Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in Boom-Time America

To find out if individuals can survive on the "wages available to the unskilled," journalist Ehrenreich spent 12 months working at a variety of minimum-wage jobs. Her experiences offer a gritty glimpse into the world of day-to-day work, a stark picture of living from hand to mouth, and a personal perspective on the politics of welfare.