How to Tell When You're Tired: A Brief Examination of Work

by Reg Theriault

A former fruit picker and longshoreman, the author offers an incisive, witty reflection on the perennial themes involving work, from the impersonal attitude of the higher-ups to the pleasure of doing a job right.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Essays, History

192 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1995

Reviews

[Vel Veeter]

This is a book of "cultural studies" about what it's like to work in labor-intensive blue collar jobs, written by someone who worked a number of those jobs, as well as, has the educational background to apply a few theories and analysis to the study as well. It's not an academic work in that way, but is clearly cognizant of the long history of labor studies. The book itself is a little more like a memoir, but a memoir framed around analysis as well. It covers a wide array of topics such as hierarchies in working situations, attitudes respective to laborers, managers, owners, the psychology surrounding research, attitudes surrounding work slowdowns and the like.

It's not anti-academic at all, or not in the sense of being against or versus academia, but it does present a resentment toward some specific academic discourses based in part the ways in which "study" often led to worse working conditions (if a study if funded by an industry looking for ways to increase production, they don't always look for ways to also make working conditions more safe, more well paid, and more equitable. Instead, it's full of eye-level analysis from the very specific place of workers, sidestepping the specific need for academic research. This both increases and limits its usefulness in differing ways.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An account of what really hard work is like, written by a very erudite longshoreman, migrant worker, factory hand. Teriault describes what blue collar work is really like, the pride workers take in a job well done, the constant struggle to maintain dignity and some modicum of freedom on the job. He argues that work gets done more effectively when the work is interesting and under the control of the workers themselves. How to Tell When You're Tired has some good laughs, a few tears and much to ponder - not unlike work itself.

[Tommy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't feel like there was anything revolutionary shared in this piece, but agree with Theriault that there is too little written history by or even concerning manual labors about their thoughts regarding their work and the people they work for. A nice read, and one that would help a lot of people understand the lower working classes and why they vote or think like they do if coupled with the work - Deer Hunting with Jesus.

[Ben · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very slight reminescence of the good ole days as a traveling field-picker and longshoreman. Don't know why Mustich recomended it.

Would be good for a greenhorn fresh-outta-college manager of working men and women--a better education than that management gobbledygook they've been steeped in for years. How not to dress in jacket and tie on the wharf or shop floor, to avoid an us-versus them attitude.

Some funny lines: "We are akin to the crafty peasant one finds often in French and Russian literature of the nineteenth century."

Some great advice to seek out the old-timers your first day on the job--not just to show you the ropes, but how things are, what bars to stay away from, etc. Mention of how piecework assembly lines make enemies of the workers.

The best part at the end, remembering what it was like to work your tail off all growing season, moving on from town to town, in astonishingly hot temps and long hours. And they voluntarily accepted those working conditions, mainly for the money (cramming a year's work and wages into four months), but also the wild and free life they led, which when young, was worth it.

[Bonnie · Rating 2 out of 5]

In some parts the conclusions the author draws about the future of work are laughable thirty years later. “If ever the women’s franchise is repealed there will be uprisings.” Yeah. Many supporters of Trump are slavering to sign away their rights. The author talks about how labor can always decide HOW the work is done. Tell that to Amazon workers wearing diapers to get their quotas in. Interesting read from the point of an educated man (BA) doing physical labor (longshoreman), but too much has changed for the worse for this to really be helpful.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 1995, this collection of essays and observations about the realities of work remains a valuable read. While the book focuses on manual, blue collar, jobs, the descriptions of how work affects the worker, what motivates people to work "harder", etc. are all relevant to the white collar sweatshops of today. Replace assembly line workers with gig workers, and the struggles to earn a living wage and also live a decent life remain the same.

[Ghazala · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a comment on Western capitalism! A very interesting and unusual book! Actually, I loved it. And so did my students of SUNY Empire. It speaks to us all---nuts and bolts of the capitalist machinery that are producing wealth for 1% of America while the rest struggle with their daily bills or sit pretty, enjoying their fantasies of everlasting prosperity. Most of us will instantly recognize ourselves in the story of one man's experiences. A must read for anyone interested in labor movements, unions, poltical economy or political philosophy, and for the layman who does not know why there is talk of another recession. While we were reading this, we also became active part of the immigration debate in 2006, and participated in the the rallies held in Manhatten.

[Care · Rating 2 out of 5]

For citizenReader.com menage Nov 08

[Patrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting historical book about labor. As a member of a trade union in New York City I think it is interesting to see his point of view.

[Jerome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Nothing incredible, but a good thought provoking book from an unusual standpoint.

[M! · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book in its entirety on a flight(s) from Pittsburgh to Seattle, at the recommendation of Leanne. Very outside of the type of book I generally read. It was OK.