Book Description
Jen Lancaster was living the sweet life-until real life kicked her to the curb.
She had the perfect man, the perfect job-hell, she had the perfect life-and there was no reason to think it wouldn't last. Or maybe there was, but Jen Lancaster was too busy being manicured, pedicured, highlighted, and generally adored to notice.
This is the smart-mouthed, soul-searching story of a woman trying to figure out what happens next when she's gone from six figures to unemployment checks and she stops to reconsider some of the less-than-rosy attitudes and values she thought she'd never have to answer for when times were good.
Filled with caustic wit and unusual insight, it's a rollicking read as speedy and unpredictable as the trajectory of a burst balloon.
Customer Reviews:
Bitter Is Totally My Style.......2007-09-17
I enjoyed Lancaster's writing style, as I am a fan of snarkiness, bitchiness, and cynicism. However, about three quarters of the way through the book, it started to drag and all of the whining and complaining and bitching did begin to get to me. I started skimming a bit, eager to get to the end of this tale that probably could have done without 50 or so pages.
There were times while reading the book that her spoiled, rich girl/sorority girl, utter obliviousness with regards to manners, money, or tact attitude grated on me. However, her ability to make fun of herself for who she was and to reassure us of how far she has come and what a humbling experience she had kept me from disliking her. I actually would love to have martinis with her and make fun of people.
On the whole, I found Lancaster to be refreshing, fun, and easy to read and relate to.
Bitter I Bought It!.......2007-09-12
I made the big mistake of bringing ONLY this book on a Transatlantic flight. It turned out to be more annoying than the screaming baby sitting next to me! It read like a bad blog from a very unfunny, fat ex-high-school Thespian. I dragged myself through the first half, and then threw this waste of paper away. I instantly felt guilty, as the airplane lavatory was too fine a receptacle to be expected to hold this trash! Want funny? Read David Sedaris, Bill Bryson or even Nabokov. Skip this pabulum.*
*By the way, Jen, I also HATED the humor-free footnotes!
Someone owes David Sedaris an apology.......2007-08-17
Part of the reason I picked up this book was a quippy little review that said: "Jen Lancaster is like David Sedaris with pearls and a supercute handbag." Usually I try to avoid purchasing decisions based on marketing ploys that follow the line of 'if you like X, you'll love Z', but I AM a Sedaris lover, and I WAS in the mood for a laugh-out-loud funny read, and to that end Mr. Sedaris has never disappointed. But someone owes Mr. Sedaris an apology. The comparison is so far off-base, I think I would have rather spent the afternoon reading 200+ pages of Mr. Sedaris' thoughts ABOUT pearls and handbags, rather than Bitter is the New Black. Most of the major flaws of the book and the writing style have already been covered by other reviewers. Yes, Jen Lancaster is not nearly as amusing, witty, or clever as she thinks she is. Much of what we're supposed to consider humorous seems simply to be re-worked jokes and tired stereotypes we've all seen and heard before. Has this narrator really changed by the end of the book? Where are the moments of introspection, of realization that make us understand she's changed? The moments of true regret that finally win us over to her side, make us actually like and root for her, make us forget how jaw-grindingly irritating she is in the beginning? She never seems to dig deep enough, never goes beyond the obvious, never reveals enough of herself, or shares her true vulnerability with the reader to redeem herself, and thus, we don't really care all that much about her and instead tend to simply agree with the blurb on the book's cover: The [...] had it coming. Indeed.
She begins, for a few scant pages at the very end, to share the true source of her misguided materialism and and to show us the insecure girl from Indiana, but as soon as she touches on something real or tender, the book is over. We can all see through the bombastic personality and hipper-than-thou superiority from the beginning and recognize it right away for what it is: deep seeded insecurity and fear. The only problem is that Jen never QUITE admits it out loud, to us, her reader, and we're left wondering if everyone knows it but her.
What simultaneously disappoints and infuriates me is the sheer lack of polish and skill on these pages. Relying on cutesy 'footnotes', reprints of emails and weblog submissions seems to indicate a laziness on the part of the author, or more likely, a lack of confidence and undeveloped skill. She ardently professes her desire to "be a writer" and yet throughout the book I find myself thinking: then work on your craft! Where is the editor? Who let her publish this material in this form? This is the fifth sentence in this chapter that isn't even gramatically correct.' Some make the arguement that because it's "memoir" and not "fiction" the author is allowed free reign to write how she pleases. There are plenty of well-crafted memoirs that showcase beautiful prose, accomplished storytelling,and impeccable form, and are stitched together with threads so fine you never see the writer's handiwork at all.
Instead, this is another case of a would-be writer throwing together some thoughts, cocktail party chatter, mildly interesting anecdotes, a couple of blog posts, and assembling it under the guise of a book. You can practially see Ms.Lancaster furiously pecking away at her laptop in a rush to get her manuscript to her publisher, all the while wondering "who will play me in the movie?"
And to the protesters who argue, "But this is Chic-lit. It's supposed to be light, fluffy, and mindless," I agree, there's nothing like an enjoyable piece of fluff. And the best kind of fluff is good, strong story-telling at its finest. I'm so tired of picking up books lately, expecting a good read only to get 250 pages of bad, unskilled writing by "writers" who don't even seem to respect their reader enough to work hard at perfecting their craft. Blurting out your inner-thoughts and throwing them down on the page does not make you interesting, witty, deep, and least of all, it doesn't make you a writer. Please, you seem like you might actually have something to say. Work hard at improving your storytelling, because after another book or two, this one-note song will be over.
FUNNIEST. BOOK. EVER........2007-08-14
This was a book chosen for one of my book clubs. I loved it SO much I recommended it to my OTHER book club! I laughed so much I wet my pants! Tragic, but FUNNY!
Genius!.......2007-08-13
Very few books make me laugh uncontrollably, but this spectacular trip into narcissism made the list. The best part (aside from the side-splitting, completely unforgiving, honest humor) is that Jen is a terrific writer who respects grammar while casually departing from convention (footnotes? brilliant.) on a regular basis. This is a quick, easy read for the very busy who need to unwind and laugh...a lot.
Book Description
Being royally undead isn't all it's cracked up to be--there are still bills to be paid. Luckily, new Queen of the Vampires Betsy Taylor lands her dream job selling designer shoes at Macy's.
But when a string of vampire murders hits St. Paul, Betsy must enlist the help of the one vamp who makes her blood boil: the oh-so-sexy Sinclair. Now, she's really treading on dangerous ground--high heels and all.
Customer Reviews:
Light and funny with a good heart.......2007-10-06
This is the second I've read in this series of books and I really enojoy them. The plot is light, funny and fast paced. The heroine, Betsy, is a nice humorous twist to the typical type of gal we see in this type of book. She's a little bit shallow, very practical, and clearly swimming out of her depth in her new role as Vampire Queen, but the reader still see a good heart underneath it all. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys the paranormal fiction/romance genre or "chick lit".
Equally entertaining sequel to "Undead and Unwed.".......2007-10-03
This entertaining vampire romance is the second of a series which incongruously combines chick lit romantic comedy and vampire thriller. Think "Sex in the City" meets "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," from the viewpoint of a new vampire.
The "Queen Betsy" series currently consists of six books, as follows:
1) Undead and Unwed
2) Undead and Unemployed
3) Undead and Unappreciated
4) Undead and Unreturnable
5) Undead and Unpopular
6) Undead and Uneasy.
