A large number of US men of prime working age are neither gainfully employed nor pursuing education or other training, suggesting a potentially significant disconnection from mainstream economic and social life. This paper concentrates on the experiences and challenges of men at the margins between the ages of 18 and 44, when most American males are engaged in such activities as working and building skills, forming and strengthening families, and linking to social institutions. The review focuses on their experiences in five domains: education, employment, family, criminal justice, and health, featuring key themes from ethnographic and other qualitative research.