters, Ronald Reagan, and countless lovers and victims. Ironically, there is no continuous perspective from the Queen herself. We’re left wondering what really motivated her or caused her behaviors.
Linda Taylor is the woman behind the title “welfare queen”. She was a fur wearing and Cadillac-driving, smooth-talker notorious for manipulating men and systems. Her crimes were mostly committed in the Midwest during a time where the welfare system was a lot more sympathetic. Levin does an excellent job of giving the reader insight into the political and cultural environment of the time. You learn about the extreme vulnerability of single women with children. You learn about the extreme vulnerability of people of color at the time as well. Levin is able to parallel the experiences of Taylor to those of Black women today. Because of this comparison, you find yourself feeling sympathetic towards Taylor. Initially, you see her as the hero who found a way to get her due in a world poised to crush her. In the end, you realize that Taylor is more villain than victim.
Growing up in the King Park neighborhood of Indianapolis during the 90’s put me face to face with people surviving on food stamps. My beloved grandmother was one of them. I remember going to the grocery store with her and adding up the cost of everything before we got to the register. I remember getting rain checks at the customer service desk if they ran out of a sale item. Mostly though, I remember how diligent my grandmother had to be to make sure she survived on how much she was given. It was during this time that I would hear people talking about welfare queens who “gamed” the government to survive instead of getting jobs. I never saw this type of woman. I saw single women with kids trying to find joy in a low income housing community. I saw social infrastructure and camaraderie among most of the complex. What they lacked in money they made up for in true connection. To me, Taylor becomes more of a villain because of the way she abuses the connections she made with other vulnerable women for her personal gain. While she was subverting a system made to keep her down, she was also using other Black women as stepping stones to prosperity.
The Queen is an amazing book and a testament to the extensive research Levin did to tell Linda Taylor’s story. Although it is nonfiction, Levin does an excellent job of building suspense. I didn’t want to put it down. For those people who enjoy research, Levin also includes his notes at the end. This book was a great read. I totally recommend it for book clubs. I believe you could have a rich discussion. Especially if you seek out people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Get reading!