In this book Rita Ricardo Campbell translates the arcane intricacies of Social Security into terms intelligible to lay readers. She thereby fills the long-standing need for a lucid, up-to-date, authoritative guide to the system. She not only examines the gulf between how the sytem ideally should work and how it actually does work, but also offers incisive, realistic proposals for overdue reforms. Social Security is a subject no one can afford to ignore or fail to understand. At its inception the maximum tax per person was $60 per year; today its almost $2,000. Thirty-two million individuals currently receive benefits, and 90 percent of the workforce pays Social Security taxes; nearly one-half pay more in social security than in federal income tax. For those who seek an intelligent analysis of Social Security Campbell's book will be welcome and invaluable.