Rating: 
Summary: The point of this book
Review: I have jsut read this book and the reviews on Amazon.com. As usual, some of the reviewers miss the point. The point of this book is NOT whether the author should/should not have a cash cushion, should/should not have taken a roommate, etc., etc.The point of this book is that: (1) this country is filled with honest, serious, people dedicated to doing a good job no matter what that job is -- no matter how dirty, how tiring, or how they may be looked down on for doing that work AND (2) in spite of their hard work, honesty, and dedication to doing a good job, these people cannot make sufficient salary to afford a decent place to live, to save the assets necessary to improve themselves, or to support a family. Folks who have read this book need now to read: "Fast Food Nation," by Eric Schlosser; and these two books by Jim Hightwoer -- "There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos" and "If the Gods Meant Us to Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates."
Rating: 
Summary: Aren't There Any Editors Any More?
Review: I'd like to give this book a zero star rating but unfortunatly for us this isn't an option. This so called research project and its resulting insult is just about the most selfserving piece of work I have read in years. I'd call it complete dripple except that its too insulting to too many hard working people and the people who appreciate and even rely on them. This book actually does harm. Barb is either self-centered at best or an out and out bigot at worst and since she takes so many fortuitous pot shots I'm betting on the latter. Spreading ones condescension around does not make for fair play. And who let this stuff get out there? Where's the editorial staff? Shame on all of you.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty good read.
Review: On one level I'm not terribly impressed by Ms. Ehrnereich's "experiment." I think that most people who have worked their way through college with low-paying jobs have had many of the same experiences that she had. I had a couple of bosses who made some of hers seem easy-going by comparison. I have plenty of stories from my low-income years about how niggardly wealthy people can be as well. What I don't have is Ms. Ehrenreich's wit and style. I've been through similar experiences to her's but it was still fun hearing what she had to say about them. This isn't a book that changed my life or opened my eyes to social inequities but it was a good read and I recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: There¿s reality and there¿s fantasy
Review: Wow, I didn't know I was so poor working as a food server. Interesting, I put myself though a 4 year university working part-time as a food server for a national restaurant chain. My average tips paid for schooling, books, an apartment (fully furnished on the beach) a car (2 year old Toyota tercel), a trip to Jamaica and a graduation trip to Europe. Oh I didn't mention the state I worked in during the 1990's had a tip credit so my wage was $2.01 a hour. I must have been really poor. But this book isn't about getting by, which can be done very easily if you budget correctly. Instead this book is about bashing the majority of Americans. It is about bashing us because we have pride in the job that we do. To Barbara Ehrenreich any person who works for another is demeaning themselves. She uses the salary she is paid as a smokescreen to put forward her abnormal views on the work ethic of Americans. This book is an affront to anyone who works, I personally don't like being put down because I have pride in my job. Maybe, just maybe that is why all those people who do have pride in their work seem to move up the company ladder and become moderately successful while those like Ms. Ehrenreich seem to stagnate at the bottom, bitter and upset, never wanting to put forward the effort to EARN something more for themselves.
Rating:
Summary: I threw it in the recycle bin
Review: I bought this book with two goals: 1)find good ideas to use in my volunteer work with working poor families or 2) to become a more informed voter on issues related to minimum wage-earners. The author did not make any suggestions for improving the issues we face with affordable housing and living-wage jobs. Instead, she used one anecdote after another to condemn the "wealthy" (defined as anyone who can shop for fun) for spending their money. The great evil in Ehrenreich's eyes is the fact that people spend money in industries like house cleaning or restaurants. Ehrenreich never considered that, if people stopped spending money on services, many jobs would be lost. Ehrenreich did the working poor a disservice. She got people who vote and volunteer to buy her book, but wasted their time with self-righteous indignation. I threw this book in the recycle bin rather than donating it to the library. Enough time had been wasted on it already.
Rating: 
Summary: Snobby elitist feminazi author takes up a REAL job...
Review: and finds out in chapter:
1) that actually working for a living sucks;
2) it is humiliating to have to use your brain in real life; after all, it's just cleaning toilets, right?
3) sexism, classism and racism DO affect job performance - if you're a paranoid victicrat, which most of you are!
4) it's time for class warfare, baby.
