DreamSE22 reviewed on 6/12/2006

I thought this book was excellent and sends a great message to Americans-especially those who have never had similar jobs or who have had to really save money and know what its like to live in near-poverty. The economy really makes me sick to begin with, and this book just continued to fuel the fire for me.

I think Barbara Ehrenreich writes a great narrative, and for a current events book it flowed rather easily and nicely. I really enjoyed her humorous anecdotes throughout the book, and more specifically her segments on the Accutest (which I failed as a teenager when applying to K&B Toys), drug-testing, and of course her retail experience in Wal-Mart.

I no longer work retail but being recently layed off from a major telemarketing corporation, this book was a great refresher and motivater for what I need to mentally prepare for. Because retail plays a major role in my background experience, I've always held great respect for the sweating, hard-workers out there who are earning a pathetic hourly wage doing laborious jobs on their feet or scrubbing toilets while I sit on my behind in an office cubicle doing close to nothing. What I really want is for everyone else to read this book to get a true glimpse of what a large portion of Americans are really doing to stay afloat.

I get sick and tired of all the rude, impatient and uppity people who act condescendingly toward retail, housekeeping, and restaurant servers. When I go shopping I always make it a point to tell people in the service industry that I'm never in a hurry to get anywhere, and I'm quick to jump to their defense when snotty people get snippy with these service workers.

I really could go on and on about all the emotions I experienced when reading this book. I thought it was great!

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