Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life
by Jon Lee Anderson
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Paperback (01 April, 1998)
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Editorial Review

Even to those without Marxist sympathies, Che Guevara (1928-67) was a dashing, charismatic figure: the asthmatic son of an aristocratic Argentine family whose sympathy for the world's oppressed turned him into a socialist revolutionary, the valued comrade-in-arms of Cuba's Fidel Castro and a leader of guerilla warfare in Latin America and Africa. Journalist Jon Lee Anderson's lengthy and absorbing portrait captures the complexities of international politics (revolutionary and counter); his painstaking research has unearthed a remarkable amount of new material, including information about Guevara's death at the hands of the Bolivian military. ... Read more

Reviews (98)

Excellente
If you are looking for an excellent book on Che Guevara, this one is it. It has it all, from his parents and his birth to his death in 1967 and his eventual return to Cuba 30 years later.

This book is very descriptive and extremely in-depth, so expect more than a simple narrative. It is a big book, it will take a little while to read, but it is time well spent.

I believe this book was as 'neutral' as it could possibly be, considering the highly contentious intellectual atmosphere that surrounds academic discussion of Cuba and the Revolution. It does not gloss over the fact that Che executed people, both during and after the guerilla war. Similarly, the book does not avoid the obvious humanistic and loving episodes in the life of Ernesto Guevara de la Serna. For his neutrality and artful handling of such a complex historical figure, who lived his life against a backdrop of events still highly controversial today, I commend Mr. Anderson.

Before reading this book, Che was an icon to me: a heroic revolutionary with dreams of intercontinental liberation and universal justice.

After reading this book, Che the icon disappeared. He became, to quote his reputed last words, simply "a man."

Completely Unbiased Biography!
A man like Ernesto 'Che' Guevara deserved a book like this 20 years ago!However so much of his life has become propaganda and full of lies, of both left and right wing agendas.If you are curious about who the man really was, then you have to read this book.Che was never an angel. However he was a great enough man to stand on his own and not need lies to build up who he was.Like I already said, if you want to learn about Che, you have to read this book!

Balanced and thorough
This is a very even-handed and thorough look at Che Guevara's life. As an anti-communist Cuban-American, I approached this book with skepticism, but ultimately thought it to be sound. John Lee Anderson is obviously sympathetic to Che, but how can you expect a biographer not to be. Additionally, I suspect that such sympathy is what allowed him access to previously unreleased documents held by the Cuban Council of State, as well as Che's widow. Anderson doesn't squander the opportunity and produces a scrupulous, yet eminently readable account. If you are looking to learn more about the Che--the good and the bad--this is undoubtedly where start. ... Read more

Isbn: 0802135587
Subjects:  1. 1928-1967    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Guerrillas    7. Guevara, Ernesto,    8. Historical - General    9. Latin America    10. Political   

WHAT OUR MOTHERS DIDN'T TELL US: Why Happiness Eludes the Modern Woman
by Danielle Crittenden
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (07 March, 2000)
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Editorial Review

Young women are the unhappy victims of their mothers' generation's feminism, says Danielle Crittenden in What Our Mothers Didn't Tell Us. Though they usually don't realize it, feminism has "seeped into their minds like intravenous saline into the arm of an unconscious patient." Crittenden says that feminism doesn't provide answers for the questions that distress young women, such as, "Is work really more important and fulfilling than raising my children?" and "Why does my boyfriend not want to get married as much as I do?" The modern dilemma, she says, is that the success of feminism has cut women off from those aspects of life that are distinctly female desires, such as being a wife and raising children. Crittenden wants us to take a step back from sexual freedom (which she says ends up harming the woman, who gets used and dumped), career (only a tiny minority have stimulating, gratifying jobs), and zealous personal autonomy (often an indication of being too fearful and weak to take on responsibilities), in favor of commitment, marriage, and child rearing. She argues that feminist fervor has failed modern women, and gives her suggestions for how women can recapture meaning, fulfillment, and happiness. --Joan Price ... Read more

Reviews (106)

Book Trash For White, Upper Middle Class Gold Diggers
..or should I call it a book for white trash gold diggers who want to be upper middle class? Anyway, you get the point.

If you're a woman whose idea of success is marrying well, being a full-time parasite and making the life of your husband an utter hell, this book is for you! If you want to succeed on your own, be independent and respected by others, and have goals other than popping out babies, read something else.

