FE134 (Prof. Barry)

Since the age of sixteen, when I bought my first car, I have slowly been realizing the cost of a dollar. However, not until now have I seen just how much it takes to keep above the poverty line, much less live a comfortable lifestyle. In Nickel and Dimed she uncovered the horrors of living paycheck to paycheck on minimum wage or little above it. And sadly this lifestyle is not far-fetched or non-existent, it is all too common and can be seen in every town across America and in even worse situations in foreign countries. How can someone break their back everyday of the week and still not have enough to treat themselves to a nice dinner out or a movie? This book is an eye opener! I really feel for the people in these real-life situations of a minimum wage life who have dependents to support, poor health, or who become pregnant. Barbara Ehrenreich had a hard enough time surviving in the best of conditions. What happens to those without that luxury?