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

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Summary: Why The Working Poor Are Not Lazy
Review: After reading Ehrenreich's novel Nickel and Dimed it became so clear to me why some shunn middle America when we see how some people live there. Crumby housing,liquor stores on various corners and poorly dressed people all who most asume are not looking for work and are on welfare. Supprisingly these samepeople who are looking for or already have full time jobs. They are just like you and me (assuming you had the thirteen dollars to buy the book) and are just having to work ten times harder for their money. Ehrenreich not only dipicts the working poor but becomes part of them; those who work all day in search of the amenities that most take for granted. The only reason that I would not give this book a five is the annoying refrences to her prior life in Key West and Her use of language, which was a little overly done considering we are not all english majors, simply people wanting to find out how some get by in the working world.

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Summary: Reality Sets In
Review: Barbra Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed, was an excellent reality check. This book helped me open my eyes to a world that I have never known. Although I found her to be a bit hypocritical. She went through a rough experience and lived the "poor" life, but in the end went back the living the "rich" life. I applaud Ehrenreich for the hands-on experience she related back to the reader.

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Summary: Greatest Book EVER!
Review: Every Liberal should have this book! Barbera Ehrenreich shows no mercy in decribing the brutality that the working lower class take in. The reading is easy and strengthened by facts in the footnotes. The working lower class need more rights, and this book shows it.

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Summary: Nickel and Dimed Review
Review: This book was a tremendous eye opener, showing a prespective I have never personally experienced, only heard of in, very little detail. Ehrenreich's experience as a member of the working poor class involves the reader, facing them with the distress of trying to maintain a decent and healthy life, eat, maintain shelter, all while working two jobs at minimum wage. It is physically impossible, as well as emotionally impossible to live that sort of life style. What is amazing is that the working poor class works harder then the wealthy in America, yet they get treated the worst and paid the least, which is ridiculous. While the Big Boss sits behind his desk, on his lazy @$$ making millions of dollars, ordering people around. Now how does that balance out? Especially when the working poor class can barely afford to live in a rundown house, in the middle of no where, or sometimes even in a motel! This book really makes you want to make a difference in the world, and act upon this never ending issue. I was touched at heart. This book contains moral lessons that will stick with me forever.

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Summary: Nickel and Dimed Review
Review: This book was a tremendous eye opener, showing a perspective I have never personally experienced, only heard of in, very little detail. Ehrenreich's experience as a member of the working poor class involves the reader, facing them with the distress of trying to maintain a decent and healthy life, eat, maintain shelter, all while working two jobs at minimum wage. It is physically impossible, as well as emotionally impossible to live that sort of life style. What is amazing is that the working poor class works harder then the wealthy in America, yet they get treated the worst and paid the least, which is ridiculous. While the Big Boss sits behind his desk, on his lazy [...] making millions of dollars, ordering people around. Now how does that balance out? Especially when the working poor class can barely afford to live in a rundown house, in the middle of no where, or sometimes even in a motel! This book really makes you want to make a difference in the world, and act upon this never ending issue. I was touched at heart. This book contains moral lessons that will stick with my forever.

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Summary: Ari's Review
Review: I really enjoyed the book. You really get a look into the low working class and the hardships that they go through. I personally recommend this book for everyone to read and I promise you that you'll like it. It is very powerful and will make you see the world in a different way.

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Summary: A closer Look
Review: I decided to read this book for my economics class. I thought Barbara Ehrenrich could have done better, but overall it was at least thought provoking. The whole book was about problems facing working class people in America, and though she adressed the problem she didnt give any kind of thought to what could be done about it. I also was dissapointed when she said she would never let herself go without food or a place to live, I think in putting these limitations on the experence she never truly got the feelings of fears that people without money might face. However even with these problems the book was well written and at least made me take a closer look at living and working in America.

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Summary: The Dirty Truth
Review: Barbara Ehrenreich exposes the dirty truth about the lies told to the American working class. This book shows that the American Dream, the very essenece of what this country was built on is a myth. The hard working and those trying to be frugal are soon realizing that the "Dream" they are trying to achieve is nearly impossible.This book opened my eyes to the horrors the working poor have to face.

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Summary: Nickel and Dimed worth a shiny quarter.
Review: Well, what can I say. I will say things. That's what I will say! Hah! Anyway.
Nickel and Dimed was good. When I first started the book I thought Ehrenreich was a big brat who had no real desire to learn about the dire times our working poor struggle through.
Rather than continue to hate the hell of the novelist, I strove on, and feigned indifference.
But as time went on, I was engrossed.
While I still think that Ehrenreich did not do what a statistician would deem "working poor," she did manage to show what the working poor was like, what their conditions were, what pains they had, all from a "reasonably safe" point of view.
The result: my anger. I totally want to make a change now. I have decided not to shop at disgusting non-union shops or Union-fearing companies. I tip all minimum wage workers because they deserve my money more than I do. (I guess it's because I'm a dependent working minimum wage for pocket cash.)
These times are rough, and we have Ehrenreich to show, not tell.

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Summary: Economics Book Review
Review: I first became interested in reading Nickel and Dimed when my former Sociology teacher sold this book to my class on how much he liked it and how thoughtful it was. I decided to read it when an opportunity arose. So when I got to kill two birds with one stone when this title came out on his list for a book report assignment in his Economics class, I was more than excited to read this one. Boy, was I disappointed. I felt like the author, Barbara Ehrenreich, was not being fair in her trial "game." She always had something to fall back on. Unfortunately, the truly poor members of society, actually stuck in a life of low-wage and dead-end jobs, don't. She had plenty more luxuries (and yes, they are considered luxuries in this particular group's mind) than her fellow co-workers, such as a decent working car, health care, eating two or three meals a day, and a temporary place to call home, even if it was a motel every night. She didn't go too much in depth on the job inequalities; to me it sounded like something to expect from a job like waitressing: pushy customers who don't leave enough tip, for example. The most tender and true example of the book was when she was working in Maine for a house cleaning agency, and one of the young teammates, as they were called, survived a typical day on half a bag of chips. I thought that the stories of her past co-workers were more harsh and real than she'd ever experience, no matter how long she played her tricks. The research was impressive, but I didn't come away with any more sympathy for her. These impoverished people that Ehrenreich came in contact with over her three-year long experiment were pathetically deep in the dumps, yet they held their heads high and managed to get by, even in the absolute worst of situations.