Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America

Rating:
Summary: Have your quiche and eat it too.
Review: With this, her latest production, Ehernreich demonstrates how she's managed to avoid the fate of working-class America. Through a skillful blend of elastic principles and seizing the main chance, this journalistic entrepreneur has authored a case study in turning other people's hardships in hard cash. Here we find, not an expose' of lower class exploitation, but the epitome of it.

In the guise of a social do-gooder, Ehernrich shows she's no less a robber-baron than a Huntington or Morgan, climbing to new social heights on poor backs. Spend a few months among the prols prompted by one's literary agent, assume a sympathetic self-righteous activist persona, appropriate some labor-related statistics to bolster a non-existent credibility: the whole premise reeks of opportunism and self-promotion. The result: a resounding commercial success complete with best-seller status and $20,000 (you got it) speaking engagements round the country.

The guiding ethos of this docudrama is clear: keep things snappy, bizarre, luridly underworld (digress at length about the "three kinds of sh--t stains"), and above all shallow. No 'character' is depicted with a greater than two-dimensional depth, individuality and pathos being consistently sacrificed for Hollywood-type caricatures ("like a TV comic," "like a comic book character," like "a band of wizened toddlers" are par-for-the-course). Except for occasional one-liners, Ehernreich rarely grants any co-worker a voice. Why should she? They have nothing intelligible to communicate about their plight, while the author is clearly the only sane, insightful personage roaming her solipsistic, sophomoric landscape. (Oh yes, and all white males are pimps or oppressors, and only women and people of color are prone to hardship. The book assures us it's "funny," referring apparently to the author's indomitable paranoia that every white guy walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, smiling, or driving a truck is out to jump her tired old bones.)

While putting up a Marxist pretense of 'us vs. them,' Ehernreich clearly regards her minimum wage specimens as scarcely human; in fact, as so much publishing fodder. No sooner has she exhausted one company of players--milked for their tabloid potential (takes about two weeks)-than she quickly switches to a new cast. And when the going gets tough, this pragmatist has no qualms about cutting her losses and getting the hell out of Dodge.

No attempt is made to trace the long-term ups and downs in these people's lives, a basic prerequisite one would think for any journalist with a social conscience. Why? This would involve commitment, a determination to probe beneath the surface, a responsible presentation that might actually make a difference. Instead we get undigested pabulum, a verbal spectacle of creative-writing-class prose that rises to the heights of a 20/20 "Special Report." One wonders what Ehernreich's next project might be. Black-up with shoe shine and go African American for a week? ("I'm getting a tiny glimpse of what it would be like to be black" p.100. Not bad at age fifty-something). Or perhaps go native, see what the aboriginies have left to plunder?

In a simulation of honest reportage, Ehernreich confesses her inability to fully commit to her project: "No way I was going to experience poverty or find out how it really feels to be a long-term, low-wage earner"; and "I don't know [what happens to someone working a menial job for a year] and I don't intend to find out. But I can guess." She can't, for example, take buses because "a story about waiting for buses wouldn't be very interesting." Surely anyone with an ounce of journalist integrity would cringe at such a rationalization. After a brief stint as maid, she later informs us, in one of her internet-derived factoids, that nearly half of all bus-riders are maids. Go figure. (And why does Ehernriech need a Rent-a-Wreck anyway? Perhaps her BMW would blow her cover?)

But where "interesting" (read: entertaining) is the bottom line, depth and accuracy can apparently go hang. The only in-depth reporting here revolves around the author's yuppie-style preoccupation with protein levels, caloric intake, and buttock sizes. (And Ehrenreich's own usual bill of fare? "How about a polenta-crusted salmon filet with pesto sauce and a nice glass of J. Lohr Chardonnay?" p. 102.) At one point she stages ('Oh me, I plumb forgot!') a "chemical indiscretion" in order to pulpit-thump about drug-testing, and simultaneously hint at her own blue-collar (or is it yuppie again?) hip-ness.

As opposed, then, to a lived experience in the tradition of honorable undercover journalism, we get instead an Oprah-friendly thirteen-dollar-a-pop paperback "full of riveting grit" to be consumed by fear-of-falling upper-middle-classers who want to catch a noncommunicable glimpse of how the other half lives; or a Borders-ready book version of "Survivor": spend a few weeks among the primitives, eat native food, betray your friends, then retire to a life of capitalistic renown and designer salads having "entertained millions of strangers" (p.160). Anyone who's worked a minimum wage job for years, not mere weeks, knows the ink employed to publish Ehrenreich's observations ought to qualify as a fourth type of sh-t stain.

