Nickel and Dimed : On (Not) Getting by in America

by Ehrenreich, Barbara

• ISBN13: 9780312626686
• ISBN10: 0312626681
• eBook ISBN(s): 9781429926645
• Additional ISBN(s): 9780805088380, 9781250808318, 9781439558324
• Edition: 10th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2011-08-02
• Publisher: Picador
• More Book Details

About This Book

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

ISBN: 9780312626686

About This Book

"Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" is a groundbreaking work by Barbara Ehrenreich that delves into the harsh realities of low-wage labor in the United States. Published on August 2, 2011, this book has become a classic in the field of social critique and has sold over 1.5 million copies.

Who Uses It?

Primarily, this book is used by students and educators in sociology, economics, and social justice courses at the college and university levels. It is also a valuable resource for anyone interested in understanding the challenges faced by low-wage workers, including professionals looking to gain insights into the economic and social dynamics of contemporary America.

History and Editions

"Nickel and Dimed" has been widely acclaimed since its publication. The book is a firsthand account of Ehrenreich's experiences working as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing-home aide, and Wal-Mart sales clerk. Her journey across different states in the United States reveals the tenacity, anxiety, and surprising generosity of low-rent America. The book has been updated with a new afterword by Ehrenreich, highlighting the continued struggles of underpaid workers in a changing economic landscape.

Author and Other Works

Barbara Ehrenreich is a renowned social critic and author of fourteen books, including "This Land Is Their Land," "Bait and Switch," and "Fear of Falling." She has been a frequent contributor to publications such as *Harper’s* and *The Nation*, and has also served as a columnist for *The New York Times* and *Time* magazine.

Detailed Information

ISBNs and Formats

• Paperback: ISBN-13: 9780312626686
• Hardcover: ISBN-10: 0312626681 (Note: This is the paperback ISBN, but it can sometimes be listed as a hardcover ISBN due to variations in formatting)
• eBook: Available through various digital platforms (no specific ISBN provided)

Publication Details

• Publisher: Picador
• Publication Date: August 2, 2011
• Number of Pages: 256 pages
• Language: English

Other Editions and Formats

While there are no additional editions listed with different ISBNs, the book is widely available in various formats:

• Paperback: The primary format listed.
• Ebook: Available through major digital retailers.
• Audiobook: Available through audiobook platforms like Audible or Libro.fm.

Related ISBNs

To ensure accuracy, only the primary ISBN is listed here:

• 9780312626686

This detailed information section provides a quick reference for all the available formats and sources for "Nickel and Dimed," making it easier to find and access the book in the preferred format.

Author Biography

Barbara Ehrenreich is the author of Nickel and Dimed, Blood Rites, The Worst Years of Our Lives (a New York Times bestseller), Fear of Falling, which was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award, and eight other books. A frequent contributor to Time, Harper's, Esquire, The New Republic, Mirabella, The Nation, and The New York Times Magazine, she lives near Key West, Florida.

Table of Contents

It is hotter inside than out, but I do all right until I encounter the banks of glass doors. Each one has to be Windexed, wiped, and buffed-inside and out, top to bottom, left to right, until it's as streakless and invisible as a material substance can be. Outside, I can see construction guys knocking back Gatorade, but the rule is that no fluid or food item can touch a maid's lips when she's inside a house. I sweat without replacement or pause, not in individual drops but in continuous sheets of fluid, soaking through my polo shirt, pouring down the backs of my legs. Working my way through the living room(s), I wonder if Mrs. W. will ever have occasion to realize that every single doodad and object through which she expresses her unique, individual self is, from the vantage point of a maid, only an obstacle on the road to a glass of water.

Excerpts

It is hotter inside than out, but I do all right until I encounter the banks of glass doors. Each one has to be Windexed, wiped, and buffed-inside and out, top to bottom, left to right, until it's as streakless and invisible as a material substance can be. Outside, I can see construction guys knocking back Gatorade, but the rule is that no fluid or food item can touch a maid's lips when she's inside a house. I sweat without replacement or pause, not in individual drops but in continuous sheets of fluid, soaking through my polo shirt, pouring down the backs of my legs. Working my way through the living room(s), I wonder if Mrs. W. will ever have occasion to realize that every single doodad and object through which she expresses her unique, individual self is, from the vantage point of a maid, only an obstacle on the road to a glass of water.