The book begins with a police record of an interview with a taxi-driver, who describes how he witnessed a supernatural attack, and how a mysterious, tall, very pale, and very beautiful girl had driven off a vampire. Those who have not read the first book will have no idea what is going on, but those who previously read "Undead and Unwed" will recognise Betsy Taylor from the description.
The book is mostly told in the first person by Elizabeth Taylor, who prefers to be called Betsy for obvious reasons and is a most unusual vampire. Unlike other vampires, Betsy can say the name of God, and touch the bible or holy water without being burned or hurt.
At the end of the previous book, Betsy was proclaimed as Queen of the Vampires, but she doesn't want the position. Instead she goes looking for her dream job: as death has not changed her fascination with expensive shoes, Betsy tries to wangle herself a job working on the night shift selling designer shoes at top store Macy's.
But although Betsy would prefer to turn her back on her title as Queen of the Vampires, the other undead are not ready to turn their backs on her. A gang is murdering vampires, and the others want Betsy to do something about it. This kicks off a chain of events which soon becomes hysterical - that is, hysterically funny ...
Mary Davidson has great fun with the incongruity of mixing up the vampire genre with chick-lit romantic comedy. An interesting comparison with other authors who have written entertaining comedies by combining incongruous genres would be with Marianne Mancusi and Robert Frezza.
In the same way that this series gets plenty of laughs by combining chick lit with Vampires, Frezza write two very funny books which combined Vampires and Science Fiction ("McLendon's Syndrome" and "The VMR Theory") and Mancusi combined chick lit with time travel in "A Connecticut Fashionista at King Arthur's Court" and "A Hoboken Hipster in Sherwood Forest." Anyone who likes the "Queen Betsy" series is likely to enjoy all four of those, and vice versa, if you have read and enjoyed one of those books you may well enjoy this one.
OK, this is never going to win the Booker Prize or any other great award for classic literature but if you have the right sort of sense of humour, it is pretty good fun. I can recommend both "Undead and Unwed" and "Undead and Unemployed," and am looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Undead and Unemployed.......2007-08-31
MaryJanice give a new twist to vampire stories....not the usual dark love novel , or getting out of control Anita Blake series - just a great story.
Boring.......2007-07-26
I have been reading this book for a few days now and CAN'T seem to get through it. I don't think it is funny and find it to be rather boring. I was thinking about giving up on it until I came on here and read the reviews. I guess I have to stick with it since so many people raved about it--PAINFUL!!
Undead and Unemployed.......2007-03-29
Oh no, no no no no (she says shaking her head) another series of books I just HAVE to read, the first two where consumed with great zest, they are halarious with some raucuous laugh out loud moments ..... the credit card, it really has to go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shopping (she says in defeat)
Book Description
Ernie Zelinski has taught more than 150,000 people what THE JOY OF NOT WORKING is about: learning to live every part of your life—work and play, employment, and retirement alike—to the fullest. In this completely revised and expanded edition, you'll learn how to create an excellent work/life balance by working less, producing more, and being more leisurely; how to gain the courage to leave a life-draining job; and, if you are recently retired or unemployed, how to bring purpose and community back to your life. Plus, new to this edition are 30 inspiring letters from readers detailing how the book helped them live a more exciting and rewarding life. Illustrated with eye-opening exercises, thought-provoking diagrams, and lively cartoons and quotations, THE JOY OF NOT WORKING will guide you to living a more exciting and rewarding life—at work and at play.
Customer Reviews:
A good book to consult if someone moves your cheese!.......2007-05-16
The book is filled with alot of experience and wisdom to ponder. An excellent read if you are considering a major career change but do not know what you want. The book does not suggest you keep a stiff upper lip and take it, so do not read it if you do not want change. You will not be able to look at work or your life the same way when you have finished.
A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE.......2007-05-16
I read this book as I was prepairing to retire. It suited my purposes just fine but contained solid advise for just about anyone on how to live happily. I ordered six more copies to give to friends!!!
A valuable resource that is fun to read.
Boomers Must Read!.......2007-05-09
Excellent book for those are ready to retire. It affirms many experiences my wife and I are having. Mr. Zelinski's insights will help those who are weary of the rat race. Maybe after you read the book you will give yourself permission to try to enjoy the rest of your life. Downsizing isn't a sin.
Not working is not always joyful.......2007-04-30
Believe it or not, I have the soul of a lazy person. I have enjoyed time off from 6 weeks to a year. I've enjoyed freedom in my work, especially now. So I totally understand the joy of Not Working.
Zelinski's book has many things going for it. For example:
(a) Too many of us are workaholics.
(b) We need structure, purpose and a sense of community, with or without a job.
(c) Work smart, not hard ("peak performance").
(d) The checklist on page 54 can be a wake-up call.
(e) We can gain several hours a week if we give up television.
But as a career consultant I am concerned about the book's core advice. Page 55: "The first day your job does not nourish and enthuse you is the day you should consider leaving. Indeed, I advise you to quit."
Pretty strong stuff! In my experience, few jobs provide daily nourishment and enthusiasm every day or even every week. I would say, "If you've outgrown your job, begin a search for alternatives. Don't do anything until you have a plan."
People do miss their jobs - even jobs they hated. I have never seen statistics, but my experience suggests at least 50% of those who quit without another job regretted the decision. One discussion list posted a note from a 40-something woman who had chosen enjoyable, low-paying jobs in the personal growth field. Now she was ready to move on, with no nest egg to fund a career transition.
Job dissatisfaction actually can be a misleading signal. Many people who seek a career change actually need to relocate geographically or work on relationships.
My biggest criticism of the book is the potentially misleading presentation of information. For example, the author mentions "a research study conducted in 2001 by Florida's Nova Southeastern University" which found that over 38% of stockbrokers making $300,000 - $1,000,000 suffered from "subclinical depression" while 28% reported "clinical depression." (Overlap? Additional? We're not told.)
Most studies are conducted by individual researchers, not universities or even departments. The author does not cite his source or indicate whether this study was actually published in a reputable peer-reviewed journal.
How was this sample of brokers chosen? What methods were used to assess "subclinical depression" or "clinical depression?" Was the depression long-term or situational? Was this study carried out in 2001 before or after 9/11? Where's the cause and effect: does the field attract individuals with a propensity to depression?
Other studies are mentioned but not cited or described in detail. For the Schnore study of retirees, I'd want to know how their satisfaction was reported and tested.
Additionally, throughout the book, Zelinski presents letters from readers. He seems to suggest that, "If these folks can do it, you can too."
But nearly all his examples come from people who took only the very first step: quitting or deciding to retire. On page 96, Zelinski writes, "Perhaps you will [say]...married people can't possibly quit their jobs like Ian did. Then go back to page 57 and read the letter [from a married man with 2 kids who quit his job]...Case closed!"
Unfortunately, the letter on page 57 was written by someone who had just marched in to his boss and quit. We don't know what happened afterward. Case not closed, in my opinion!
We do get a few examples of success: a professional who became a music busker in Toronto, someone who moved into a friend's trailer to live on $6000 a year, someone who travels cheaply, and several people who saved a stash of cash and now live comfortably from investments or a spouse's salary. Many readers (and most of my clients) will not relate to those examples.
We should also realize Zelinski writes from Canada, a country with national health care. It's not perfect, but it does open up career options. Those happily unemployed are subsidized by taxes from those who face a 50% tax bracket at surprisingly low salary levels.
