{"book":{"book":"Nickel and Dimed","author":"Barbara Ehrenreich","publicationYear":2001,"description":"In this classic work of investigative journalism, Barbara Ehrenreich went undercover as a nursing aide, waitress, hotel maid, and retail worker to document the lived reality of low-wage labor. The book explores the economic struggles and daily challenges faced by low-wage workers trying to survive in America. It critically investigates systemic inequities in the American workforce and challenges how society values essential jobs. The work also addresses why Ehrenreich strongly took issue with the term 'unskilled' labor. Ultimately, it invites readers to fundamentally reconsider their relationship to work and economic status.","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"}}