Synopsis
Our sharpest and most original social critic goes "undercover" as an unskilled worker to reveal the dark side of American prosperity.
Millions of Americans work full time, year round, for poverty-level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which promised that a job -- any job -- can be the ticket to a better life. But how does anyone survive, let alone prosper, on $6 an hour? To find out, Ehrenreich left her home, took the cheapest lodgings she could find, and accepted whatever jobs she was offered. Moving from Florida to Maine to Minnesota, she worked as a waitress, a hotel maid, a cleaning woman, a nursing-home aide, and a Wal-Mart sales clerk. She lived in trailer parks and crumbling residential motels. Very quickly, she discovered that no job is truly "unskilled," that even the lowliest occupations require exhausting mental and muscular effort. She also learned that one job is not enough; you need at least two if you int to live indoors.
Nickel and Dimed reveals low-rent America in all its tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generosity -- a land of Big Boxes, fast food, and a thousand desperate stratagems for survival. Read it for the smoldering clarity of Ehrenreich's perspective and for a rare view of how "prosperity" looks from the bottom. You will never see anything -- from a motel bathroom to a restaurant meal -- in quite the same way again.
About Barbara Ehrenreich
See more books from this AuthorSharp, empathetic, astute, Ehrenreich speaks loudly and eloquently for a group of workers who are often too tired and too manipulated to speak for themselves.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge... | See more reviews from KirkusEhrenreich, who has a dozen books behind her dealing with the social and political hallmarks of our economic system, has here, with ''Nickel and Dimed,'' followed in an honored journalistic tradition and written a valuable and illuminating book.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge... | See more reviews from NY TimesEhrenreich has a forensically observant yet sympathetic style. It's the small details that make the strongest impact.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge... | See more reviews from GuardianDelivering a fast read that's both sobering and sassy, she gives readers pause about those caught in the economy's undertow, even in good times.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge... | See more reviews from Publishers WeeklyIn spite of the artificiality of the scenarios and the frequent reminder that Ehrenreich is only playing pretend at being poor, it is interesting to watch as she nonetheless finds herself caught up in the moods of these workplaces.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge... | See more reviews from Blog CriticsIt's an inspiring rallying cry, made all the more powerful by its compact, entertaining package.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge... | See more reviews from AV ClubIt’s an easy read, not great writing, but competent.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...One of the finest voices to cry out from the dark side of the American dollar.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...The result of all her labour is a book that is explosive. At turns angry, outraged, shocked and frustrated, Ehrenreich has produced an account that shows how the almost invisible workers of America’s low wage economy exist.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Thomas Aquinas once wrote: "Saints have a heart full of justice." On these terms alone, Barbara Ehrenreich is a modern day saint crying in the wilderness that the poor and the vulnerable be treated fairly.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...An eye-opening look into the lives of America's poorest citizens . . . an honest portrayal of working class.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge..."Nickel and Dimed" asks us for compassion and humorous understanding. It should insist instead on our anger.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...This intriguing non-fiction book takes an undercover look at the lives of under paid workers.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Ehrenreich present a phenomenal argument and detailed first hand account of life as a low was worker in America.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...After reading the novel, one will have a better understanding of the work force.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Even with its moving declarations on the dire effects of poverty, Nickel and Dimed often stumbles under its own voice.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Nickel and Dimed opens a door the reader thought had been closed long ago, the lower working class of America, and challenges us to not accept it as a simple fact of life.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Because Ehrenriech stepped out of her comfort zone and decided to experience a life she has never known, because she chose to live the life of a minimum wage worker, my opinion of minimum wage workers has changed.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Ehrenreich is known for her controversial writing and Nickel and Dimed is no disappointment.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Overall, this is an excellentand absolutely amazing book that should be recommended to everyone everywhere from all ages and class; a real eye opener to America’s economic reality.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...Whether you are among the living poor, or you have plenty of money to live on, I highly recommend reading this book.
Read Full Review of Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Ge...An aggregated and normalized score based on 1883 user ratings from iDreamBooks & iTunes