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

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. It was originally assigned as a college class read, and I was surprised and sad to see how accurate and real it is. Ehrenreich does a fantastic job of showing just how hard life can be in trying to live on minimum wage in our society. GREAT JOB!

While an interesting book, there is very little surprise information in it.

This is a very eye opening book on how the working class barely scrape by day to day in America. It made me appreciate all I have going for me. It's easy to follow and worth the read.

An investigative journalist enters the world of service work, as a waitress, a motel maid, a house cleaning service employee and as a Wal*Mart clerk. All low paying jobs and she documents how it is nearly impossible to exist on these wages... and why people stay in such jobs. Quite an eye opener.

I loved this book. Ehrenrich wondered how people survived on minimum wage. "Someone ought to do the old-fashioned kind of journalism - you know, go out there and try it for themselves." The result is not only educational but very readable, as she tries to find apartments and make ends meet while waitressing, cleaning houses, and working at WalMart. ('Bait and Switch', her follow-up on the changing middle class, is great too.)

I really enjoyed this book. It was very insightful. I've always known that minimum wage wasn't enough to get by, but this book explains the daily grind for those struggling below the poverty level.

How does anyone live on the wages of the unskilled? Barbara Ehrenreich enters the world of service work to find out. Her account of those experiences is unforgettable and heart-wrenching.

For those of us who don't personally live the life of America's working poor, this is a damning story of how our economy treats the least advantaged among us. For those of us who DO live this life, Ehrenreich's constant freedom to leave highlights the biggest difference between rich and poor: options.

An insightful book about the lives of the working poor in America. Quite eye-opening!

Recent nonfiction book about the author who takes minimum wage jobs to see if you can survive in America. Well written and thought provoking.

I really enjoyed this book. It was about a lady writer who goes to different areas of the United States and trys to survive on min wage jobs. It demonstrates how almost impossible it is for a person to get by on 1 job being paid min. wage.

interesting read!

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