Nauseating
Badly researched, this book is mostly just opinionated banter. I get suspicious whenever someone uses the phrase "abortion on demand." She tries unsuccessfully to hide her conservatism and old-fashioned values. She blames women's current "unhappiness" on the feminist movement. She labels modern women who describe themselves as feminists as "nuts." It's clear she wants to return to the 1950's, despite her claims otherwise. If you're a conservative 1950's-style housewife looking for an affirmation of your lifestyle, this book is for you. If you're a young, educated woman trying to make important choices about your future, skip this book.

The most important book a maiden should read
An excellent book.Young women who want to have a family (and I would presume that virtually all women, even the intelligent ones) should read and live the advice.I am a childless 39 year old bachelor, and I completely understand where the author is coming from.I have no serious interest in women that are older the 30 - and in any case, if such a woman were attractive and still available at age 30, it almost a metaphysical certitude that she is screwed up in the head.I am most interested in women aged 18-25, and have never seriously started dating anyone older than 27.

Here is my reasoning about the proper age for a maiden to become serious about finding a husband:

First, a woman really should not have a child past the age of 35, at which point she has reduced fertility and the much increased problems of trisomy ova, etc.So assuming 2 children properly spaced out a few years, a woman should be conceiving her first child no later than 31.Now there could always be fertility issues (on either side) or improperly developing pregnancies, so the first attempt at conception should be a few years earlier, at age 28.And a couple should have a few years of bonding time before attempting conception, so a woman should be married no later than age 25.Therefore I tend start looking upon women over 25 as being a little over the hill, family-starting marriage-wise, that is.Once the 2nd digit on her odometer hits "3", I say thanks but no thanks.

And a woman must spend some time looking for the future father of her children - she cannot just hit her 25th birthday and have her fairy Godmother present her with her man.Now. assuming she has to go through one extra potential suitor before finding the right one, she should really start becoming serious a few years earlier than 25, i.e., age 22.For intelligent women, that's the standard age they graduate would college, so basically a woman needs to shift into full serious mode right out of college (of course, some women are able to snare their husband in college, which is even better.)

Women who want to "build a career" or pursue postgraduate education still need to be in serious mode during her 20's, and have the attitude that such a career must be put on hold while caring for her babies.A woman getting her PhD, MD or JD can still postpone the beginning of attempting conception until she has finished her studies, but she should really have her husband hunting all wrapped up by then.

So how does a woman insure that she has a husband by the right time?She needs to have a serious attitude in that she has no interest in socializing with the standard group of aimless men of her age.She needs to say to herself that she will not chase after the good looking, low income, irresponsible jerk, but rather the less good looking but responsible gentlemen.She may not get excited when the short nerdy guy tries to talk to her at a party, but she needs to realize that this guy will be the stable one that will be happy being with her and having her bare his children.

Also, she should keep her body in good nubile shape so that men will want her, and always present an open and inviting personality that will attract bachelors to gather up the courage to ask her out.Even better is for her to be proactive in husband hunting.I recommend searching Amazon for "how to find a husband", etc.It is far beter for a woman to read these kind of books at age 22 then to wait until she is 30+. ... Read more

Isbn: 0684859599
Subjects:  1. Family & Relationships    2. Family/Marriage    3. Feminism    4. General    5. Marriage    6. Personal Growth - Happiness    7. Psychology    8. Social conditions    9. Sociology    10. United States    11. Women    12. Women's Studies - General    13. Family & Relationships / General   

Affluenza: The All-Consuming Epidemic
by John De Graaf, David Wann, Thomas H. Naylor
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (09 June, 2001)
list price: $24.95
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Editorial Review

In their eye-opening, soul-prodding look at the excess ofAmerican society, the authors of Affluenza include two quotations that encapsulate much of the book: T.S. Eliot's line "We are the hollow men / We are the stuffed men," which opens one of this book's chapters, and a quote from a newspaper article that notes "We are a nation that shouts at a microwave oven to hurry up." If these observations make you grimace at your own ruthless consumption or sigh at the hurried pace of your life, you may already be ill. Read on.

