Por cuatro duros: Como (no) apanarselas en Estados Unidos by barbara ehrenreich

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

After seeing Maid all over social media and noticing there was a screen adaptation on Netflix, I kept wondering if I'd read it.

I haven't, but it reminds me of this book I had forgotten about. I read it in undergrad for a sociology class and I remember it made quite the impression on me.

I'm grateful my teacher assigned this book as it is very eye opening although of course, rather staged/sensationalized.

*Edited to Add* This book would be excellent reading for Republicans or those who are against government aid for those in need. The hypocrisy of the religious right knows no bounds, especially when it comes to helping people or having any compassion.

0 0 Reply

Ribbone

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

I had to read this for a class, and since I will have to discuss it there more than I ever wish to, this will not be a full, true review. I must say the following however:

This book offended me more than I ever imagined it could. It offended me as a worker. It offended me as a woman. It offended me as a minority. It offended me as a Christian. It offended me as someone who has worked for minimum wage. It offended me as someone who does not have a PhD. It offended my intelligence.

Nickel and Dimed is not without its interesting observation or two, however it is presented in an insulting, faux-scientific way. Ehrenrich set out to show some truths about the low wage work world and only succeeded in showing us her own bigoted, patronizing thoughts on the low wage work world. It's a story, a poor sampling, offers very few facts and relies on very little evidence.

That her grand conclusion was "not having money is hard?" Congratulations, Ehrenreich. We are all astounded by this conclusion.

0 0 Reply

boiledpasta

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

This book had actually been on my TBR for ages, but it wasn't until the NYT 100 Best Books of the 21st Century list came out that I actually decided to download it from the library for my #walkntalkwednesdays.

If you are like me and prefer your sociological studies books to be heaped in immersion techniques rather than a bunch of statistics and mumbo jumbo, I wouldn’t hesitate to add Nickel and Dimed to your TBR. While there are certainly gripes to gripe about (mainly in the form of the author conducting an experiment that she can easily remove herself from (and does) when the going gets rough), it is astounding that over 20 years after its original publication date how little salaries have changed while the cost of EVERYTHING has increased so dramatically.

I listened to this one and was fully invested throughout the duration of my daily walks. Highly recommend both Evicted as well as Nomadland if this topic interests you, as well as the film Motel Kids of Orange County for a heartbreaking look at families just trying to get by with little to no chance of ever really getting ahead.

0 0 Reply

Kesser

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

I'm all for anyone who takes the time to shine a spotlight on the hellish existence of many folks with low-paying jobs. Therefore, I do appreciate Barbara's book. I spent many years in that life, and it's hard, very hard. At times she came across as being 'better' than the folks she was working with, which kind of rubbed me the wrong way. But, all in all, at least her book draws attention to the plight of the low-wage earner.

Minimum wage jobs in the U.S. suck ... big time ... especially waitressing at any family style restaurant. Enough said.

3 Stars = I'm glad I read it.

0 0 Reply

Bl4ckEnvy

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

(warning, a nerve has been touched!)
I have experience working with and researching programs that aid the poor and working poor. I hated this book. The only role it could play is as a weak talking piece for starting up serious discussion about the struggles and needs of the poor.

Barbara Ehrenreich may have stepped outside her comfort zone and into the world of the working poor, but she did it with an educated background, with money "just in case", with a pompous attitude, and with the requirement of a car at all times.

She also did it without many barriers that are very real to the working poor:
-a child or children
-childcare costs
-low IQ or other learning disabilities
-an alcohol or drug addiction
-an abusive partner
-lack of transportation
-English as a second language
-bad credit
-felony convictions
-health disparities
-no high school diploma or GED
-experience as an orphan or in the foster care system
-homelessness
-no positive support system (like her husband and editor)
-depression, PTSD, schizophremia or other mental illness
-lack of drive or self-worth, hopelessness
-angst for "the system"
-lack of basic computer skills
-lack of interpersonal skills
-lack of personal hygiene or simple lack of clean clothing

I live in Minneapolis, where she lived when the experiment ended. In the book she says she was struggling to find housing, but she was postive that she would find it. Fantastic! I hope the housing she would of found had heat paid, because heating costs will break even a middle-class budget when the weather drops well below zero.

0 0 Reply

RubinP

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

First reviewed Oct.1, 2009. I found and corrected a typo...so the dtae changed.

I find sometimes that people are surprised that I would recommend this book (albeit with a couple of reservations). Somehow the fact that I'm a political conservative is supposed to make me unable to identify with low income workers or those called the working poor.

Why? I struggled with long periods of unemployment...with a family. I've flipped burgers in several restaurants and several times. I've worked in family restaurants, fast food restaurants, factories, I've worked part time, temporary and "whatever I could get". I respect and feel for those who struggle against the odds to support themselves and their loved ones.

