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February 22
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Shinichi
gave  to:
The Left Hand of Darkness (Paperback)
by
Ursula K. Le Guin
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my rating:
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February 11, 2008
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Shinichi
marked as to-read:
Motherless Brooklyn (Paperback)
by
Jonathan Lethem
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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Shinichi
marked as to-read:
Anansi Boys: A Novel (P.S.)
by
Neil Gaiman (Goodreads author)
bookshelves:
to-read
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my rating:
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February 03, 2008
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Shinichi
gave to:
Punching In: The Unauthorized Adventures of a Front-Line Employee (Hardcover)
by
Alex Frankel
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my rating:
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read in January, 2008
Shinichi said:
"What kind of people work at UPS, Starbucks, Gap, or the Apple Store? Alex Frankel finds out for sure as he joins these brand name retail environments in a one year period and chronicles his experiences in Punching In: The Unauthorized Adventures of a...more
What kind of people work at UPS, Starbucks, Gap, or the Apple Store? Alex Frankel finds out for sure as he joins these brand name retail environments in a one year period and chronicles his experiences in Punching In: The Unauthorized Adventures of a Front-Line Employee. Barbara Ehrenreich did this kind of undercover writing in Nickel and Dimed. While Ehrenreich’s aim was to expose the hardships of low wage jobs that fail to provide living wages, Frankel examines corporate culture and how it shapes the employees who sell the product directly to the customer.
Frankel’s jobs take place in the San Francisco Bay Area, though he flies to New York City to interview for Whole Foods. While more locations nationwide would have made for an interesting read, the ubiquitous nature of the corporations featured in the book is enough.
As he works at the various jobs, Frankel finds that the companies hire different types of people, but there are some common denominators. The employees are joiners on some level and the companies work to create a culture of employee loyalty. Of all the places he works for, Frankel feels the most affinity for UPS. We get to learn what makes “the brown” so sexy along with the workplace subculture. He speaks very well of them, but the same can’t be said for Enterprise Car Rentals (spookily cult-like, bait and switch) or the Gap (mind-numbingly boring). Starbucks (inauthentic) and the Apple Store (true believers) provide the climax and denouement to the McJob narrative. While he’s never really a joiner to begin with, Frankel gains insight to these employees and roles they play in the theatre of retail.(less)
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Shinichi
gave  to:
Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War (Hardcover)
by
Joe Bageant
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my rating:
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read in December, 2007
Shinichi said:
"If you ever want to understand why the working poor vote against their interests (i.e. vote for the GOP and others who double cross them), you should read Deer Hunting With Jesus. Joe Bangeant provides an intelligent, critical home grown perspective ...more
If you ever want to understand why the working poor vote against their interests (i.e. vote for the GOP and others who double cross them), you should read Deer Hunting With Jesus. Joe Bangeant provides an intelligent, critical home grown perspective of why this is so. It'll definitely make you think twice about making fun of white trash and rednecks. Hopefully, you'll think more about how to communicate the issues to them in a way they'll understand.(less)
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February 02, 2008
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Shinichi
gave to:
Richistan: A Journey Through the American Wealth Boom and the Lives of the New Rich (Hardcover)
by
Robert Frank
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my rating:
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read in January, 2008
Shinichi said:
"The book's subtitle says it all: A Journey through the American Wealth Boom and the lives of the New Rich. Oh, and it is quite a journey that Wall Street Journal writer Robert Frank takes as he interviews, observes, and hangs out with the newly rich....more
The book's subtitle says it all: A Journey through the American Wealth Boom and the lives of the New Rich. Oh, and it is quite a journey that Wall Street Journal writer Robert Frank takes as he interviews, observes, and hangs out with the newly rich.
The title, of course, is a play on Rich and istan, which seems to be the suffix for every newly minted Middle-Eastern/post-Soviet nation that keeps confounding American geographers, school children, and even temporary White House occupants.
While this nation doesn't have any borders, it has strata. Here is the breakdown Frank gives on the three main ones and the general worth of average citizens:
* Lower Richistan: $1 million to $10 million.
* Middle Richistan: $10 million to $100 million.
* Upper Richistan: $100 million to $1 billion (and upwards)
While the book's title is humorous and he handles the issues with a light touch, Frank never treats his subjects with ridicule or malice. He points out some that have taken philanthropy into their own hands to make sure their money has a direct impact on social ills, locally and worldwide, versus simply throwing money at charities. He also doesn't fail to address that there is a growing inequality in our population as wealth grows. A definite must-read for sure.(less)
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Shinichi
added a quote:
"Everything that had happened was shockingly beautiful, enough to make you crazy."
— Banana Yoshimoto
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Shinichi
gave to:
Amrita (Paperback)
by
Banana Yoshimoto
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my rating:
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read in April, 1999
Shinichi said:
"One of Banana Yoshimoto's fully realized works available in English, a travelogue about a woman who lost her memories and, along for the journey, her kid brother, whose burgeoning psychic powers threaten to overwhelm him. In all, a life affirming nov...more
One of Banana Yoshimoto's fully realized works available in English, a travelogue about a woman who lost her memories and, along for the journey, her kid brother, whose burgeoning psychic powers threaten to overwhelm him. In all, a life affirming novel with some odd quirks.(less)
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Shinichi
gave to:
Angel Hair Sleeps with a Boy in My Head: The Angel Hair Anthology (Paperback)
by
Clark Coolidge
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my rating:
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read in November, 2003
Shinichi said:
"There is some crazy and amazing poetry collected in this volume!
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