Mari D. (luv2cnewthings) reviewed on 12/13/2013 + 55 more book reviews

First impression: Wow! What arrogance!!! I completely understand that the intention of this book is to open the publics eyes to the plight of those on welfare and/or what is now commonly known as the wage slave. Howevercan we say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions since Im under the impression that a good portion of this book took shape to boost Barbara Ehrenreichs ego. In fact, throughout the first 20 pages the reader will find references to Ms. Ehrenreichs education, vanity, and even indignation. All of this lessens as the book goes on, but does not disappear completely.

Nevertheless, this experiment began in 1998 and published in 2001. It took place in three states: Florida, Maine and Minnesota. It took place in only three months out of two years and not consecutively either! Yes; that meant only one month as a waitress, a maid and nursing home kitchen aid, and a Wal-mart employee.

With what I can only guess was extreme prejudice, Barbara Ehrenreich did not succeed in matching a low wage income to actual living expenses. In Florida, she ultimately quit the better paying waitressing job after being fed up with a particularly brutal day. In fact, she just walked out and did not even give two weeks notice. In Maine, she tried babying her supervisor, was switched to another team and then quit. At the nursing home she imagined that the weekend crew ganged up on her to orchestrate their sick days. On her departure she simply says, I work one last day at the Woodcrest and then call in sick. (119) In Minnesota, who knows if she made it through a month since she couldnt find anywhere she wanted live which was one of her self-imposed escape hatch rules.

In the final chapter, entitled Evaluation, she surmises that the working poor will one day rise up and demand better pay. And she was correct it did happen by way of Occupy Wall Street in 2011, which did nothing to stop foreclosures of family homes or help create and/or maintain jobs.

On the most personal note: Barbara Ehrenreich states she purposely decided against going to New York and one of her reasons what that a white woman with unaccented English seeking entry-level jobs might only look desperate or weird. (7) Yes; racist moreover it is too bad she didnt because jobs in NY or L.A. might have paid more. Case and point, on the very bottom of page 115 she disparages a woman for leaving The Maids for Dunkin Donuts. My first job was at a Dunkin in 1996 while in High School. Most important: It paid about $6.25 with tips and free food while working. The pay was $2 over minimum wage! The food perk meant free lunch and/or breakfast, which included more than donuts and coffee think sandwiches, soups, rolls, croissants, bagels, and drinks too. She wrote that being a Maid made one invisible to the world. Again, not the case in NY and an example is one of my bosses in Long Island who not only had maid service their relationship was good enough to joke about whether or not he was gay! (She is, in fact, a lesbian.)

Now onto the more psychotic note: While reading I started taking post it notes and tagged things I wanted to comment on. When writing - realized it was turning into a 10 page report, which brought me back to the thought that I cheated too. This book was originally picked up as required reading for a class and I must have just glanced at it. It seemed an easy enough and intriguing read and I swore to come back to it. So, Ill have to forgive Barbara Ehrenreich for breaking the rules she placed upon herself before and during this experiment.

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