Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich (2002, Paperback, Reprint)

This book challenges the view that welfare spending is overdone in this nation. It is eye-opening for those who have been sold a vision of overblown, wasteful policies. Highly recommended

This book is like most radically charged books. It is very one sided. It paints a picture of America that is to push the poverty mentallity down the throats of people. It is another simple minded person selling the idea that you cannot make it in America. In order to be a great book, without bias, it would have to have the other side...the people who have dug themselves out of lives like that.
The only reason you should read this book is if you want another miserable person to tell you that you cannot make it, and need to suck the government nipple. Simply put...DO NOT READ THIS BOOK!!!! It is a self-esteem sucking monster.

I read this book years ago and bought a copy for my mother to read. Everyone who works, both white collar and blue collar, should read this book. This is how most people in America live. It's a constant struggle to feed oneself and have shelter AND pay bills on minimum wage. Ehrenreich writes well and makes her point while keeping her sense of humor. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down.

bought for a book club; great price and fast service; easy to find on ebay; ordered and delivered without hassle

Reading book for a class. Book as described, fast shipping. A+++ Seller.......................................

Item in very good condition. The price was very good. This makes a good buying experience. I did not expect that for the price I paid, I would get a like new condition book.

I really liked how quickly the item was shipped and how great of condition the book was in! Was defiently a good deal! Thanks!

I needed to buy an English Book for school, and not only was this seller very helpful, but she made sure that I got the book quick. and was very polite and helpfull. I would for sure buy something else from this seller :)

I received the book I ordered in almost record time! The transaction was quick and efficient. Price was excellent as well, thank you very much!

Very Good quality book that was also priced very reasonable. Will serve the purpose of additional reading for my son's AP English class this fall.

I never got the book,when I contacted them I was told that it could take 22 days I paid $4 shipping for $1 book!Then I contacted them again actually 2times they never reply me.Things all of the stuff I have ordered before I got them 100% So I don't understand why I didn't receive this book.It was for my school I really need it ASAP.Awful.at least they could reply me and gave me some poor excuse or apologize .

Professional service. Product of excellent quality. Product shipped in very quick manner. Would recommend highly.

I bought this book because it was a reading assignment for a class. The author describes her plan to research material for this book. The author indirectly teaches the student to work at finishing school.

It came on time as stated and I had good communication and it was a good buy. I would buys from this seller again, if they supply any other helpful books.

My professors were talking about this book in my sociology and criminal justice classes and I thought it would be interesting to read. I like that it is a real experience of a woman.

This book was a requirement for a collge class. This was not a book I would normally purchase but, it is a good read.

I had to buy it for school.................................................................................................................................................................

good condition as listed, just a few pencil marks inside book. shipped fast no folds and good binding hardly used.

very good sale! product as described and arrived quickly. a+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Nickel and Dimed is a wonderful indepth book. The author Barabara shows empathy throughout the book, putting herself in the shoes of those in poverty. It was interesting to see how someone who has been living as a Middle status transistion to Low class. Very good book, takes no time to complete.

The cover and introduction to this book lead you to believe that Ehrenreich is going to tell you vividly about her experience as a poor worker struggling to pay the bills and we (the middle class) would have a look into something we never could imagine was happening in our country. Well about 1/4 of the book talked about her experience... which was not eye-opening being that she always had extra money to hit up the Holiday Inn when times were looking rough. The larger portion of the book consists of her opinionated views on religion and obesity, as well as footnote facts she dug up through research. The book didn't really tell me anything that I couldn't have figured out through an hour of internet research. Big waste of an educated mind.

I mean really now. Who sees any sort of humor at all in this book?

I actually find the author's tone to be completely indignant and arrogant, she is ungracious, unkind, even cruel in her tone towards her "friends" and co-workers while she is playing poor.

She even goes so far as to compare her plight to that of a princess being punished by being forced to hand feed all her subjects... this lady is a real piece of work. She is absolutely deplorable and such a snobbish, egotistical (well a not so very nice person)! Her "insights" and her surprising realizations scare me, I mean if real people actually find shock and awe at the same everyday DUH she makes a big fuss over, then this country is way past salvageable!!!

She is a career essayist who lowers herself to play poor for a little while, and tries to maintain a decent quality of life while getting by on minimum wage, something which is definitely not her area of expertise. She describes looking for places to live, jobs, working conditions and overall environments of the places she goes.

She alienated, humiliated, and demeaned almost everyone she met, though not in any sort of dialog to their face, just her thoughts about them...

This is definitely a must read, but not for the reasons by which I kept being mislead. For people like myself, this is at times hard to read, however it is definitely a book you will not soon forget, and definitely an author you will not soon forget either.

I needed to buy it for a college class.

Painful but challenging. How do many people make it with spiraling prices. Good book for increasing sensitivity and compassion. Required reading in my nursing class.

Nickel and Dimed (2001)
I am a member of a book club with a variety of books to read this year,so I am reading a few books by the same authors to get a sample of their styles and opinions (non-fiction books).

Barbara Ehrenreich writes about the non-educated poor class of people in entry level positions. The author has a Phd in biology and puts herself out into the real world with waitresses, cleaning personel, and salespersons to experience what it is like to work for minimum wage and barely make enough to eat and live. Ms. Ehrenreich goes to several states to see how location affects her experiences.

The book is an eye-opener for people who have never worked in the lower wage areas. Personally, I think everyone should read this book so that we all become more compassionate and polite in dealing with service people. Life in a low-income job should not be as difficult as it is now, and free education and chance for advancement should be readily available and encouraged.

If a little more humor had been added to the story lines of the book,it could have been a hot seller and perhaps made a difference in who read it. Ms. Ehrenreich, by living her research on the working poor, is to be commended on her efforts and writing style, but I felt she was a little lofty in her choice of descripive words for this type of story.

I enjoyed the book and was appreciative of the reader's guide. The next book selection for our meeting is "Bait and Switch" by Ehrenreich. I am looking forward to reading and discussing this one also. Having read this book, I plan to read some of the other 11 books written by Ehrenreich.

This is a book of social comment and importance to the extent that it should be a "must read" for high school students-particulary those considering dropping out! As a retired teacher, I highly recommend this book for parents of teenagers who are considering not going on for more education after high school!

I rate this book excellent and plan to pass it on to many people!