Nickel and Dimed
Introduction: Getting Ready
Page 1: What is the significance of Lewis Lapham, other than the fact that he is the editor of Harper’s? Why was Barbara Ehrenreich so inspired by him and the lunch they shared together?
Page 2: Is Ehrenreich wealthy, middle-class, or poor? If I was in Ehreneich’s shoes and was wealthy, I would be very curious to see how other people live.
Page 3: The introduction to this book seems kind of ironic to me-while eating at an over-priced restaurant, Ehrenreich considers how women entering the workforce due to welfare reform are going to make it at the dangerously low-wages available to them.
Page 4: When was the last time Ehrenreich did journalism? Has it been a long time, or has it been recent?
Page 5: (response to question on page 4) I realized that it has been a very long time since she took part of radical journalism.
Page 6: “I am, of course, very different from the people who normally fill America’s least attractive jobs…” This reminds me of the students who attended Crenshaw High School in the novel And Still We Rise. The students are very different from the rich, fully educated citizens that live could live just a couple of miles away.
Page 7: It seems to me that Ehrenreich has witnessed many close friends and/or family members pull themselves out of the misery of low-wage work. I wonder if this is true, and if so, have these people motivated her?
Page 8: She learned that in 1998, 30% of the workforce worked for $8 an hour or less. If I was her, I would also be curious at how these people survive. I’m sure these people have a few tricks.
Page 9: I really like all three of her rules. She seems very determined to be successful, and if she sticks to these three rules, I have a good feeling she will indeed achieve her goal.
Page 10: I thought it was clever to introduce herself as “a divorced homemaker reentering the workforce after many years.” In a way, this is true, which is why I find it clever.
Page 10: Although I
Page 1: What is the significance of Lewis Lapham, other than the fact that he is the editor of Harper’s? Why was Barbara Ehrenreich so inspired by him and the lunch they shared together?
Page 2: Is Ehrenreich wealthy, middle-class, or poor? If I was in Ehreneich’s shoes and was wealthy, I would be very curious to see how other people live.
Page 3: The introduction to this book seems kind of ironic to me-while eating at an over-priced restaurant, Ehrenreich considers how women entering the workforce due to welfare reform are going to make it at the dangerously low-wages available to them.
Page 4: When was the last time Ehrenreich did journalism? Has it been a long time, or has it been recent?
Page 5: (response to question on page 4) I realized that it has been a very long time since she took part of radical journalism.
Page 6: “I am, of course, very different from the people who normally fill America’s least attractive jobs…” This reminds me of the students who attended Crenshaw High School in the novel And Still We Rise. The students are very different from the rich, fully educated citizens that live could live just a couple of miles away.
Page 7: It seems to me that Ehrenreich has witnessed many close friends and/or family members pull themselves out of the misery of low-wage work. I wonder if this is true, and if so, have these people motivated her?
Page 8: She learned that in 1998, 30% of the workforce worked for $8 an hour or less. If I was her, I would also be curious at how these people survive. I’m sure these people have a few tricks.
Page 9: I really like all three of her rules. She seems very determined to be successful, and if she sticks to these three rules, I have a good feeling she will indeed achieve her goal.
Page 10: I thought it was clever to introduce herself as “a divorced homemaker reentering the workforce after many years.” In a way, this is true, which is why I find it clever.
Page 10: Although I