Super Short Summary

Mama Might Be Better Off Dead by Laurie Kaye Abraham is a nonfiction account of the Banes family, a low-income Black family in Chicago, struggling with limited access to healthcare while managing chronic illnesses. Abraham follows the family from 1989 to 1990, highlighting systemic issues in the American healthcare system, including poor communication and inadequate resource allocation for marginalized communities. The book discusses systemic racism, poverty, patient neglect and abuse, drug use, homelessness, and gun violence.