{"book":{"book":"Nickel and Dimed","author":"Barbara Ehrenreich","publicationYear":2001,"description":"In Nickel and Dimed, journalist and activist Barbara Ehrenreich examines low-wage labor in the United States. To document the reality of the working poor, she went undercover to work a variety of entry-level jobs, including serving as a nursing aide, waitress, hotel maid, and retail worker. The book investigates the economic hardships and systemic challenges faced by individuals trying to survive on minimum-wage employment. Ehrenreich also challenges societal labels placed on working-class jobs, strongly taking issue with the concept of 'unskilled' labor. Her classic work serves as a powerful critique of American economic structures and urges readers to reconsider their understanding of work.","image":"https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/2160x2160+0+0/resize/3000/quality/66/format/jpg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb5%2F76%2F479845e14cee8bde8c4fac2a2fef%2F265a3c20-88fa-42c0-af36-38667566a6cd.jpg","date":"2026-10-16"}}