The definition of affluenza, according to de Graaf, Wann, and Naylor, is something akin to "a painful, contagious, socially-transmitted condition of overload, debt, anxiety and waste resulting from the dogged pursuit of more." It's a powerful virus running rampant in our society, infecting our souls, affecting our wallets and financial well-being, and threatening to destroy not only the environment but also our families and communities. Having begun life as two PBS programs coproduced by de Graaf, this book takes a hard look at the symptoms of affluenza, the history of its development into an epidemic, and the options for treatment. In examining this pervasive disease in an age when "the urge to splurge continues to surge," the first section is the book's most provocative. According to figures the authors quote and expound upon, Americans each spend more than $21,000 per year on consumer goods, our average rate of saving has fallen from about 10 percent of our income in 1980 to zero in 2000, our credit card indebtedness tripled in the 1990s, more people are filing for bankruptcy each year than graduate from college, and we spend more for trash bags than 90 of the world's 210 countries spend for everything. "To live, we buy," explain the authors--everything from food and good sex to religion and recreation--all the while squelching our intrinsic curiosity, self-motivation, and creativity. They offer historical, political, and socioeconomic reasons that affluenza has taken such strong root in our society, and in the final section, offer practical ideas for change. These use the intriguing stories of those who have already opted for simpler living and who are creatively combating the disease, from making simple habit alterations to taking more in-depth environmental considerations, and from living lightly to managing wealth responsibly.

Many books make you think the author has crammed everything he or she knows into it. The feeling you get reading Affluenza is quite different; the authors appear well-read, well-rounded, and intelligent, knowledgeable beyond the content of their book but smart enough to realize that we need a short, sharp jolt to recognize our current ailment. It's a well-worn cliché that money can't buy happiness, but this book will strike a chord with anyone who realizes that more time is more valuable than toys, and that our relentless quest for the latest stuff is breeding sick individuals and sick societies. Affluenza is, in fact, a clarion call for those interested in being part of the solution. --S. Ketchum ... Read more

Reviews (74)

Should be required reading for average Americans....
This book is an easy to read and realistic view of where Americans have been and where we are headed.It covers not only the damage we do to ourselves, our environment, and other countries with our "affluenza", but also offers up easy solutions for all of us to adjust our way of living for a full recovery.That is what sets this book a part.There are several great books out there that cover American consumerism and the damages that come with it- but rarely does a book share with you an attainable contribution we all can make in working towards a solution.This is a great read.Please don't pass up the opportunity to learn more about our culture from this angle.And definately pass this book on once you are done with it.i did :)

Scares you into being less materialistic
This book was a very good read. The authors bring up a lot of strong points and really get you to question whether keeping up with the Joneses is worth it. If you like spending money and living lavishly, this book will hit you like Mike Tyson. I highly recommend reading it, though. It will get you to think differently about a lot of things.

Consumerism is out of control and if we don't get a handle on things, who knows what will happen? Of course, that's funny saying that while on an online seller's site, huh? But, if you're going to buy something, buy books like "Affluenza" or "Why?" by Phil Nery. At least books of that nature have interesting things to say.

Better Late than Never
I just got around to reading this book.From the dates on the other reviews, it looks like I'm about four years behind the times.I'm improving.First off, this was apparently a book based on a TV show.That scared me; nevertheless, I read on.It didn't take much more reading for me to realize that a lot of the "stuff" in this book - thoughts, ideas and so on - I already knew.Americans do eat too much, spend too much, drive too much and generally do almost everything they do to excess.I couldn't agree more with a lot of the sentiments in this book.Certainly, I'm no fan of automobiles.I neither own one nor drive one.So, basically, I enjoyed the first half of the book.It was cute and clever with all the disease metaphors and it was hard to disagree with most of the observations.

The second part - well, actually the third - was more troubling.Dismantling, or even tempering, a society built on excess is an open invitation to the law of unintended consequences.At least the authors had the good sense to admit they were clueless as to what sort of disruptions this would cause in the economy.I can only think of two times in recent history from which we might gain some insight on that question.One was the Great Depression and the other was Pol Pot's attempt to "purify" Cambodian society of capitalism in late 1970's.Unlike the Great Depression, which just happened, the experiment in Cambodia was a "managed" endeavor.Cities were forcibly emptied in pursuit of a simpler rural life for all.By current estimates, from one quarter to one third of the entire Cambodian population perished in the Killing Fields.Perhaps we can get a gently unwinding as the authors suggest.I hope so.
... Read more

