Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Paperback – August 2, 2011

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LeIaZw

Brought out some ideas

July 20, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I'd like to start out by saying I did like and appreciate this book. That being said I had problems with it. This could be that reading this book in 2014 we actually are in a recession, or as I constantly hear on the news "emerging" from a recession. Having worked in many a low income job myself, I did find myself a bit annoyed with the with the writer at times. One thing that I disliked was that she only seemed to spend a short time working the said jobs she had. I understand that she was trying to get a feel for the general country, but I think had she spent say a year in only one job this book could have lived up to something like The Jungle. I disliked how she seemed to think that after a short period in a job that the regular workers would have been ready to rebel. I also didn't like her wonderment that workers would not have set up a union. I don't think she was able to grasp the fear that permeates the low income workers or by that matter most middle income workers. Large and small corporations have made it into a businesses to prevent any grouping of workers like a union. Also her belief that she never met a lazy worker or which she doesn't encounter a snitch. If she'd spent a year in one of these jobs she would have come across it. There's a reason people are afraid to stand up, one of those being that people are constantly afraid of being sold out. I did not like how every time her dislike of the workplace ended with her leaving and finding a new job. Most of us don't have that luxury. We're stuck by geographical and money restraints. For most people especially in this job market the refrain becomes at least u have a job. It doesn't matter how s*** said job is. The only way to bring us out of this fear is for government to it's job and actually care about the majority, and yes we are a majority. Even as a college grad with a decent job that tends to on the best day give me anxiety problems and on the worst leave me feeling for hours at a time that I'm gong to vomit. And by decent messing that I can afford most of my bills even though more than half my income goes into paying student loans. Given that all my years of school and working my way through dead end jobs to pay for it,I now spend half my earnings to pay for said"good"job that I have. Spend a year in factory or a warehouse and you'll quickly understand the problems I had with this book. That being said it might be a good way to raise awareness for the type of person who's never actually had to.

17 people found this helpful

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ILikeClothes

I get it. I'm living it.

November 9, 2015

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

I got this book on the advice of my pastor after I lost my newspaper job. I have a part-time job cleaning offices and couldn't believe how physically hard and mentally challenging it is, and he recommended Ehrenreich's story. All I can say is she's right on. People who criticize her method are missing the larger point; Ehrenreich shows how hard it is to make it -- let alone get ahead -- on low wages. This should be the wake-up call for people who think a job, any job, is the answer to getting out of poverty or financial insecurity. This is the only job I have while I await word on my unemployment compensation; my cleaning coworkers don't have this luxury. Most of them work at least two jobs and some work three or more. The age range is 40-late 60s. Ehrenreich hit the nail on the head in seeing how unfair this system is and how it works against low-wage workers and, may I add, this is 10-15 years after she wrote this book. I believe with my education and background, I will find a new higher-paying job eventually. But maybe I won't, and this will be life from here on. In these circumstances, that's scary.

16 people found this helpful

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January 29, 2018

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

With this quick read, you can understand the perspective of those who are facing the challenge of a poor financial situation. It clears your preconceived notions about what others' lives are like and gives you a wake-up call. This is a much-needed read for anyone who works with children, in order to better understand what their home life may be like.

4 people found this helpful

I recommend this book to anyone who who wants a better ...

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Diane

November 19, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

What an eye opener! Very well written, with the verbiage of someone who's "been there" to expose what the blue collar worker has to deal with every day. (I know my sentence structure is sketchy in itself). This expose has truly defined what the "should be" middle class, hard working, dedicated employee's struggle is to make a living. I will never again look at an employee at Walmart or server at X chain restaurant the same way again. That person could be me, you or anyone with a college degree that hasn't a chance to achieve the so-called American Dream. Unfortunately, our society has turned into that symptomatic class structure that prevailed in the old world of fiefdom. I have no answers. Neither does Barbara, but she has done a service to write this book to expose the real issues present in this twenty first century. I recommend this book to anyone who wants a better view of what's really going on in America. We can't fix the world, but it would be nice to fix, somehow, the state of our current tragedy in America. I don't think Corporate America is willing at this point, but maybe Unions to transform our current system of employee abuse could be transforming. Thank you, Barbara for the excellent book.

8 people found this helpful

I came to really understand that if you're in a bad position you can't just pick and choose the job ...

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