Book · 2010 · Social Science
Nickel and Dimed
On (Not) Getting By in America
Why people recommend it
Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich is a classic work of investigative journalism exploring the harsh realities of low-wage labor in America through the author's firsthand experiences working service jobs. Annie Lowrey recommended Barbara Ehrenreich's classic book on The Ezra Klein Show in 2024 while discussing the neoliberal economic deal that defined American policy for decades. Lowrey featured the book as her final recommendation when reflecting on the foundational economic arrangements that society is only recently beginning to question and move past. The text vividly illustrates the immense physical and emotional toll exacted by low-paying employment, unstable housing, and inadequate social safety nets. By embedding herself in the daily struggles of working-class laborers, Ehrenreich provided an enduring critique of American economic inequality that continues to inform contemporary policy debates. The podcast mention reinforces the book's status as an essential cultural touchstone for understanding the structural flaws of modern capitalism, labor exploitation, and the systemic barriers preventing financial security for millions of working families across the United States.
Who recommended it
- Annie Lowrey Recommended
Annie Lowrey — 2 mentions
“and then um I was thinking about of the best books about the kind of NE liberal economic deal that we make for a really long time in America that I think that we are just starting to upset and grow past the best book I think about it and it it's a classic is is nickel and died by”
“and then um I was thinking about of the best books about the kind of NE liberal economic deal that we make for a really long time in America that I think that we are just starting to upset and grow past the best book I think about it and it it's a classic is is nickel and died by”