A partial salvaging might have been effected had Ehrenreich the courage to scrutinize her utter inability to descend from a habitually pampered environment of Stairmasters and PBS sitcoms ("my own peasant ancestors . . . ." Whose aren't?) into the minds of the modern working class, thus diverting her chatty edu-slang into an analysis of her own contracted, upper-class psychology. But alas, this would have been not nearly as entertaining, nor as lucrative. And how else pay for her daughter's Harvard education (p.79, fn.)?

No doubt this book will make the rounds of reading groups (don't miss the handy guide) and composition classes for a couple years, until the next cheap stunt topples it and takes its place. Perhaps in a more enlightened age this sort of hypocritical hucksterism would be hooted out of town before it could gain any sort of foothold and pass for genuine journalism. Meanwhile, I wouldn't inflict this coffee shop drivel on my dog.

Rating:
Summary: Self-righteous look at a serious problem
Review: I bought Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed as an impulse, basically after getting an online recommendation based on my perusal of George Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London. Since they have similar themes, why not read both? (Actually, I still haven't read the Orwell, but it's on the list.)

So, what exactly do we have here? Ehrenreich's stated goal was to find out if the economics of low wage work is sufficient to support a person without sleeping in shelters or in her car. So she set out to three cities, Key West, Portland Maine, and Minneapolis, and worked a total of six low paid jobs, trying to arrange housing and eating on the money she earned. That's the basic set-up.

But a book about buying cheap food and comparing rental costs would be boring, so the reader is also treated to Barbara Ehrenreich's thoughts about everything. This is where the book really takes off, for better and worse. Let's face it, life is going to be tough in the circumstances she seeks out. Ehrenreich has many clear descriptions of the indignities faced by the working poor. The living conditions are often far from pleasant and there is much room for improvement. But by the time I got halfway through the book I just wanted to shout, "Shut Up!"

Ehrenreich is a sarcastic writer and thinker. It was actually amusing to read her endless spiteful comments about the homeowners who made use of the maid service she worked for, belittling everything from their personalities to their house's decor and their choice of reading material. One finally realizes how thoroughly annoyed she is that these people have the unmitigated gall to give her a job. Shame on them!

Sometimes her arguments self-destruct. If she wanted us to feel bad about how many employers don't trust the employees not to steal, then perhaps she should not have pointed out that at at least two, and possibly three of her six jobs, employees were actually caught stealing just during her few weeks there, including the clerk that took money out of the cash register to buy drugs with (on company time, if I recall the passage correctly). She states in a later chapter that she personally doesn't care about occasional retail theft. Maybe this is why she gets so torqued out of shape, but I found it hard to sympathize about some of this stuff, or I sympathized with the employers in some passages.

There is, however, a mitigating factor by which I'm giving Nickel and Dimed a high rating. Besides that fact that most of it basically rings true, I don't know that my own attitude would have been any better if I tried what she did, though I doubt it could be worse. She never claims this is a deep and penetrating study, just a journalistic jaunt by a self admittedly well off professional writer working on a personal project with a very narrow scope.

Rating:
Summary: Uncertain Reactions
Review: I sensed from a few reviewers the same uncertain disappointment that I felt after reading this book.

On the one hand, I was glad that finally someone was dealing with the gritty reality of minimum wage life. It's not a pretty picture, and frankly, our attitude as a nation (especially the attitude that is translated into legislation) sucks. But on the other hand, I felt frustratingly UNFULFILLED after I was done with this book.

I know Ms. E. says this was just supposed to be a sort of personal account, but that's the big mistake I think. There were some interesting facts and studies interspersed, but nothing backs up reality like cold hard numbers. And with all the aspects that were dealt with--food, shelter, medicine--it's relatively easy to show how fast a minimum wage paycheck is spent.

And while I agree with some reviewers that her tone is somewhat self-righteous--but to some degree, there is no way to avoid it. When a "rich" person dresses up as a "poor" person, there's no way to avoid that tone. And if she had not experienced the life to some degree, then anything she wrote could be challenged on that ground for credibility.

Overall, I give it high marks for broaching an important, if complicated subject, and doing an honest job of it. But it's not a five star read for the feeling of lacking when you finish it.

Rating:
Summary: Illuminating the Plight of the Working Poor
Review: The book, Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America, written by Barbara Ehrenreich, is an intelligent and witty account of the author's personal experiences as she goes undercover as a low wage worker. It is thought provoking and insightful, and provides a deep understanding of the struggles faced by low wage earners. It serves as a conscience for all of us as we interact with those who serve us in restaurants, hotels, and stores. Working poor are often treated as if their presence is not worthy of recognition.