Isbn: 1576751511
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Consumer Behavior - General    4. Consumption (Economics)    5. Economic Conditions    6. Economics - Theory    7. Popular Culture - General    8. Quality of life    9. Social conditions    10. Sociology    11. Sociology - General    12. United States    13. Wealth    14. Current Affairs & Politics   

Legends, Lies, and Cherished Myths of American History
by Richard Shenkman
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (03 August, 1992)
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Reviews (17)

Nearly no primary sources
Television news reporter (now there's a credential) Shenkman attempts to debunk some widely-held but erroneous beliefs about American history from Columbus to the present day, covering topics such as sex, family, the so-called good old days, arts and quotations. It's a fine and admirable idea for a book.Unfortunately, this book does not deliver the idea's promise.Shenkman uses nearly no primary sources, relying on modern historians' research.This gives the result that in many instances, his "proof" of the falsity of one claim is simply another author's claim.Shenkman also has an odd idea of what constitutes American history, often resorting to 17th-century history to refute claims of what "American" life really is.He also quotes extensively but cites sources sproadically, often lumping a few paragraph's worth of sources together in one footnote.There are one or two nuggets of good stuff in here, like the origin of Paul Bunyan, or some of Harvard's history, but the lack of primary sources and generally non-scholarly approach make this book somewhat interesting at best.

A Part of the Problem
This book provides the real truth about many of the myths and legends that get passed around as history. Since dramatizations are always more popular that dull reality, this work is never ending. The author says that Americans know plenty of history, but little of it is true. No facts are cited, so page 11 serves as an ironic introduction. Seventeen chapters group historical topics. They make entertaining reading, and are informative. But are they all 100% correct? Note how many of his notes reference a sole source. Page 22 questions Eli Whitney's use of interchangeable parts from inspecting surviving examples. But after decades of wear wouldn't the original parts have been replaced? The Ford assembly line (p.25) came from Chicago slaughterhouses.

The "Founding Fathers" chapter teaches you what is censored from the schoolbooks. Page 31 tells of the Yazoo land swindle in Georgia, and the part played by the US Supreme Court after the fact. Neither Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, or Hamilton went to church regularly (p.35). "Presidents" says that Warren Harding was selected after many ballots. His Cabinet included some of the best minds in the country (p.50). If not the brightest, he made it up by often working from 8am to midnight until he died of a heart attack. Eisenhower's "fuzzy locutions" were just a way to give evasive answers (p.54). Reagan was a liberal Democrat from the 1930s to the early 1950s (pp.56-57). Most Presidents had a middle-class to rich background, except Andrew Johnson [and Bill Clinton?] (pp.58-59). Shenkman contradicts de Tocqueville on the "equality of conditions" in America. But de Tocqueville was right; lavish living was politically incorrect, and considered immoral. De Tocqueville also commented on America's fascination with money.

"Sex" suggest the only diference from 200 years ago is more publicity. The sermons against vice in the late 19th century may have been against the industrialized version (p.71). Big cities had guidebooks so "the reader may know how to avoid them" (p.72)! "The Family" notes the high rate of divorce in America started in the 1880s (p.80). Divorce seems to follow the economy (p.81). In past centuries early death was so common that single parent families were prevalent (p.82). "War" suggestss a censored reign of terror during the Revolution; a higher proportion of Loyalists fled than Royalists from Revolutionary France (p.84), where more died. Shenkman says the Mexican War was for territory, as if this was unusual (p.91)! Like most historical arguments, one man's truth is another man's myth. Page 103 says the Japanese emperor and the Supreme Council decided to end the war on June 20, 1945 weeks before the A-bombs were dropped. No one expected deaths from the radiation!

The popular image of "The Frontier" as a place of violence is due to Hollywood movies and dime novels, rather than historical fact (p.112). The Kansan cow towns which saw more violence were those with a large transient male population looking for fun. Davy Crocket's legend came from his political biographies (p.114). "Education" notes the failures in schooling goes way back; it is not a current phenomenon (p.13). College rebellions were common in the early 19th century (pp.135-6). "The Good Old Days" refer to the times where problems were forgotten and good memories retained (pp.159-160). Drug abuse was widespread in the late 19th century, not counting alcohol (p.164). "Folklore" says many famous figures believed to be mythical were based on real people, like Johnny Appleseed (p.166). The "Famous Quotes" chapter explains why some are "famous misquotes:. You can not fool all of the people all of the time after they read this book.