I also believe that not everyone will enjoy a life of hobbies and volunteer work. Working for money gives you an edge, changing your thoughts, habits and conversations. Zelinski himself is neither unemployed nor retired: he is a full-time writer. His four-hour-a-day schedule is actually quite typical of professional authors of books. I once heard best-selling mystery author Jon Kellerman speak about writing 3 pages a day. Zelinski aims for four.
Bottom Line: Joy of Not Working is worth skimming to experience a philosophy that can be adapted to many lives. Unfortunately, the adaptation will be up to you.
Not Practical.......2007-03-22
The suggestions in his book are misleading. Not for the motivated young people who want to make a difference in the world. No one can argue with his conclusions about workaholics. However, no one is going to achieve much success with a goal of living and raising a family on $6000 a year. I read his book in about 3 hours - really a waste of time as far as practical advice is concerned.
Book Description
The Disposable American is an eye-opening account of layoffs in America—their questionable necessity, their overuse, and their devastating impact on individuals at all income levels. Yet despite all this, they are accelerating.
The award-winning New York Times economics writer Louis Uchitelle explains how, in the mid-1970s, the first major layoffs, initiated as a limited response to the inroads of foreign competition, spread and multiplied, in time destroying the notion of job security and the dignity of work. We see how the barriers to layoffs tumbled, and how by the late 1990s the acquiescence was all but complete.
In a compelling narrative, the author traces the rise of job security in the United States to its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, and then the panicky U-turn. He describes the unraveling through the experiences of both executives and workers: three CEOs who ran the Stanley Works, the tool manufacturer, from 1968 through 2003, who gradually became more willing to engage in layoffs; highly skilled aircraft mechanics in Indianapolis discarded as United Airlines shut down a state-of-the-art maintenance facility, damaging the city as well as the workers; a human resources director at Citigroup, declared nonessential despite excellent performance; a banker in Connecticut lucky to find a lower-paying job in a state tourist office.
Uchitelle makes clear the ways in which layoffs are counterproductive, rarely promoting efficiency or profitability in the long term. He explains how our acquiescence encourages wasteful mergers, outsourcing, the shifting of production abroad, the loss of union protection, and wage stagnation. He argues against our ongoing public policy—inaugurated by Ronald Reagan and embraced by every president since—of subsidizing retraining for jobs that, in fact, do not exist. He breaks new ground in documenting the failure of these policies and in describing the significant psychological damage that the trauma of a layoff invariably inflicts, even on those soon reemployed. It is damage that, multiplied over millions of layoffs, is silently undermining the nation’s mental health.
While recognizing that in today’s global economy some layoffs must occur, the author passionately argues that government must step in with policies that encourage companies to restrict layoffs and must generate jobs to supplement the present shortfall.There are specific recommendations for achieving these goals and persuasive arguments that workers, business, and the nation will benefit as a result.
An urgent, essential book that tells for the first time the story of our long and gradual surrender to layoffs—from a writer who has covered the unwinding for nearly twenty years and who now bears witness.
Customer Reviews:
We Are Contractors.......2007-08-01
"The Disposable American" appropriately touches on many areas outside of, but directly related to lay-offs: sociology, culture, media, politics, public policy, and the psychological condition of those involved.
Lay-offs are an important topic but the way it's presented seems too subtly poignant and explicitly tragic. Within the first couple pages of "The Disposable American" author Uchitelle sets the tone with a term for these millions of layed-off American workers: "victim." The word "victim" is used all-over the spectrum in modern-day America and frankly, it gets tiring. So, layed-off workers are victims? Quite a strong term. I wouldn't refer to them as this. (But I do believe working and middle-class blue and white-collar employees are no longer winners in today's society.) And conditions won't be changing for the better in the short and long-term future. Employees need to adapt and psychologically view themselves as contractors. Contractors, is what we were today. And it's not entirely negative. It can be positive. "You....are not your job." Your self-worth should not be associated with your job title nor tenure in today's work-world.
Economic reality + social engineering. This is they way things are because it's expedient for investors and it's *planned* to be that way. 37 states have At-Will employment laws. U.S. labor laws are the worst in the industrialized world.
One of the many examples in "The Disposable American" is IBM. IBM publicly stated in 1994 that workers who are efficient, loyal, and productive cannot be guaranteed job security at IBM. When thousands were layed-off from IBM they were rehired to work for....IBM....as contractors. The company concluded that workers who fear lay-offs can provide more "adequate" results (page 145). Employees that were retained (not let go) were "shell-shocked" and still afraid of losing their jobs afterward. Even though a Harvard Business School Study specifically concluded the wrong workers were layed-off and the ones retained often weren't (and still aren't today) trained to deal with the new responsibilities and additional workload (page 194).
Increasing immigration is also welcomed. Immigrants are less likely statistically to complain about conditions or labor codes, and provide employers with a large pool or workers at the low end of the pay scale.
Uchitelle's personal sob stories of working stiffs having to leave one mundane dead-end job for another is really nothing new. Staying in the same industry is Old School. Dinosaurs. Do Defined Benefit Pension Programs enslave employees and tie them to a company and industry? Are these workers too lazy or stupid to invest on their own for their future? 401Ks for most are a scam: limited investment choices that especially hurt older contributors and hidden fees that significantly eat into returns the longer a worker stays at the same company, and doesn't roll it over into their own IRA that often have lower expense ratios of their choosing. People don't stay in the same industry and/or with the same company for a long time, and those that do risk having to transition into new gigs unexpectedly in their twenties, 30s, 50s, and beyond.
In this book there are many individual and family stories of personal circumstances. Many personal stories using a person's first name, hometown, and former "career" are elucidated. Then descriptions of the financial and emotional difficulties faced by those who get layed-off/down-sized/riffed are noted. The politically correct corporate euphemism is "Involuntarily separated."
<---I like this one.
The Lay-Off Routine Is Well Refined:
Airplane mechanics are important. Their work assures planes fly safely. But their jobs can be contracted (outsourced) inside the U.S. When these mechanics were layed-off en masse they were invited to a hotel and given a seminar to be "counseled out." The speaker told them that credit card and mortgage companies gave "special consideration" to layed-off workers. The counselor held up a sample form letter to creditors, for all to see. The layed-off worker can request a reduction in monthly payments for these debts temporarily. They were instructed to ask for the reduction before they get "60 days behind on a debt." And they were also given the book "Who Moved My Cheese."
Lay-Off expansion and political opportunism of the 1990s:
In the mid-1990s lay-offs transcended from not only the blue collar industries but to the white collar and professional industries. At this time, more media attention was given not only to the lay-offs themselves but *how* people were being let go. CEOs were going public giving news conferences to publicize lay-offs in the hope that their company stock would go up. Political Translation: too many voters were losing their jobs and the Presidential, Congressional, and State elections were only months away in 1996. Pat Buchanan was very successful in tapping into voter anxiety and angst by his protectionist "save-the-jobs" policies.
Factual truths from this book:
1. Lay-offs and lack of job security will continue for several decades or longer.
2. If a layed-off worker gets more training and education they will maintain or increase their current market value. This is statistically false.
3. The savings of laying-off workers will help companies and in the long-run workers will be better off.
The solutions give the layed-off the right to sue, and Uchitelle even advocates taxing people with higher incomes. Like this money will be redirected to the layed-off or pay for retraining, and such? It won't be re-directed, and it should not be. Furthermore, it won't happen and it's not fair.
The index is large, and there are many book titles author Louis
Uchitelle cited and noted throughout the book. This book is about us. And it's also about you, even if you think you are safe.
