Lives, in the long run -- Best-case scenario / Katherine S. Newman and Chauncy Lennon -- High flyers, low riders, and the "up but not out" club -- All in the family -- National picture / Helen Connolly, Peter Gottschalk, and Katherine S. Newman -- Streetwise economics / Victor Tan Chen and Katherine S. Newman -- "This is the kind of life I want" : work and welfare in the boom years -- Dreams, deferred : aspirations and obstacles in work and family life -- Opening the gates -- Appendix A: Study design -- Appendix B: Sample definitions -- Appendix C: Occupational prestige scores and the socioeconomic index -- Appendix D: SIPP analysis of wage and status change.