A teaser - and I'm not sure to trust it
This looked like a fascinating premise - debunk all the things we think we know.Unfortunately, the book did not live up to it's promise for me.The author tried to cover so much ground that nothing could be properly explored or explained.Just a lot of random factoids strung together.

I'm normally a fan of the factoid books, but I guess I just had mismatched expectations.I expected more from this book.

I was also vaguely troubled at a number of points during the book.The author used a lot of weasel words (might, could, may, etc.) when trying to convince us that the conventional understanding of a particular point is wrong.If you know better, say so.If it's a matter still in dispute, that's a little too academic for me to care about.

At other points, I found myself challenging his assumptions and sources.The one good thing I can say about this book is that for popular entertainment it was exceptionally well footnoted.(Not that I have the resources to look up all those books, but it was reassuring to think that I could.)

I doubt I'll be picking up any of his other books. ... Read more

Isbn: 0060972610
Sales Rank: 36777
Subjects:  1. History    2. History - General History    3. History: American    4. Legends    5. Miscellanea    6. United States    7. United States - General    8. History / General   

Walden and Other Writings
by Henry David Thoreau
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 May, 2001)
list price: $6.98
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Reviews (29)

The positive reviews here say much about their authors...
Lets cut to the chase, shall we?Academics and intellectuals like things written by other academics and intellectuals.They like "classics".Truth be told, this little tome is nothing but elitist, precious, fuzzy-minded rambling.Thoreau's poetic and mystical insights into "living off the land" are laughably naive and out of touch to anyone who has truly worked the land or lived in poverty.Its one more example of an intellectual "slumming" as some sort of lifestyle experiment...then writing about it in a gratingly self-congratulatory way.Wow, look at me, I lived here for TWO years!Did I mention that I built the cabin myself?Did I mention how cheaply I built everything?Did I mention how I sat for hours on end doing absolutely NOTHING?Did I mention how I walked into town everyday for supplies?Sure, Thoreau helped his family in their pencil making business, and thus wasn't materially rich, but why do his books only really appeal to well-off white folks?Because truly poor people know the reality of poverty.When all the poetry is stripped away, pretty though it may be, one is left with a self-indulgent fantasy about Thoreau's high concept and relatively low risk vacation.

Obsolete Editions
Teachers and Thoreau fans beware: this anthology contains heavily redacted versions of Thoreau's works and is not a reliable textual source.The version of _A Week_ is missing huge chunks of vital material, though the editor claims that he has included a complete version.Many titles and smaller details are wrong as well.The source editions for this anthology are pre-WWII.Much has changed for the better in the interim, and you cheat yourself by not ordering a more recent anthology--the Library of America one is excellent, textually impeccable.

Different, especially nowadays
How refreshing it was/is to pick up something like this.I had heard about it for such a long time and just refused to buy into the hype.Then again, I've been wanting to move out into the woods and live more simply before I read it.Now that I've finished it, all I can say is, "Don't wait!Read it now!" If you've got any soul left after what the concrete and highways have done to you, you'll love this book.

Also recommended:Benjamin Franklin:An American Life, and Bark of the Dogwood by McCrae ... Read more

Isbn: 1586632116
Sales Rank: 489092
Subjects:  1. American - General    2. Literary Criticism    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Poetry   

Choosing Simplicity: Real People Finding Peace and Fulfillment in a Complex World
by Linda Breen Pierce, Vicki Robin
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (January, 2000)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $16.95
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Reviews (19)

Who ever picked the cover picture should read the book!
No cheap fiberglass canoe for their simple life, no it's a $3000 plus wood canoe for these people.

Real Life Stories
In her preface, the author questions what does simple living actually look like, how do people do it, what are the downsides, is it worth it. She comments on books that she has read that told her why or how to simplify her life, but she found little written on real people who actually did it.

As you read this book you will find the book provides actual examples of simplified living and the stories of the people who have done it. You will also find reflections on the lessons learned from the person being profiled.

Certainly a book you will want to read. It is one that inspired us to follow our dream and live a more simplified life!