AMERICAN DISPOSABLE .......2007-05-30
I have just finished re-reading David Halberstam's The Fifties as part of an attempt to better understand that period as the foundation of many social, political and economic and cultural post-war trends that continue, or have been expanded on, today. The book under review, to its credit, puts forth an analysis that undermines one critical part of the `myth' of the Fifties. That is the proposition that `a rising tide lifts all ships'. Given the tremendous advantage the American capitalist economy had after its World War II victory combined with certain ameliorative changes in corporate and labor culture there was a seeming feeling that things would keep getting better and better. That based, of course, on an assumption that one did not challenge the capitalist basis on which this system was built. Today, after the victory of that unchallenged assumption, the chickens have come home to roost. The classic case for what amounted to class collaboration was the `partnership' between the Walter Reuther-led United Auto Workers and Detroit's Big Three automakers in the immediate post-World War II period. The result was the closest that this country has ever come to a Europeon social-democratic arrangement between business and labor. The recent purchase of one of the Big Three, Chrysler, by a private equity company that will inevitably entail another massive round of layoffs in the already devastated American auto industry was greeted without a peep by the Auto Workers Union. Times have changed, and not for the better.
Thus, clearly those days of so-called `social contract' derived capitalism, whether illusionary at the time or not, are over and have been for a while. The most compelling data centers on the seemingly never-ending fact that while those who manage the capitalist empire has vastly increased their wealth and position the mass of Americans has either been spinning their wheels or going under. This book is an `up close and personal' look at those who did not make it for one reason or another but mainly because they were caught up in the vise of a dramatic changeover in corporate culture which can be paraphrased bluntly as the `survival of the fittest'. One thing that is clear from all the interviews, unfortunately, is that few working people, and this book is really about working people, have a political clue about what has happened to them and why. Or, moreover, what to do about it. The amount of self-doubt, personal guilt and bafflement expressed in the book shows more clearly than any current theoretical Marxist treatise that I have read why this runaway capitalist system is still in place. Still, if these interviews emphasize that the task to change things may be daunting it nevertheless needs to be done. While the author offers no particular remedy for this growing economic inequality he does perform a service by laying out the problem. It is our task to break the logjam. And given the dominant corporate culture and its ruthless workings the fight will not be pretty.
Masterful, Thought-Provoking View of Downsizing.......2007-05-07
Louis Uchitelle has penned a masterful and thought-provoking look at the history of layoffs in the U.S. economy over the past 60 years, including their hidden costs. This book deserves to be read by all who have been laid off, who fear they might be, or who are interested in the future of the American workforce.
Uchitelle challenges the conventional wisdom that mass layoffs are an effective way to preserve American competitiveness. He provides a survey of how the employment paradigm has changed over the past 60 years-- from a belief that jobs should be preserved and that downsizings should be used as a last resort, to the current belief that periodic layoffs are required to maintain America's competitive posture. Uchitelle's thesis is that most workers do not recover readily from a layoff. Relatively few find employment at their previous salary levels and the layoff typically exacts a debilitating psychological toll. Even worse, America's continued endorsement of global free trade has allowed other nations unfettered entry into the American economy while eliminating American jobs. Uchitelle provides estimates that NAFTA-- sold to the American public as a job creation tool-- has in fact created net American job losses estimated at 450,000- 1,000,000 positions.
Think you're safe by virtue of education, high pay, or length of tenure in the workplace? Uchitelle offers case studies that indicate that layoffs are increasingly affecting all socioeconomic levels, including senior executives and the holders of Ivy League college and graduate degrees. In short, job insecurity is becoming pervasive throughout the U.S. economy.
Sadly, the reality of job insecurity is generally unacknowledged. Uchitelle reports that the political consensus has retreated to that of the early decades of the 20th century: that employability is the sole responsibility of the employee and that the employer can and should hire and fire at will. Sadly, the unions have acquiesced to this trend and white collar employees have been slow to recognize their vulnerability. As a result, there has been little pressure to address the matter of layoffs through government policy.
Free market enthusiasts will no doubt believe that Uchitelle's narrative reflects an efficient market response to globalization: goods are being produced where labor costs are cheapest. But the fabric of American society is being torn by growing employment insecurity. Perhaps it is time to re-examine the responsibility of both business and government in creating and maintaining employment and American competitiveness. While I did not agree with many of Uchitelle's policy prescriptions, I fully endorse his conclusion that it is high time to re-address current thinking on this subject.
Too much sympathy.......2007-02-21
There is a good section on the history of the workforce industry and decent research, but I didn't care for the author's slant and the solutions chapter. Solutions just weren't realistic, inviting more government regulations and policies which rarely trickle down to the people in the event of a mass layoff. I was waiting for workable solutions for the financially devastated family with the college educated bread-winner in the $45K-$70K/year range. You know, the ones that keep getting caught in the major layoffs every 4-6 years with little pension in their 401K's, while getting heavily taxed for dipping into their own money to make it through the unemployment period, or the ones fending off debt from credit card companies. Don't kid yourself. None of the current government agencies will help this group in any manner. And credit card companies are indifferent to understanding a moment of financial crisis, despite what the author suggests in one scant paragraph. Some raise your interest rates, others will go straight to your credit agency on the first late payment. Most are in the business of making money off the high risk group. The author gave no real solutions for the worker in the event of a layoff.
The author spent too much time on the emotional sympathy factor, even contriving that one man, who's wife is an attorney making more than the average income, is in the dumps, but doesn't know it. The author and the man's wife are going to help him. Maybe he's perfectly happy being a house daddy with a wife with more earning power? They obviously weren't hurting too badly. They bought a second house while he was unemployed. The author also followed a few workers over the years some of who had a larger income and/or nice retirement packages ($1 mil). I had trouble sympathizing with those folks as well. How about those many folks from American Airlines who had tenure but were forced to leave without their pension packages - a little policy written by American allowed them to not offer it. Right now, some of them too young to retire and too old to ever see that kind of pay again. It's no surprise that the psychology professionals won't publish a paper of the mental health hazards of being laid off. Most of those they deal with can afford to still see a psychiatrist and their "devastation" is more self-inflicted than financial. I just can't agree with the author's emphasis on the sympathy approach.
Simple solution: Make corporate raiding illegal or make companies accountable to show a detailed report that mass layoffs are in the best interest of all involved. Since when can and does government actually make real workable solutions for those who most need it? Most of the time the paperwork and qualifications are so cumbersome; most people in the college level average income don't even qualify for benefits to supplement during a real hardship; or there are so many loopholes only a few lower end income people qualify.
Bottom line is that government won't do much to change the situation so it's best to have solutions for the workers. The author didn't address those solutions. He wrote this book mostly for policy makers. Most people are aware of mass corporate take-overs, then the lay-offs, and what it means for job security. We lost faith in corporate security years ago and accept the current trend. What can we do? We need to feed our families. Also, people need to understand that although statistics show that a college education might yield one a better job and better pay, that isn't always the case. I know plenty of college educated people not working in their field and struggling to move up the ladder in another unrelated field of work while paying unforgivable college debts. Being college educated can also make it difficult to find another job when too many of the same are vying for the same position(s). It's become a game of who's the youngest and will take the least amount of money. Again, the average American is on his own. Make the best of it.
Right now, statistics show there are plenty of jobs, in spite of mass corporate lay offs, so we should be happy, right? Let's see our policymakers, government officials, and CEO's live on those jobs.