Ehrenreich demonstrates that the difficulties faced throughout her journey are wide spread, and are not limited to a specific city or part of the country. Ehrenreich worked as a waitress in Key West, Florida, as a cleaning woman and nursing aid in Portland, Maine, and as a floor clerk for Wal-Mart in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Each of these jobs paid approximately seven dollars an hour, which was barely enough to provide for her bare essentials. She struggled with housing, food, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses that pushed her over her budget. She was often forced to make compromises such as staying in cheap hotels while she searched for a place to live.

Despite her own struggles, she recognized the hardships of less fortunate individuals and made efforts to reach out and befriend them. She became an advocate for her co-workers. One time she was working as a cleaning woman on a crew and another member, Holly, injured her ankle but was afraid to get assistance from the manager. Ehrenreich recollects, "I blow. I can't remember the exact words, but I tell him [Ted the manager] he can't keep putting money above his employees' health and I don't want to hear about 'working through it,' because this girl is in really bad shape (p. 110)." This is just one example of how the author puts her own welfare on the line for the sake of another. It also points out how invested she became in her role as a low wage earner.

Ehrenreich found that one low wage job was insufficient to cover necessary expenses. She tried holding down two jobs, but quickly found that this was not as easy as she had hoped, as it quickly exhausted her physical and emotional stability. In a moment of complete and utter exhaustion, she realized that she was unable to meet the demands of two jobs, and just walked out. "... clearly I have failed. Not only had I flamed out as a housekeeper/server, I had forgotten to give George my tips, and, for reason perhaps best known to hardworking, generous people like Gail and Ellen, this hurts. I don't cry, but I am in a position to realize, for the first time in many years, that the tear ducts are still there and still capable of doing their job (p. 48)." This moment crystallized her understanding of how hard the work is along with how much stamina is required. Being smart and educated will not provide her with protection.

In the final analysis, Ehrenreich creates a window into the pain and suffering of a large number of Americans who work for small amounts of money and obtain few benefits. Despite these dismal conditions, she colorfully outlined the inner strength and the human bonds that are formed which help sustain these workers throughout their lives. Ehrenreich's insights cannot help but leave a reader with respect and admiration for the low paid worker who plays an essential role in the American economy.

Rating:
Summary: This would have been a really interesting magazine article..
Review: There were big chunks of this book that were definitely worth reading, but overall it feels like at least a hundred pages of fluff and "I'm a middle-aged pothead" ramblings are used to stitch the thing together.

This would be a very compelling read if it were cut down to 40 pages or less.

Once you get past the wasted pages, you'll find some great nuggets that will get you thinking. The one that sticks with me the most is the insight on why/how the very poor end up in $40/night hotels. Also, the few peeks into why some women have little or no options when it comes to escaping an abusive relationship was fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: Great in theory; horrible in action -- AN ACCURATE REVIEW
Review: This book was required reading for the Fairfield University Class of 2006. This was probably to emphasize
1) the Jesuit ideals strongly emphasized at the university, mainly serving the less fortunate and
2) how fortunate we are to be receiving a college education, never having to deal with minimum-wage jobs again.

Ehrenreich decided to masquerade as a just-off-welfare woman returning to the work force. She did this by being a waitress in Florida, a maid and a nursing home worker in Maine, and a Wal-Mart employee in Minnesota. She ended up concluding that today's rents are too high, minimum wage is too low, and it's a miracle that the poor are able to survive today.

This was a great premise for a book. Unfortunately, Ehrenreich went about it completely wrong.

She barely put an effort into going undercover. After a few weeks of "slumming", which she viewed from an almost "glamorous" perspective ("Ooh! That looks INTERESTING!"), she would move on, claiming that the work was too hard. Most notably, when at Wal-Mart, she quit after a few days because bending over made her stiff at the end of the day.

I'm fortunate enough not to have relied on jobs like these for an income, but I HAVE recently worked at a variety of entry-level positions: retail, sales (lingerie and medical), office work, telemarketing, and now, waitressing. These jobs ARE hard. You don't quit because you get sore! You keep at it -- because there's NOTHING BETTER.

So, to conclude:

--The wages ARE too low and the rents ARE too high. You were correct in that, Ms. Ehrenreich.
--However, your reports were inaccurate, and your understanding of journalism was flawed beyond comprehension.

Would I recommend this book? Perhaps. If the subject interests you, then go for it -- but PLEASE don't take it as an accurate portrayal of the working-class world.

And don't buy it. Get it from the library. Don't do anything to further inflate Barbara Ehrenreich's massive ego.