This book does lay out a lot of the experience. The life of a waitress (who doesn't have to be paid minimum wage because she gets, tips. Of course if the amount of the wages and the tips fail reach the amount of minimum wage the restaurant is supposed to pay the difference. I've never been anywhere the management posted this information or bothered to tell the employees of the fact.)

Read the book, learn the lesson, especially if you haven't been there. It takes a deal of courage and self respect to work at a low paying job and to support your family. If it's all you can get you don't quit, you work and do your best turning in a good job, even in a (so called) menial job.

What are my reservations about the book? Well the author could never actually be what she was going "undercover" to portray herself as. She could always quit and go back to her "real life". This of course slanted her view..and (please forgive me if you don't get this...or if you're Barbara Ehrenreich) it seemed to me that her "voice" was always a bit condescending about the people she was dealing with, the ones she was concerned about. Do these people need "more government intrusion" or simply fairer treatment, a fair day's work and a fair day's wage.

The book holds up an actual view of life even if a bit skewed.

0 0 Reply

Reibax

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

Mam z tą książką problem, a właściwie mam problem z autorką. To reportaż wcieleniowy, czyli sytuacja kiedy reporterka by zdobyć informacje na jakiś temat zmienia swoją tożsamość by wejść w sam środek jakiejs społeczności, grupy, etc. Spotykam się z takim rodzajem dziennikarstwa po raz drugi (a moze trzeci?), pierwszym bardzo udanym był „Przyszło nam tu żyć. Reportaże z Rosji” Jeleny Kostiuczenko, przy którym ani przez chwilę nie czułam zażenowania czy niestosowności. A u Ehrenreich było mi niewygodnie i niezręcznie co chwile.
Jest pierwsza dekada lat dwutysięcznych, autorka zatrudnia się jako kelnerka, sprzątaczka, a potem sprzedawczyni w różnych miejscach w Stanach, by dowiedzieć się jak sie żyje za najniższe stawki, i czy w ogóle da się za nie godnie przeżyć. Oczywiście ukrywa swoją tożsamość przed pracodawcami czy współpracownikami (no chyba, że już po zwolnieniu postanawia odkryć karty przed kolegą/koleżanką i wyjawić, że wcale nie jest biedna i to tylko eksperyment). Można się zastawiać nad etyką takiego działania czy rzetelnością doświadczeń, bo autorka wie, że cokolwiek się stanie zawsze może wrócić do dawnego życia. I ok, taki jest zamysł książki i przyjęty rodzaj antropologii - sięgając po nią wiedziałam za co sie zabieram. Ale niestety za dużo tu autorki a za mało merytorycznej wiedzy o gospodarce, prawie pracy, programach pomocowych, etc. I dla mnie zdecydowanie za dużo poczucia humoru (!), klasizmu i wzgardy, i tego wiecznego zdziwienia w stylu „i wy tu tak żyjecie?”.
„Jak ubogie są moje współpracownice? Sam fakt, że ktoś pracuje w charakterze sprzątaczki, można prima facie uznać za dowód desperacji, a przynajmniej skutek błędów i rozczarowań”.
I oczywiście ukazanie perspektywy osób, którym nie starcza na godne życie, nie dlatego, że są leniami, ale dlatego, że system jest jaki jest, jest niezwykle cenne. Niemniej mnie podczas czytania coś uwierało, nieodpowiały mi niektóre reakcje autorki czy wypowiedzi. I na koniec sama nie wiem co mam o niej myśleć

0 0 Reply

audry1000

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

April 1,2025

As someone who grew up as part of the "working poor," I have had all of these kinds of jobs myself at one time or another. Most of my family members still do. So for me, Nickel and Dimed was kind of a big "DUH." I mean, seriously, does any of this come as a surprise to anyone? Did anyone ever really think it was easy to make ends meet off of a low/minimum wage job? It's a preposterous idea.

In my opinion, Ehrenreich's writing has a patronizing undertone, and seeks to make the reader feel pity for the poor, helpless low-wage workers that she somehow manages to dehumanize in the process. It's not a very accurate portrayal of the ingenuity and strength that is takes for people to survive under these circumstances. I'm no fan of pity parties and I think it's a very one dimensional picture of the subject that she paints.

She also doesn't do much to analyze the broader issue and she doesn't offer any alternatives, solutions, or new ideas to deal with the problem.

It was kind of like she wrote the book out of her own bourgeoisie guilt or something and just wanted to give herself a big old pat on the back for understanding poor people.

0 0 Reply

Leave a Review

You must be logged in to rate and post a review. Register an account to get started.

Por cuatro duros: Como (no) apanarselas en Estados Unidos

barbara ehrenreich carmen aguilar

This edition

Barbara Ehrenreich

More editions

About the author

barbara ehrenreich

Readers also enjoyed

Community Reviews