The author's proposals lack full discussion.......2006-11-07
Anyone who has been laid off or knows someone who has will undoubtedly sympathize with the goals of Louis Uchitelle. In his book "The Disposable American", he succeeds in describing the pain of economic dislocation but unfortunately his discussion of the history of employment security is weak in parts and when he recommends solutions, he ignores some of the obvious trade offs his solutions would entail. Thus anyone looking for real discussion of policy options is going to be disappointed by this book.
To capture the human side of job loss, Uchitelle follows the paths of a group of laid off workers. Many of his case studies where former airline mechanics employed by United but he also speaks with several dislocated workers from the white-collar world. It is hard not to empathize with the individuals discussed.
His description of employment security in the United States is a bit selective. According to Uchitelle, the country was an oasis of job security until the 1970s. While he admits that security was not stellar up through the end of the Great Depression, he devotes a fair amount of time to extolling the virtues of the period from the 1930s to the 1970s. It is true that the probability of being laid off from one's job was lower during this period than the three decades since the mid-1970s, however, he glosses over some of complications to the story. Unemployment spiked at various times during this era (most notably in 1958 and 1961 when the seasonally adjusted rate of unemployment was higher than it has been anytime since 1993) and I am sure people in those periods felt a sense of insecurity. One more important complication is labor force participation, it was much lower in the period in Uchitelle extols than it is today (mainly from fewer women in the workforce). Yes, it is true the chance of being laid off is higher today but so is the chance of having a job. Had he tried to measure the percentage of the population who has a secure job (defined by tenure), the picture might not have looked as grim.
Uchitelle also gets a bit sloppy at times, when discussing the impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement he misrepresents job loss figures reported by publication "NAFTA Revisited: Achievements and Challenges". The footnote on page 262 suggests the publication reported a net loss of 425,000 jobs from NAFTA. However, on page 41 of the publication cited, it suggests 525,000 lost jobs (and the authors even question this figure) or 58,000 per year between 1993 and 2002. They also suggest 100,000 were created each year between 1993 and 2003 as result of increased North American trade (although not necessarily attributable to NAFTA). Broader employment numbers also show explosive growth in the number of jobs and declining unemployment. Two points are in order here; whatever the reasons, labor market trends after NAFTA were overwhelmingly positive and secondly, there is no way to verify the figure of 425,000 lost jobs with the source Uchitelle provides.
Finally, Uchitelle adopts the role of mere advocate when proposing solutions and as such, he does a disservice to the reader. His ideas may be worthy, but policymakers will not adopt them without considering the trade offs involved. If one takes Uchitelle's rhetoric at face value the government could simply mandate better working conditions and more job security and workers collectively would be better off. Many of Uchitelle's ideas are already in practice elsewhere in the world and he ignores a glaring problem in some of those areas, much higher structural unemployment. The lay off arbitration scheme he recommends is already law in continental Europe as is the higher minimum wage. The rate of unemployment in much of Western Europe is much higher than the U.S. rate and the types of laws Uchitelle recommends are often cited as reasons.
He thinks the minimum wage should be $12 an hour and suggests the proposal would "eliminate low wage work as a form of lay off". He simply ignores the certainty that less labor will be demanded. A fairer presentation might suggest trading fewer job opportunities is worth greater job security for the remaining jobs. Of course, this would require substituting one social ill for another, as those who are chronically unemployed are also subject to emotional strain.
Some of his ideas are good, such as taking steps to prohibit states and localities from enacting massive tax giveaways to lure employers to their areas. However, he seems to have an almost divine faith in the ability of the government to create full employment by fiat but real world examples of this ability are lacking.
Book Description
William Frederick Cooper's eagerly anticipated sequel to his wildly acclaimed debut novel Six Days in January is a powerful, heartfelt tale that will resonate with readers everywhere.
In Six Days in January, William Frederick Cooper shed light on the insecurities and fears of African American men through the experiences of his enigmatic protagonist, William McCall. As There's Always a Reason opens, William has experienced another emotional heartbreak at the hands of a woman. When he loses his job, too, William finds himself battling just to survive. When he's convinced he's at his nadir, William meets another woman, Linda Linda Woodson, who begins to restore his faith in all areas of life,illustrating through example that a woman of enormous strength can teach a man the true meaning of love. There's Always a Reason delves into the complex workings of the human heart and its ability to triumph over despair, providing an uplifting message and emotional core that will resonate with every reader.
Customer Reviews:
Congrats!!!!.......2007-08-22
All I can say is that this book was even better than the first one. Congrats to William Cooper. He definately wrote this one from the heart and he touched so many emotions in me. At the end I was so sad but it proves that every pot has a lid and there is a good in all of us despite how rocky the road. I loved it!!!!!! Much love to you William from your Sugar and Spice fans.
BRAVO!!!!.......2007-07-24
I laughed out loud and cried silently.....Momma always said, if a woman/man tells you that all they're looking for is a booty call, then expect nothing more.
In this heartwarmed story, William was told just that by the love of his life. Just as he was about to propose marriage to Anna, he caught her expressing her hungry appetite to swallow the babies of the new assistant he had just hired.
With his heart broken, William began to take steps to find another true love after receiving two powerful messages which came from both a pastor and an elderly lady at a homeless shelter.
Linda, who also went through a sour relationship, met William at a park and from there, love starts all over again for the couple.
A WORTHY READ.......2007-07-10
You may want to take the chance that I did and introduce yourself to this author's work which I found touching and revealing from a male's perspective on an emotional level. Black love in today's society is extremely complicated and this read offers valuable insight. Read it!
EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER!!!.......2007-07-08
Best book of 2007! This book is a page turner and one that will get your emotions stirring. If you dont cry, then something is wrong with you. William wrote from his SOUL in this book.
Really Good!!.......2007-06-06
O My GOD!! This book was so good. I just finished reading the last 3 chapters at work today and cried like a baby. I had to go to the restroom and get myself together. This book shows you what it's like from a mans point of view and it was a real page turner. I won't reveal any of it (like some people who leave reviews do), but you just gotta read it. I'll be reading the 1st book next (I know it's backwards), but I've never heard of this author before now and I'm glad I gave him a chance. It was worth it!
Average customer rating:
- A truly Inspirational Book - Read it!
- Building Personal Resilience
- Outstanding self-help book for career transitions
- I liked the REAL LIFE stories in this book !
- Timely, positive, and very helpful
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Losing Your Job-Reclaiming Your Soul : Stories of Resilience, Renewal, and Hope (Jossey-Bass Business & Management Series)
Mary Lynn Pulley
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
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Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
ASIN: 0787909378 |
Book Description
Even job loss has a silver lining
A truly wonderful book! Through stories, myths and metaphors, Mary Lynn Pulley examines the factors which help people develop more meaning in their work and their lives. This book is not only for those going through career transitions, but for all of us who want to be more resilient in today's work world.
-- Betsy A. Collard, Career Action Center
Right-sizing. Reengineering. Organizational restructuring. No matter the corporate euphemism in which it's couched, the loss of a job remains one of the most devastating events a person can encounter. But some are finding it to be a blessing in disguise. In Losing Your Job, Reclaiming Your Soul, Mary Lynn Pulley presents a positive, practical and empowering new model of career resilience for everyone who has lost, fears losing, or is thinking of leaving his or her job. Here are the results of dozens of interviews with high-performing professionals who bounced back from the trauma of involuntary job loss. Their stories provide powerful, real-world lessons in flexibility, determination and fulfillment. It 's a book that puts the prospect of job loss in meaningful perspective, and gives us insight into how to turn one of life's most catastrophic experiences into a wellspring of personal and professional reawakening.
