About book This Land Is Their Land: Reports From A Divided Nation (2008)
I have mixed feelings about this book, which is a collection of very short essays on a variety of topics, most of which relating to the economic and social inequality in America. In some of the essays, in particular the the ones relating to economic inequality, I could feel Ehrenreich's outrage and disgust. She satirically skewers some very twisted economic thinking, thinking which, as she frequently points out, often leads to immoral and absurd abuses of those less fortunate. But at times I felt her opinions were somewhat uninformed or narrow (ie: she mocks literature that states that marijuana use can increase the risk of psychosis as a ridiculous attempt to stigmatize a harmless drug when, in fact, marijuana has been shown to do this in some cases, particularly among teenagers). Her treatment of faith and faith institutions was a little hit or miss; while I understand her caution around faith based social service programs (since they can act as a replacement for government provided programs), she seems to fail to realize that these have sprung up precisely because government has failed to meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable populations, and automatically assumes that because these programs are faith based, they are necessarily propagandistic (ie: she connects Christian organizations with Hamas, for instance). Ehrenreich seems a little out of her element when addressing faith institutions, and perhaps would have done better to remained focused on what appears to be her forte, expressions and causes of social and economic inequality, but I suppose it's her book so she can write about whatever she wants! Barbara Ehrenreich’s This Land is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation seems like yet another book of how the last eight years’ administration has failed us (us meaning people not making hundreds of thousands of dollars per year), and in fact, that’s basically what it is. Each mini-essay takes you through yet another reason why Ehrenreich thinks things suck. While I don’t disagree, after a while I was kind of sick of it all. By now haven’t we all heard and experienced enough to know that yes, things sorta suck right now?This wasn’t my favorite. I much prefer Nickel and Dimed. There were, however, a few shining bits and pieces that really drove home the message. If you need another reason to feel negative about the past eight years, go read this.
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Progressive statements re:corporations hold and understanding of the American public in mid 2007.
—Alyssawenn
My only complaint is that this book isn't longer; that there aren't more of these essays.
—nicole
