Should be required read for all middle to upper class HS students to explain working class blue collar underpinnings of economy. This segment of our population gets further detached from how "stuff" happens or is made each generation. For all our technology & progress we still have and should appreciate the unseen effort that goes into everyday items & services. Fascinating read, even if you think you know the topic. I especially liked the essay on truckers. Laskas went around the country doing in-depth interviews with the people who do the kinds of jobs that most Americans never think about. What happens to our trash after we throw it in the garbage bin? Where does our beef come from? Who picks our fruits and vegetables? Laskas gives us insight into some of these questions.Some of the chapters didn't work for me - in particular I didn't like the chapters about the coal miners or the air traffic controllers, and the one about cheerleaders simply felt out-of-place - but most of it was really good. I felt like I learned a lot. Also, most of it was really interesting. While it's a quick and easy read, it also gave me a lot to think about. In my opinion, those are the best kind of books.
I enjoyed this peek into the lives of the people who work in arenas we don't often think of.
—Journeyer
An excellent book that should be required reading in our nations schools
—tasos
Had potential, but fell short.
—rhiannon