Customer Reviews:
A truly Inspirational Book - Read it!.......2003-01-07
If you have lost your job involuntarily, think you may be on the bubble or are just questioning your whole approach and understanding of the work-a-day world, you should read this book! I lost my job in August of 2002 after returning from a very successful 3-year assignment in London. I was devastated, how could I be treated this way. I thought if you showed up and did a great job, you were in for life. Boy was I wrong! I came across this book recommended by an author of a paperback called The Lay-Off Survival Guide.
I won't say this book changed my life (I am not sure a book can really do that) but it certainly changed the way I think about work and my own skills - forever! I realized that there are lots of people out there struggling with the same issues and lots of people going through their daily routines and feeling unfulfilled. I also realized that I had the power to change that about my life.
I find Mrs. Pulley's balance of personal interviews and research as well as reference work of other authors, psychologists, and philosophers to lend credibility, believability and inspiration to this book.
When someone asks you, "so, who are you?" and your answer starts with "I'm a manager of... or I work for..." then YOU NEED TO READ THIS BOOK!
I have now left big corporate America and am working in a 3-person start-up software company. I don't think I could ever go back to the other life. Thank you Mary Lynn Pulley for helping me transform!
Building Personal Resilience.......2001-02-26
Ms. Pulley has written a very useful treatise on resilience in the context of the workplace. She very succintly brings out the feelings and emotions that a person who has lost his/her job involuntarily feels and experiences. Her ideas and thoughts based on her interviews with people who have gone through the "trough" would make an invaluable contribution to those who are on their path to recovery and more importantly success on their terms. Though the book is written based on the American experience, I am of the opinion that it is applicable anywhere in the world. For those who live under the threat of likely loss of their job involuntarily, this book would be useful in understanding the feelings that you may be encountering.This book could even be a road-map to move-on and re-define yourself, discover a new dimension of success and of course, get on with re-building and living a more meaningful life in which you will find satisfaction and happiness in.
Outstanding self-help book for career transitions.......1998-11-14
I picked up this book with some skepticism after losing a job, but found that I could not put it down! And after finishing it, I went out and got a temp job in ONE DAY which I still have -- and have been asked to stay on. It is excellent as practical as well as philosophical support for anyone seeking to improve his or her resilience in a crisis. Instead of despair Pulley and Deal offer hope.
I liked the REAL LIFE stories in this book !.......1998-01-28
There are not many books that I stay up until 2:00am reading, but this is one of them. I was laid of, from a merger/aquisition, after working for the "company" for 10 years. I felt betrayed, I had no loyalty, and I was depressed ! Finding my resilance and takeing the "lessons" from each of the chapters got me through a tough time in my life. The bibliography was accurate and easy to follow. I even learned that "Pandora's Box did not release "HOPE"" from all the evils in the in famous Pandoras' box. One last not I also bought audio cassette of Sara Hickman's "Necessary Angels" when I had no income... not a wise decision you might say ?....wrong Ed Mc Mann....This was one of the best purchases I made when I needed a lift in my sprirts....what am I doing today.... I have started a new home based business, from my skills and past experiences. I may go back to "work" if the right "offer" come to me. I have also gotten involved in a small business group at my church....(sprituality).... I would rate this book right up there with WHAT COLOR IS YOUR PARACHUTE for people who have had an "involuntary job loss". I have also read William Bridges books on transitions which is also referenced in this book !
Timely, positive, and very helpful.......1998-01-24
In the past few years I've had a series of what I considered negative career experiences. I started out many years ago to be a teacher, but (due to an impossible job market) made a lateral move into a business career in which I'm using the same skills. But I kept on teaching part-time because I felt that was what I "should" be doing. Then I had a series of Classes From Hell that left me psychologically bruised and burned out, and finally, feeling utterly defeated, I quit teaching. A short time later, after years of working as an independent contractor, I took a "permanent" job that turned out to be a serious mistake: it was demanding but narrow in scope, so I was exhausted and bored at the same time; I did a mediocre job and eventually was laid off. I picked up Pulley's book just when I was in my worst "I'm a failure at everything" depressed state. It helped me realize that, on some level, I knew better all along: I went into teaching because of family expectations, and although I'm moderately good at it I was always uncomfortable as a teacher. Likewise, I felt I shouldn't turn down a permanent job because it was "secure" (the Depression-era mentality of my parents!), and, although it was patently wrong for me, I was afraid to quit for the same reason. The collapse of both jobs caused me to question all these assumptions. And Pulley's book helped me to realize that this FREED me to consider what I really wanted to do and what was most important to me in life. A very helpful book for anyone who has been laid off, or who feels he/she might be.
Average customer rating:
- Food Porn
- Why did I wait so long to read this?
- I loved this book.
- I really enjoyed this book
- This book made me want to stick my face in a bread pudding with whiskey sauce
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Liquor: A Novel
Poppy Z. Brite
Manufacturer: Three Rivers Press
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Prime: A Novel
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ASIN: 1400050073
Release Date: 2004-03-16 |
Book Description
New Orleans natives Rickey and G-man are lifetime friends and down-and-out line cooks desperate to make a quick buck. When Rickey concocts the idea of opening a restaurant in their alcohol-loving hometown where every dish packs a spirited punch, they know they’re on their way to the bank. With some wheeling and dealing, a slew of great recipes, and a few lucky breaks, Rickey and G-man are soon on their way to opening Liquor, their very own restaurant. But ?rst they need to pacify a local crank who doesn’t want to see his neighborhood disturbed, sidestep Rickey’s deranged ex-boss, rein in their big-mouth silent partner before he runs amok, and stay afloat in a stew of corruption in a town well known for its bottom feeders.
A manic, spicy romp through the kitchens, back alleys, dive bars, and drug deals of the country’s most sublimely ridiculous city, author Poppy Z. Brite masterfully shakes equal parts ambition, scandal, ?lé powder, cocaine, and murder, and serves
Liquor straight up, with a twist.
Customer Reviews:
Food Porn.......2007-09-27
I really enjoyed Liquor, and look forward to purchasing some more writings about Rickey and G-Man, and their fabulous themed restaurant Liquor.
I first started reading Poppy's works when I began working at The Hellfire Club in Sydney. Her darker themes delighted me, and I found them page-turners.
Funnily enough, as she has moved on to food related stuff, so have I, becoming a dining reviewer. So it seems only appropriate that I continue my journey with her works reminding me of the behind-the-scenes story of the places I review - to take care, and to realise it is the passion, heart and soul of many chefs.
Thank you Poppy... I only wish I could eat at Liquor!
Why did I wait so long to read this?.......2007-09-07
I have been reading Brite's blog for ages and for some reason I just kept putting off reading the Liquor books (at that time only Liquor and Prime). I have no idea why, I did like her early work, but like her I've outgrown that genre as well so it's not like I wanted to keep reading that kind of book from her.
I finally got over it and bought the dang book, and you know what, from that first page it was like I was home. I used to live in New Orleans (no I'm not from there, there is a difference) and I love and miss it. The minute I started reading Liquor it was like I was back there, Ricky and G-man were like old friends, probably because I had many friends who worked in kitchens across the city. It hooked me, and I'm still hooked by the characters, New Orleans, and most definitely the food.
I sincerely hope that Brite gives us more of these characters, but I definitely won't hold it against her if she doesn't because I'm happy to have been able to visit them at all.