Rating:
Summary: An important glimpse
Review: Barbara Ehrenreich, in her book Nickel and Dimed, strives to give us a glimpse of America's working poor; those people in our society who are living merely to make a living, sometimes working two jobs just trying to provide themselves with a roof over their and their families heads and a decent meal. Her experiments in three different communities in three different areas of the country are unique and heartbreakingly honest.

Setting up some ground rules early in the book, Ehrenreich tries to follow them as closely as possible. In each of her situations, she honestly tries to make a living by working jobs that are mostly available to America's poor; waitressing in Florida, a maid in Maine, and a "Wal-Martian" in Minnesota. Each story she spins about each city is compelling and honest. Ehrenreich quickly discovers how brutal our country can be towards the poor, and one begins to understand their feelings of disenfranchisement very quickly.

Once more, she punctuates each of her tales by telling the stories of others she has met. While others may discount her experiences as inauthentic, one cannot dismiss the experiences of those working poor she encounters; people who despite having two jobs still must live in their cars, or with many others in small apartments.

Ehrenreich has written a very threatening book, for it tampers with the way that many of us choose to see America. Ehrenreich's ultimate challenge to us is to open our eyes to all segments of our society, so that we may begin to realize that comments like "why don't they just get a job" doesn't roll off our tongues as easily as it does. So that the next time we feel the need to treat waitresses, housecleaners, or store employees as servant, we may think twice. So that we may truly become a "more perfect Union", as was our forefathers challenge to us today. Thanks Barbara, for opening our eyes with this important, important book.

Rating:
Summary: Unreal!
Review: An upperly bound liberal decides to see how the other half lives. She does this by living in three different cities for three months. Of course, she does this without sticking around, feeling this gives her a great and wonderful insight into the plight of the working poor.

I wonder what would have happened if she had done things like getting a roommate, asking for community help, or even set her aim a little higher. For example, why didn't she take her experience at a diner and gone to a place where the tips were better? Or stick around and find out what happened after a month on the job, when she made friends with the customers and knew people? How would the experience been different if she hadn't gone to places known for their high cost of living?

I currently live the life of the working poor and found very little in common with this woman. Of course, I'm getting education and plan to pull myself up.

Rating:
Summary: Selling a story-Another way to capitalize on those in need
Review: My criticism is in terms of content and credibility, as opposed to writing style. While I enjoyed Ms. Ehrenreich's flair for drama and ability to generate a quick read, I was appalled at her approach to this issue, as well as to her use of red-herring words and descriptions to generate a distorted emotional response in support of her obvious political agenda.

I read the book over a year ago, but one specific incident stayed with me - her use of marijuana and subsequent rant against "the system" for drug testing. I would be curious to know how many low-income workers, such as the one's she described, have the money or luxury to purchase and use pot. Besides, if you don't like having to take a drug test to get a job, then go look for a job somewhere else or use common sense and don't smoke it the night/day or two before you are tested!

By the end of the book, Ms. Ehrenreich had me believing that she created an environment/situation to support a previously conceived belief. I would have enjoyed this book more, and probably been more willing to side with her arguments, had she completely left her upper class background and prejudices behind and moved in with other women like her (as few people in this situation live alone), spent more time and listened to people's stories instead of trying to mimic their situation "within limits" - something that is next to impossible to do. There is no such thing as immersion if you wear a life preserver and thus I do not find her arguments or "insights" credible. As she does not appear to funnel a sizable portion of the proceeds or profits of her work into helping the underprivileged, it appears that she is doing more to capitalize on their misfortune then to improve it.

Rating:
Summary: A Minimum Look at Minimum Wage
Review: I could not put this book down, reading it one evening. While reading, I was entertained, enlightened, horrified, and educated. After having finished the book, though, I was a little disappointed. My expectation going in (and perhaps this was my mistake) was that I would get a glimpse into the lives of the working poor. In hindsight, I think the biggest glimpse I got was into Barbara Ehrenreich's charmed life. The way she carries on about her short-term travails makes the distinct impression that she is far more the problem than the solution. Her social circle appears to be the detached and insulated elite that needs the sweat of the working class in order to allow them the leisure to smoke weed and complain about the government's labor policies. This book would have been well-served if it had focused more on the stories of her co-workers, and less on the complaints of an aging hipster trying to deal with a fresh foray into physical labor.
On the plus side, I add this book to the growing pile of data that I'm archiving in case I'm ever tempted to shop at Wal-Mart. Furthermore, her final chapter provides some very clear insights, possibly developed after her experiences! I was particularly fascinated by the 'suspension' of the law of supply and demand, namely that tight labor markets don't necessarily translate into higher wages. The list of causes she offers are open to debate, but it is an issue that deserves our careful attention.