Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Audiobook

" I listened to the audio book and I found it very interesting. I will say that I don't have a lot of sympathy for people who work minimum wage jobs. I have been working since I was 12 as a paper boy and worked at minimum wage jobs from age 16 until age 24 and my first real job was as a cook in a chicken restaurant and that was enough to make me want to go to college if I did not already have my own drive to do so. I believe that raising the minimum wage is not the answer and that getting an education is a better solution to raising the minimum wage. "

" I thought this book offered great insight into the lives of the working poor. I think some people expected that the author would immerse herself completely into the experience, but I don't think her intention was to prove it's tough to live on minimum wage. I think her purpose was to learn how people on minimum wage make ends meet and also why it's so tough to break out of poverty. I think she achieved both those goals. The worst part is that this book was written in the late 90s, during one of the greatest economic times in America. I find it heartbreaking to imagine how people survive on minimum wage today, in 2012. "

" Showed you a different side of the working class of America. "

" Fairly interesting and insightful, but no major revelations. I did work as a hostess and retail associate - never for a living, but I worked with others who did. Wondering if a more recent, similar work would provide a better perspective, as this book is now about 12 years old and the climate may have changed a little. "

" Takes a narrow and at times dramatic view of living off minimum wage to push the living wage agenda, without thought of labor market shocks of doing this. "

" Whew! It was a fast read, but I think it will hang with me for a long time. I learned quite a few things. Even though it is older, it would be a great book to hand high school kids. Sadly, I cannot believe that much has truly changed for the "working poor" in the last 10 years. "

" pretty sad commentary on our world, great book "

" You will never look at house cleaners or big box employees the same again. This should be required reading for high school students and republicans. "

" Really interesting - still good even though the research was conducted well over a decade ago. I use this with my AP Language class in a unit about social issues facing America today. "

" Not a masterpiece and borders on whiny on some occasions, but it opened my eyes quite a bit to what the average minimum wage worker goes through every day. Those crappy jobs I held in high school might be over for me, but for some people they are an every day reality. "

" Although one could easily win arguments about the methods of research used by the author, this book provided an eye opening perspective to the plight of the working poor in the United States. A quick read that stayed with me for a long time. "

" Illustrated review of Nickel and Dimed: bibliovermis.com "

" This book really helps you understand what it's like for people trying to get by in America on a low income. "

" Excellent book for Mitt Romney to take the time and read..... "

" Fast read - 3 days I think. Enjoyed it. Authors do crazy things to get a good book :) "

" Expose of the treatment of low paid workers. Shocking. "

" I was challenged by the author's non-negotiables in this book. There is a certain privilege in knowing that you can retreat to a better life if the going gets too tough. "

" This didn't quite live up to the hype. Though it was readable and she had good things to say, I found myself thinking that she didn't always make the most realistic choices. The evaluation at the end is worth reading even on its own, and the introduction was also very good. "

" A must read for anyone involved in a wage-earning job or who wants to learn how the "other half" lives. Anyone who thinks that the minimum wage is a drain on business needs to read this book to see how crappy the world would be if wages were kept low. "

" This book provides nothing new unless you have never made less than $50,000/yr. "

" Very eye opening and I have great respect for the author for taking on this amazing task. "

" 3.5 stars, but it raised some interesting points. "

" If you are interested in knowing how low-income daily-wage people live in the US, this is a good book. It is depressing in parts but it is also the reality. "

" I think everyone should read this book to realize what some people (mostly women) have to go through on a day to day basis. "

" Great idea and interesting book but I fild Barbara Enhrenreich's narration so annoying. "

" For another viewpoint, I recommend Scratch Beginnings! "

" Sad but true that we live in a society where people are not paid decent wages for the work they do. "

" This book makes you wonder how people survive (financially)at all. "