Innocent is a memoir about one woman's experience as a mother on welfare in the 1960s through 1980s. Read by the author, this audiobook comes across a bit flat in affect. However, I still found her story powerful and listened attentively to the end. 

Morrison came from a wealthy family in Baltimore, Maryland. Desperate to escape the privilege and racism of her upbringing, she became pregnant young and moved away. When she had children with a less than ideal partner, Morrison chose to be a single mother and thus turned to social welfare programs as a means to survive. 

Morrison had many layers of privilege which are somewhat acknowledged in this memoir. I think she does a good job of sticking to what is her story to tell and staying general about what is not her lived experience. I think this book runs a bit too long, but it did open my eyes to how much social welfare has declined in the last few generations and how critical it is for the good of children, families, and communities.