Really Inspiring!
This book really resonated with me.I had a hard time putting it down.When I purchased it, I was a bit worried that it would be filled with trite or preachy suggestions about going back to the land & living in a tent, making your own jam & clothes, and helping out at the soup kitchen every Christmas in order to discover what's truly valuable in life.I don't in any way mean to knock jam-making, homesteading, or volunteer work - but I think we've all heard those kind of suggestions enough times already, thank you.

Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to see how many different paths the study participants profiled in this book take in order to simplify their lives.There are as many potential paths as there are individuals on the planet.Although most simplicity-seekers (myself included) tend to value the same things (e.g. nature, spirituality, and a rich inner life), there is no formula for attaining a life that privileges what you value.The stories here confirm that mental and physical uncluttering tend to go hand in hand.More importantly, however, the book addresses a broader, deeper, spiritual kind of unburdening that derives from simple living.In other words, simplicity is portrayed as a means to attain greater peace of mind and mindfulness;it isn't necessarily about ascetic living (although some persons choose that option).It most certainly is not about deprivation.

Naturally, I related more to some profiles in the book than to others, but all were valuable to me in some way.I haven't read any of the other simplicity books, but now that I've read this one, I somehow don't feel the need to.This was enough to get me started on my own way.I really liked reading about these folks and think it was more helpful for me than any "how to simplify" guide, although those may be good too.

One other feature I liked:the author interjects her own remarks into each section as she presents the views & experiences of various study participants.Her own remarks are set apart in boxes.Maybe it's because I teach, but I really enjoyed how these comments served to underscore salient meanings in the preceding narratives.These remarks helped synthesize the book - it became much more than a disjointed collection of individual lives and opinions.The author does this skillfully;she doesn't destroy the integrity of any participant's perspective by hogging the spotlight and filtering every remark made through her own lens.In other words, she doesn't demean the subjects by "interpreting" them for us.Instead, she just offers a thoughtful commentary now and then that this reader found "just right." ... Read more

Isbn: 0967206715
Sales Rank: 58262
Subjects:  1. Conduct of life    2. Inspirational - General    3. Motivational & Inspirational    4. Psychology    5. Self-Help    6. Simplicity    7. Stress Management    8. Self-Help / General   

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America
by Barbara Ehrenreich
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 May, 2002)
list price: $13.00 -- our price: $10.40
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Editorial Review

Essayist and cultural critic Barbara Ehrenreich has always specialized in turning received wisdom on its head with intelligence, clarity, and verve. With some 12 million women being pushed into the labor market by welfare reform, she decided to do some good old-fashioned journalism and find out just how they were going to survive on the wages of the unskilled--at $6 to $7 an hour, only half of what is considered a living wage. So she did what millions of Americans do, she looked for a job and a place to live, worked that job, and tried to make ends meet.

As a waitress in Florida, where her name is suddenly transposed to "girl," trailer trash becomes a demographic category to aspire to with rent at $675 per month. In Maine, where she ends up working as both a cleaning woman and a nursing home assistant, she must first fill out endless pre-employment tests with trick questions such as "Some people work better when they're a little bit high." In Minnesota, she works at Wal-Mart under the repressive surveillance of men and women whose job it is to monitor her behavior for signs of sloth, theft, drug abuse, or worse. She even gets to experience the humiliation of the urine test.

So, do the poor have survival strategies unknown to the middle class? And did Ehrenreich feel the "bracing psychological effects of getting out of the house, as promised by the wonks who brought us welfare reform?" Nah. Even in her best-case scenario, with all the advantages of education, health, a car, and money for first month's rent, she has to work two jobs, seven days a week, and still almost winds up in a shelter. As Ehrenreich points out with her potent combination of humor and outrage, the laws of supply and demand have been reversed. Rental prices skyrocket, but wages never rise. Rather, jobs are so cheap as measured by the pay that workers are encouraged to take as many as they can. Behind those trademark Wal-Mart vests, it turns out, are the borderline homeless. With her characteristic wry wit and her unabashedly liberal bent, Ehrenreich brings the invisible poor out of hiding and, in the process, the world they inhabit--where civil liberties are often ignored and hard work fails to live up to its reputation as the ticket out of poverty. --Lesley Reed ... Read more

Reviews (798)

