Barbara Ehrenreich (1941–2022)

4.5 stars

Overall, I really liked this book and think that it could enlighten many middle- and upper-class individuals. Many people think that those in poverty simply need to "get a job" and while that may be true on the surface some of the time, the issues of poverty go much deeper. Ehrenreich explores what it's like for those living on minimum wage - people who are not too lazy or too good to work, yet who still are barely surviving.

"I grew up hearing over and over, to the point of tedium, that 'hard work' was the secret of success: 'Work hard and you'll get ahead' or 'It's hard work that got us where we are.' No one ever said that you could work hard - harder even than you ever thought possible - and still find yourself sinking ever deeper into poverty and debt." (p. 220)

"When someone works for less pay than she can live on - when for example, she goes hungry so that you can eat more cheaply and conveniently - then she has made a great sacrifice for you, she has made you a gift of some part of her abilities, her health, and her life. The 'working poor,' as they are approvingly termed, are in fact the major philanthropists of our society. They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect.... To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone else." (p. 221)

Granted, the book has its problems:

Ehrenreich isn't actually poor - she's an upper-class PhD, in fact, and so to write this book, she goes "undercover" working as a waitress, maid, Walmart sales clerk, etc. She makes a lot of decisions that many true poor people wouldn't make (particularly when it comes to spending her money), but of course, somewhere there probably is a poor person as dumb as she is when it comes to not understanding that Goodwill is going to be the best place for a cheap belt required for your work uniform.

She is an atheist, and makes some rather negative comments about Christians, lumping all Christians into one category of hypocrites.

She's very pro-marijuana and spends a bit too much time lamenting drug tests in the workplace.

There's also a fair amount of language in the book. Language when quoting someone else I can understand, but I don't think profanity is the best way to prove you're a professional.

But overall, this is one of those books where you take the good and roll your eyes at the bad while you move on. I would definitely recommend it!… (mer)

For a book focused on nickel and dimes, there is very little budgetary information. I was hoping for some number by number breakdown but it was surface level and shallow. Instead focuses mainly on the author's judgments of the working class. I do enjoy reading about the human experience but it ended up sounding like a bunch of privileged rants from someone with little perspective. Also, this book is noticeably outdated with how remarkably better the economy was back in the 90s compared to today despite the author's attempt to make it sound terrible.… (mer)