What Do I Read Next?
- Global Woman: Nannies, Maids, and Sex Workers in the New Economy (2002), edited by Ehrenreich and Arlie Russell Hochschild, is a compilation of essays that explore the injustices faced by low-wage female workers globally. It features an essay by Ehrenreich titled "Maid to Order," which builds upon her investigation of maid labor discussed in Nickel and Dimed.
- Ehrenreich's Fear of Falling (1989) examines the middle class and their shift away from liberalism. It complements Nickel and Dimed thematically by exploring social class tensions from a different perspective.
- Jack London's The People of the Abyss (1903) was written after he spent several months studying the slum conditions in London's East End. This journalistic piece, akin to Nickel and Dimed, provides a useful contrast to Ehrenreich's investigative approach and style, offering a historical insight into poverty from a different era and culture.
- The Road to Wigan Pier (1937) by George Orwell was inspired by a similar desire to investigate the conditions of London's impoverished population at the time. In the book's second half, Orwell shifts his focus to discuss socialism as an ideal and contrasts it with the reality of socialism during his era.
- In addition to the works of London and Orwell, John Howard Griffin's Black Like Me (1961) is frequently compared to Nickel and Dimed. Griffin recounts his experience of darkening his skin to live as an African American in the racially segregated South, offering firsthand insights.
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