Now you know. (more)
Finally someone speaks up as to the disgusting conditions the lower class have to put up with in the work place, and the inadequate sums they are paid.
It's like this in EVERY job hovering around the minimum wage mark.
The treatment by superiors is maddening and humiliating.
It is exhausting to go through this existance.I'm glad for the author that she had a way out after her research was all finished up.
Most of us don't.
There's something wrong in this country.We have the largest income gap of any industrialized nation in the world.The only thing that keeps the poor from revolting is that, like the author alludes to, most believe in the "promise" of a better future.They've been fed the line that "if you just work hard everything will turn out all right"....I don't think a better line of propaganda exists in this life.(Which is probably so effective because it wasn't originally intended as such.At one time it was actually true, or so I'm told)It keeps the have-not's docile.For a few more generations at least.
Read the book and maybe you'll understand why your waitresses eye twitches when you throw a hissy over an overcooked steak.Or why you just don't always get "service with a smile":The employee helping you hates his job and subsequently; you.(Logical or not.It's an anger induced by a hopeless situation, and your presence and expectations only exacerbate the issue.)So next time you think about complaining to management because the guy in the polo shirt "didn't act very friendly", just remember:Paroxysms of rage aren't restricted only to Postal workers.

Memory Lane
I personally know how accurate Mrs./Ms. Ehrenreich is! I was homeless after losing an average paying job in New England and eventually had to settle at a major retailer NOT Walmart!

More affluent people might be inclined to blame me 100% for my experiences,butI tried everything, including proposals for free work in exchange for skills upgrades and positive references and there were no takers. I went to college for 20 years to get a degree.

I have found in my work experience that there is a grand illusion of an abundance of good jobs when in fact good,decent jobs are very scarce and most of us have to settle for jobs essentially run by some benevolent but most NOT,dictatorships operating as corporations. For me, America has not been ripe with opportunity,rather 1-step from being homeless nearly my whole working life.After 20 years of working several simultaneous jobs,sometimes up to 4(2 FT/2 PT)to pay for school and "get ahead", the end result is a retail job working for a company that blasts the airways with wholesome,friendly,warm imagery and happy,healthy employees who look taken care of. The reality is I have not had health insurance for a decade, have little or no ability to increase income through such vehicles as overtime and find an abundance of employers who don't know me but judge me and will not offer me an opportunity to help them and myself. Where were all the opportunities and jobs when i needed it? Would any of the personnel managers who dutifully sent me a rejection letter feel bad if they knew i became homeless when all I asked for was a job with a liveable wage?

A Broader Horizon
Nickel and Dimed is the insightful product of Barbara Ehrenreich's experiment in journalism.She took it upon herself to set out and try to live on minimum wage (just slightly more than), in order to gain first hand knowledge about plight of the poor. For a year, Ehrenreich gave up her comfortable, established, upper-crust life, and ventured into three different regions of the country to try her hand as an unskilled laborer. Cushioned only by her car, laptop, and $1000 start-up allowance per move, she headed for Key West, Portland, Maine, and Minneapolis. On her journey, three guidelines Ehrenreich set for herself were that she not rely on her higher education, never become homeless, and always take the highest-paying job available. She ended up working various stints from waitressing to housekeeping to retail at Wal-Mart.

Through her own experiences, Ehrenreich attempts to paint an honest picture of the lives of the working poor. Although it's a great challenge to be able to do this in a relatively short time (and with "emergency funds" to fall back on), she does get her message across. She concludes that it's next to impossible to survive on minimum wage. At times having to take on two jobs at once, imagine having to provide for a family in addition to taking care yourself. A serious impediment too is that these workers often can't afford medical coverage.

As Ehrenreich experienced first hand, living a day-to-day existence puts incredible strain on both the mind and body (not to mention spirit), which is thoroughly exhausting, even if you're "lucky" enough to have a "sit-down" job. This and other points in the book help dispel misconceptions that the poor are lazy and that they can always find a better job. However, as Ehrenreich discovered, even "unskilled" work, requires some set of skills, and not everyone has them.

I think this is a book that everyone will benefit from. It's a quick and easy read. Ehrenreich's humor always comes through (I love the parrot), keeping this serious subject from becoming too weighty. It definitely sheds light on a realm that largely goes unnoticed and unappreciated, in the shadows of society. We could all use a healthy dose of humble-medicine.