I loved this book........2007-01-29
This was a fantastic read. I devoured it after a 10-hour drive; that should tell you what I thought about its readability.
The food writing is as enthusiastic as anything Ruth Reichl has written. The plot, though not the book's most memorable element, moves along and contains enough "special moments" - be they tender, exciting, or delicious - to make the novel a real success. It is fitting that the book contains a dedication to John Kennedy Toole (author of A Confederacy of Dunces), as Liquor also pays loving homage to New Orleans.
Although characters could have been more carefully drawn in places, Liquor was just too darned enjoyable for anything but five stars. I'm anxious to see how the characters grow in later books.
I really enjoyed this book.......2006-10-03
I picked up this book because I didn't have anything else to read and it was on sale. Although it doesn't follow Brites' normal horror direction, I found myself loving this book. It's a quick read, which I am not always a fan of, but the book is simply too good to hold that against it.
The characters are well developed and you find yourself wanting to warn them about what's to come. Although I know little about restaurants except hanging out in whatever bar my father worked at when I was young and a brief stint in the food court in high school; I wanted to be in these kitchens.
Give it a shot, I bet you'd love it.
This book made me want to stick my face in a bread pudding with whiskey sauce.......2006-08-17
I don't know how I missed this series. A native of New Orleans, I have been a fan of Poppy Z. Brite since reading "Lost Souls" years ago while living in New York. Brite gives her readers the real dish on the New Orleans restaurant scene with characters not unlike my own friends and family, but with a universal appeal. You don't have to be a native of New Orleans to love these guys. I couldn't put this book down. I did, however, tend to eat a lot more while reading this.
Book Description
Once Emily Miller thought that losing her boyfriend Declan would be the worst thing that could happen. Of course, that was before she learned that the lowlife cad had secretly mortgaged their dream house, run up their shared debts . . . and posted a picture of her on the internet that would make a rugby team blush. Still, she is coping masterfully, despite losing her home and her dignity -- until the local newspapers get wind of the story . . .
So here she is -- homeless, jobless, loverless . . . and scandalous at thirty-two. Her best friend Cara thinks yoga, aromatherapy, and the perfect potion will turn Emily's karma around. Why not, Emily figures. It might help to attract that handsome stranger she's just barely met. Either that, or she'll hunt down the elusive Mr. Right herself. After all, there isn't much else that could possibly go wrong . . .
And sometimes, when you've got absolutely nothing left to lose . . . that's when you get everything you ever wanted!
Customer Reviews:
Not worth it!.......2007-05-21
The plot was cheesy and unsophisticated. I could barely finish the book, whereas that was also the most disappointing of all.
This only works in fairy tales and Meg Ryan movies........2005-11-11
I liked this book a lot until the last page. It's hilarious and occasionally poignant and a fun, light read.
But it was the last page that killed it for me. I was disappointed, reading it and realizing it *was* the last page, and that the closest I was going to get to a happy ending was that the female lead and the male lead exchanged a few words. Their eventual romance was built up throughout the entire book, only to come to a screeching halt just when it might have been going somewhere. Meeting twice and saying two words to each other does not a love story make, no matter how much I like the characters. I would have liked to see them interact more with one another. When I go looking for a love story, I want to see the characters actually fall in love.
Coupling.......2005-09-28
This reminded me of the TV series Coupling. Not the tepid American remake, but the original British series with its slapstick situations and witty dialogue. The plot is a comedy of errors, with the reader aware of all the entanglements, while the main character continues to have obstacles put in the way of her happiness. There are lots of humorous situations and the read is made more enjoyable with the wonderful anticipation of what's going to happen next and who will she end up with?.
Over the top humor.......2005-09-16
I read "For Better, For Worse," first and didn't really like it. The ending was cheesy, Matt did not deserve Josie, and just missing each other in every scene by seconds got annoying. Although, there are a lot of similarities between "Bare Necessity" and "For Better, For Worse," (missing each other, the author's need to be "humorous" in every other sentence) I enjoyed this novel a lot more.
WHY you ask? The plot was crazier, more over-the-top, and the characters were more likable. Adam could be a little daft when it comes to romantic situations but he's sweet and the scenes with his son are cute. Emily IS daft and should have immediately hired a lawyer to sue Declan and called the bank to get her money back (hasn't she ever heard that signing a document because of fraud, false pretenses, or by force, can mean the document is void) but she is likeable and funny in a bumbly way. Cara is strange but a good friend to Emily and is a unique character.
Another thing I liked about the novel is when I started it, I expected certain characters to end up with each other but they didn't. While the author had several scenes that involved just missing each other it was not used excessively as in "For Better, for Worse." And I enjoyed the end, when the son realized who Emily was. I thought that was the most comical part of the novel.
Could things get any worse for the protaganist?.......2005-05-24
Emily is distraught when she finds out that her boyfriend Declan, head of several dot.com companies has just started a porn site, and has posted suggested holiday photos of her dubbing her "Saucy Santa." She is mortified, as the photos were meant for his eyes only.
Soon she discovers that this is not his only betrayal. He has also mortgaged their home, depleted her savings accounts, and as a result of his internet doings, has managed to get her fired from her job as a teacher.
With no home, no job, no money, and no man, she turns to best pal Cara, a reporter. Cara's co-workers have all seen the photos and soon her paper creates media buzz by identifying Emily (which results in her inability to get another teaching position) in an article. Cara has her own problems - she is nursing a crush for her co-worker, photographer Alex, a single father contemplating custody of his pre-teen son.
While trying to turn her life around, she is soon signed with a publicist who arranges for her to attend several local events. She spots a man there that takes her breath away, but unfortunately, they never have the chance to actually meet. Unbeknownst to Emily, the man in question is Alex.
It is through a series of miscommunication and misunderstandings that events unfold, as Emily struggles with the newfound fame that has been thrust upon her, and her desire for her anonymity restored. I loved the characters, except for Declan - would have loved to see him hung out to dry. It is an engaging story, and I was rooting for Emily to find Mr. Right all along.
Book Description
She's been handed her walking papers.
Jane McGregor has just been laid off from her job designing pink slips for an office supply company. The irony is not lost on her. She's a twenty-eight-year-old art major whose last major career accomplishment was being propositioned by the company vice president. Desperate to maintain her freedom from her oddball parents, tyrannical older brother, and slacker ex-boyfriend, Jane starts sending out resumes. So what if some of them aren't exactly, well, true.
She's taking the future in stride.
When Jane's dad, a staunchly conservative believer in the corporate dream, loses his job, and her mom goes to work for a trendy dot com, Jane discovers that the family she's taken for granted is unraveling. After a fellow lay-off victim hatches a plot to seek revenge on the office supply company, Jane must choose between living in the past and seeking out a new future. To her surprise, that future might involve a most unlikely partner in crime -- handsome, funny Kyle Burton -- and maybe, just maybe, a new job, too.
Download Description
"She's been handed her walking papers. Jane McGregor has just been laid off from her job designing pink slips for an office supply company. The irony is not lost on her. She's a twenty-eight-year-old art major whose last major career accomplishment was being propositioned by the company vice president. Desperate to maintain her freedom from her oddball parents, tyrannical older brother, and slacker ex-boyfriend, Jane starts sending out resumes. So what if some of them aren't exactly, well, true. She's taking the future in stride. When Jane's dad, a staunchly conservative believer in the corporate dream, loses his job, and her mom goes to work for a trendy dot com, Jane discovers that the family she's taken for granted is unraveling. After a fellow lay-off victim hatches a plot to seek revenge on the office supply company, Jane must choose between living in the past and seeking out a new future. To her surprise, that future might involve a most unlikely partner in crime -- handsome, funny Kyle Burton -- and maybe, just maybe, a new job, too."
