Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
Book description
The bestselling, landmark work of undercover reportage, now updated. Acclaimed as an instant classic upon publication, Nickel and Dimed has sold more than 1.5 million copies and become a staple of classroom reading. Chosen for “one book” initiatives across the country, it has fueled nationwide campaigns for a living wage. Funny, poignant, and passionate, this revelatory firsthand account of life in low-wage America—the story of Barbara Ehrenreich’s attempts to eke out a living while working as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing-home aide, and Wal-Mart associate—has become an essential part of the nation’s political discourse. Now, in a new afterword, Ehrenreich shows that the plight of the underpaid has in no way eased: with fewer jobs available, deteriorating work conditions, and no pay increase in sight, Nickel and Dimed is more relevant than ever. Published in 2001, 240 pages.
Description from book jacket
Research the author and the book using library resources
Information on the author’s life and works is available through our library’s online resources. Recommended online resources for Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America by Barbara Ehrenreich include Literature Resource Center, Academic Search Premier and Expanded Academic ASAP. Enter your library barcode and then use the author’s name or the book title to search for full-text encyclopedia or magazine articles.
Discussion questions
Nickel and Dimed discussion questions from readingroupguide.com
Additional information
Interview with Barbara Ehrenreich on identitytheory.com
Barbara Ehrenreich’s website
Use Academic Search Premier and Expanded Academic ASAP to find more information on the working poor.
Readalikes
Fast Food Nation: the dark side of the all-American meal by Eric Schlosser
The Working Poor: Invisible in America by David K. Shipler
A People’s History of the United States, 1492-present by Howard Zinn
Affluenza: the all consuming epidemic by John De Graff