... Read more

Isbn: 0805063897
Subjects:  1. Government - U.S. Government    2. Labor    3. Labor & Industrial Relations - General    4. Minimum wage    5. Politics - Current Events    6. Poverty    7. Social Science    8. Sociology    9. Sociology - Social Theory    10. United States    11. Unskilled labor   

Atlas Shrugged
by Ayn Rand
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (01 August, 1996)
list price: $8.99 -- our price: $8.09
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Reviews (1230)

facism's olympus
It makes me laugh, and fear for the world, when I read some of these reviews and realize there are people who think this book is anti-fascist and pro-freedom? Hello? Go back to reading comprehension 101.

The only reason i give this 3 stars instead of 1 is for the obvious effort put into it.Otherwise this must be the most pretentious, bombastic, soulless, simpleminded, misguided diatribe on the human being that's ever been written.

Basically the theme of this book is, if you don't agree with me you are evil; if you are not me, you are evil.Seriously faulty logic.

Long live the USA
Oh well, this book is freedom. Freedom of the mind. I choosefreewill. I live in Europe and after reading this wonderful story I want to live in the United States. If you hate this book, you will support fascism. Move to the Middle East and let others think for you.

A Hefty Tome That Won't Go Away
Ouch. I'm still reeling from the 1168 pages of the theory-condensed Atlas Shrugged. Also reeling from the fact this is the third time I am attempting to write a review on it after being cut off mid-sentence by the server to find my work all gone. Well, seeing how strongly I feel by the book i shall keep on trying until my fingers hurt and my frustration runs dry.

What is it about Ayn Rand's theoretical beliefs that one keeps being drawn to her books? For one thing, how she portrays her ideals in her characters incur wrath in a number of her readers (I've read a lot of disapproving reviews), but there are still some of her loyal fans (like me) who will continue to stick by her morals. We got a hint of her philosophy in the fountainhead, and ten years later Rand produces Atlas Shrugged, the most mind-blowing piece of literature i have ever laid my hands on. Her philosophy, i quote, "is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his absolute." Not everyone will agree with it. Why? Because there are so many different belief systems to lead our lives on and one popular path is firmly held by Religion. You won't find that in this book though, because Rand subscribes to the power of man, and especially to the egoist, and there is no clearer definition of it as expressed in Atlas Shrugged.

Set in the 1950s during the Industrial movement, we are dragged into the power struggle of two divisions. Not by race, but by the strong and the weak. Both parties hold high political positions, but one attains it by deceit, by immoral practice. What makes Rand's story almost incredible and almost romantic in its wishes for a utopian society is the manner in which she makes the power struggle have so many implications. But ultimately we all know whose side we want to be on.

Atlas Shrugged is timeless, because the questions she asks 50 years ago can still be asked today. If we all delved deeply into our minds, we can conclude the answers by looking at our world in present day. She made us imagine a world being ruled by great minds whose human ability and intellect gave the world its technological benefits, economic stability, political structure. And then let us see the consequences of those great minds going on strike, and not sharing their wealth of information and ability. Coming back to reality, it makes me think, what if scientists and entrepreneurs of yesterday had done the same and left the later generation to its own demise? It is merely a hypothetical question, but what if? Ideas such as these are triggered off by Rand's great writings. Of course, there are other points of value to consider in Rand's philosophy, in her discourse of the Atlas Shrugged.

Should you choose to read this book, keep note that some of her theories are somewhat lengthy (especially John Gault's 3 hour speech, I was bleary and disorientated after it) I can only assume Rand wrote it in this manner because she was trying to drill in ideas of extreme importance. I admire her characters of intellectual strength, so when you begin your journey in what could be a life-changing perception of morals and beliefs, keep in mind that although they may not be real, you might end up wishing they truly exist.

For those of you who HATED Atlas Shrugged, let me make a contrasting recommendation -- a recent Amazon purchase I truly enjoyed -- 180 degrees opposite from the philosophy of Ayn Rand -- THE LOSERS CLUB: Complete Restored Edition by Richard Perez, a very entertaining comic novel told from the point of view of an admitted "weakling." ... Read more

Isbn: 0451191145
Sales Rank: 746
Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fiction    3. Literature - Classics / Criticism    4. Science Fiction    5. Science Fiction - Adventure    6. Modern fiction