Customer Reviews:
Funny ode to unemployment wears thin after awhile.......2007-06-19
In an ironic twist of fate, post-it and pink slip designer Jane MacGregor gets her own "pink slip" from an office supply company in a large round of layoffs (apparently sleeping with the boss didn't preclude her from the hit list). As she sulks, sends out numerous resumes (to everywhere from Barnum & Bailey to NASA), deals with her parents crumbling marriage, and navigates the unemployment office, Jane discovers she's broke, and the only way she's going to keep her beloved apartment is to take in a roommate. Former co-worker Missy moves in, hefty bags and all, and immediately wreaks havoc on Jane's life. She starts to see her brother's best friend Kyle, but her self esteem issues take their toll on her career goals and potential romance. When some fellow "pink slippees" decide to get even with their old company by pulling a prank, everything goes awry. And the squatters in her apartment just keep multiplying...
Lockwood's humorous ode to unemployment is at times funny, particularly the many letters Jane receives from creditors and potential employers (Chicago PD Parking Enforcement is my favorite). But after awhile it's hard to identify with or find anything to like about Jane's character - she's a doormat to everyone; unwilling to take control of her destiny - and a completely unmotivated slacker as she waits for the perfect job to land in front of her. Still, Lockwood has a way with the written word, and in her capable hands, the pages just kept flowing.
"Must Read" for those who've been RIF'd.......2006-11-04
I should have read this shortly after being laid off from my job of 19 years. It is hysterically witty with appropriate sarcasm. If you are blue about losing your job, this book will cheer you up!
Not great.......2006-08-26
This book had totally predictable plot lines that killed me. I finished it just because it helped me get to sleep at night because it was so lame. Sorry writer, but I really didn't like this book. Books like this give chicklit a bad name.
Fun read.......2006-07-17
I'm a big Cara Lockwood fan and this book was no exception. I'm sorry I waited so long to read it...I waited mostly because of the negative reviews here and the cover, which made it look like it was about a bunch of girls sitting around after being fired.
On the contrary - Pink Slip Party has a very lively plot. Jane, a fun, feisty character, gets laid off from her dead-end job designing pink slips for an office supply company called Maximum Office. Her crazy, gambling landlord keeps hitting her up for advance rent, and she is forced to take in a roommate, Missy. Missy was also laid off from the same company, but Missy is a techie and she's bent on getting revenge. Missy plans to break into the company's computer system and wreak havoc. Jane gets reluctantly pulled into her plans.
The plot is full of multiple arrests, humor and even a little romance. Just read it already!
ABSOLUTELY GREAT CHICK LIT!.......2006-05-30
This book is such a riot. I laughed out loud so many times. Cara Lockwood is a phenomenal writer and anyone who has read any of her books should purchase this one as well. A great read!!!
Average customer rating:
- Laughable? Perhaps.
- meh
- Bizarre but very entertaining!
- Ridiculous and strange, but entertaining
- Imagination run wild
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P.S. Your Cat Is Dead
James Kirkwood
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0312321201 |
Book Description
It's New Year's Eve in New York City. Your best friend died in September, you've been robbed twice, your girlfriend is leaving you, you've just lost your job....and the only one left to talk to is the bisexual burglar you've got tied up in the kitchen. P.S. Your Cat is Dead was an instant classic upon its initial publication in 1972, when it received widespread critical acclaim, reader devotion, and subsequently went through dozens of print-ings over the course of the next decade. The stage version was equally successful and is still staged over 200 times a year in productions around the country. Now, for the first time in a decade, Kirkwood's much-loved black humor comic novel of manners and escalating disaster returns to bewitch and beguile a new generation.
Customer Reviews:
Laughable? Perhaps........2007-07-27
I like Nora Ephron. Really. I thought When Harry Met Sally was quite a film, very cleverly written. Perhaps, however, I shouldn't hold Ms. Ephron in such high esteem that I immediately buy anything with her name on it. No, she didn't write PS Your Cat is Dead...but she did endorse it. And shame on you, Nora. This book made me laugh countless times, but never at anything the author intended to be humorous. Rather, I laughed at the sheer absurdity of the dialogue. Never have I heard people speak in the way these characters did. They were overly witty and brazen, as well as entirely one-dimensional. As much as I disliked this book, I would recommend it to self-declared "theatre types." What they saw in Rent (the film, of course) I shall never know, but they will almost certainly find that same element in PS Your Cat is Dead.
meh.......2007-07-08
I think the concept of this book might have been funny but then it took a creepy turn and was actually not funny at all. I hardly laughed through the entire book and was wondering what all the other people were reading when they gave it such good reviews...
Bizarre but very entertaining!.......2007-06-20
You have to take this book with a grain of salt. Normal guy who has alot of bad luck all at once and kind of snaps. He gets himself into some really strange but very entertaining situations that end up snowballing on him into bizarre and hilarious situations. Would definately reccomend!
Ridiculous and strange, but entertaining.......2007-03-20
I hesitate to sum this book up, for its nuances and innuendo are at once very clear and rather implied. In other words, the mark of a good book or movie is that it makes you think and wonder. This book makes you do both.
The other good part is that I wanted to finish it, sooner rather than later, and gave up some much-needed beauty sleep to do it. So there is value in this book.
This scenario involves a wretchedly unhappy and unsuccessful "sad sack" man who manages to catch, tie up, and proceed to torture the (gay) man who is attemtpting to burgle (is that a word?) his apartment for the third time. Once the tying up and pants-removing is done (don't ask,) where things go from there is anybody's guess, including an ex-girlfriend and a sexually-adventurous (maybe predatory) friend, who stop by.
I didn't realize that this book was written in 1972 until after I had finished it. Yes, there are some sorta dated views and theories, along with some philosophies that hold up well in our "modern" and "enlightened" times. Certainly the knowledge of the age of this story helps to understand it, and many of the references to music went right over my head.
It's not hard to figure out, but I felt the book was more mysterious underneath the surface than I expected, and not at all clear, for instance, about whether much of the burlgar's rantings were true, rooted in truth, or simply huge lies. I would have also liked a more definitive and clearer ending, but it's just a matter of taste. I think you can read into it whatever you want, and that was probably the author's intent.
Overall, it's mostly pretty fascinating, and certainly is worth your time. I'd stop short of saying it was hilarious (I didn't think it was; amusing, yes, but hilarious, no.) I'd also stop short of saying it was a classic, but is something I found real hard to put down once I got going.
Imagination run wild.......2007-01-10
The title put me off a bit when I first saw this book in the early 80s. But a glance at the first few pages got me hooked. Just the complete title is enough for a short story worth reading!;) Looking over the reviews, especially of the folks that came to this story in the last decade or so, made me wonder if my memory was slipping. I don't think so. I have shared this book with many people and the complete title with many more. Like the Chronicles of Narnia and The Forgotten Beasts of Eld I often keep spare copies to give away. Dated or not, it is a window to those still able to read when the world seems to be collapsing and it has helped several of us get through a tough spot. No, it doesn't solve any problems it can just let some of the pressure escape so breathing is maybe a little easier. And if the days aren't tough, it is still an amazing web of what an imagination run wild can create. It's not a major investment in either money or time so I would still recommend it happily.
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