Understanding that Americans don't want to become the welfare states that Europe has become, this author resorts to attacking policies that try to get people off welfare. In this area she provides more problems than answers. Why this book is so popular is because it appeals to a sort of "working class angst", a general sentiment by this generation who thinks they've had it worse than anyone else, and blames "government policy", "corporate greed" and other social-problem buzzwords for their troubles in the workplace. Her vision of this angst is not even accurate either - the low point in this book is where she laments that it is considered less socially acceptable for female employees to cuss in the store. Talk about picking your battles! Martha Burke would be proud. Ms. Ehrenreich needs to understand, for people who don't write rubbish like this for a living, creating a friendly atmosphere for the customers, whether you be a MAN or a WOMAN - is the name of the game, not preserving personal principles like your right to cuss as much as your male counterparts! There are also other golden moments where she whines about her job getting in the way of her holier-than-thou liberal ideals. Her condescending writing doesn't even resonate with the working class, as she assumes poor people only aspire to be "trailer trash".
Of course, she deserves a second star for her ability to maintain a steady following of fools who majored in drivel such as English, gender studies or sociology while in school; their only consolation being to nod in agreement with this book while waiting in the unemployment line.
Rating:
Summary: The facts spoke for themselves - author a bit hard to take
Review: The facts and research in this book has been very informing and enlightening, especially as I have never really considered the tribulations and hardships faced by people in low - income situations. I think the author, Barbara Ehrenreich is a gifted journalist, and I feel like I have a new and more realistic view on employees I encounter in relatively low - paying positions. Working at Mcdonalds isn't the 'all - American, teenager's first job' retrospective anymore. The aspect that spoiled this book for me was the rare, yet ignorant and degrading lingo or stereotype professed by the author : once, something unfair was referred to as "niggardly" ; when referring to the workforce in California, the worry stated was that " ... the Latinos might be hogging all the [bad] jobs and substandard housing for themselves, as they so often do." I felt these comments were very rude, not to mention offensive as our country is very diverse and you will encounter all ethnicities in various social and economic classes. I believe the author has captured the situation and mentality of a person / family in a low - income situation very well - the pain and hardship, making you realize what you take for granted. However, some things mentioned in reveiws about this book already (like the author spending 9 dollars a day on fast food) is probably not accurate for the average low - income person. Also, when the author wasn't raging about the outrage of corportations and the rich, at times wrote in a very pitiful and condescending manner about the economic class she is not apart of but is only pretending - as a Ph.D who REALLY lives in the affluent, tourist driven Key West demographic, this is merely role-playing for her. In conclusion, I must say that the author as a journalist did a super job reporting the facts and executing the research, but I do not particularly care for her mentality or personal opinions. Should be read by everyone but not everyone should take up the author's outlooks.
Rating:
Summary: The real point of the book
Review: The real point of this book, missed by everyone, is that "if you work below your ability and live beyond your means, you won't succeed." Ms. Ehrenreich does everything but realize this obvious life lesson, including making up wild conspiracy theories about corporations. The book has been used to help justify increasing the minimum wage. As if forcing companies to fire thousands of workers to make up for the inflated wages of others would help anything. She did decide to work below her ability, and live a relatively extravagant lifestyle for the meager value of the work. She even failed to do what someone has to do when they are faced with such situations, such as cut living expenses by finding other roommates. Yes, if you decide to be lazy and greedy and work below your ability and live beyond your means, things will be tough. But that is your choice. Take responsbility, and don't blame others for your shortcomings.
Rating: 
Summary: Required Reading for Republicans
Review: This is a powerful, sad book. Anyone who is curious about why poor people can't stop being poor should read this book. Anyone who has ever stiffed a waitperson or left a messy dressing room for a salesperson to clean up should read it, too.
Rating:
Summary: UNIONS NEEDED NOW
Review: My dad lived through the great union revolt back in the 1930s and 1940s. He was a union steward when the workers finally said "no" to low pay, long hours and mistreatment. In the same way, these Walmart Workers and maid services have to go on strike and the government must protect their right to form unions. After reading this book, the readers also know the story of poverty. They share the guilt if they don't support and vote for politicians who will help. This last election certainly points to the mood of America, and it is again selfish and antitax oriented. Until this rich country is willing to share, society will just get meaner and more self-absorbed with the trappings of wealth.
by Larry Rochelle, ...
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