Working In The Shadows: A Year Of Doing The Jobs (Most) Americans Won't Do (2009) - Plot & Excerpts
An interesting look at one man's journey to work like many of the immigrants who do. Thompson spends about two months at various jobs around the US: his book focuses working on a lettuce farm, a meat processing plant and a restaurant. He also mentions a couple of jobs where he got fired--notably a flower shop.It was a very interesting read that gave me pause and made me think about a lot of various topics: where does our food come from? Who cares/picks/processes it? What do they do when things go wrong? How do they find other jobs? What if they become ill? Thompson describes the working conditions and his fellow workers. Some aren't as bad as he thought it might be, and in some places he was surprised. He was in a lot of pain in the lettuce fields and the meat factories. Workers there are often subject to boredom (which might not seem so bad, but standing around for 12 hours is not fun), repetitive stress injuries, no time off and long hours. Yet he found that the despite conditions the workers seemed relatively happy and got along with each other. The reasons why people come are various: family, hopes for a better life, sending money to relatives back home. No surprises there.In his last jobs it takes a different turn: Thompson gets fired after about 2 weeks at a flower shop, much to his surprise. His last section is working as a delivery man for a restaurant in NY. I probably mostly identified with him there, dodging cars and bikes and pedestrians, navigating traffic and dealing with events like the Halloween holidays, not to mention crappy tippers. I admit I like getting food delivered and made me feel sorry for the people who do delivery.I think it's a good read overall for those interested at all in the immigration debate as well as those who are curious about factory conditions, labor unions and the restaurant industry. As a caveat, it's clear that as a white male Thompson is often considered for more advanced positions right when he walks in. Doesn't he want to be the lead X? Wouldn't he want to work inside instead of in the fields instead? Why does this white male want to work in a meat factory? He describes some of the dark side of the industry, such as the exhaustion and pain as well as the low pay. But he doesn't really touch upon what someone who is not a citizen goes through, with literally living from paycheck to paycheck. Thompson also can't really discuss the long term affects of work on the body and mind. He describes a few veterans of the jobs and the ailments they face as well as the lower life expectancy for some. But again, this was just a project and not a reflection of the real thing.I do recommend it though. It will definitely give you food for thought. In this feat of 'immersion journalism' writer Gabriel Thompson puts himself through back-breaking labor to relate the lives of workers across the country. For two months at a time he works as a lettuce farmer in Arizona, a poultry processor in rural Alabama, and a delivery boy in New York City. Disparate though those three stints may seem, they have much in common: they are physically exhausting and often dangerous jobs largely performed by migrant workers for little pay. The fruits of this labor are regularly consumed by the general population with little thought about the labor entailed. One of Thompson's more powerful observations is that even with all the steps in the process between the cutting of a head of lettuce and our purchase of it at the grocery store, it is likely that the last hand that touched it before our own was that of the lettuce cutter. Thompson's detailed accounts of the work itself are vivid and often painful. But he also illustrates the larger context in each situation, here providing some of the most interesting insights for the reader. For example, one learns about the migrant workers who commute to and from Mexico everyday into Arizona, a dynamic that seems to satisfy employers, immigration officials, and the workers themselves and which transcends the polarizing debates over illegal immigration. In another instance, the reader learns about disparities in the restaurant industry, such as the minimum and actual wages of delivery men and the way tips are distributed (or not) to the hardest workers in the back of the kitchen. Thompson also shows us a white American community that paid immigrant workers little attention until the day they became politicized. This is a quick and enjoyable read - Thompson's writing style is accessible and flows easily from humor to rage, keeping it interesting throughout.
What do You think about Working In The Shadows: A Year Of Doing The Jobs (Most) Americans Won't Do (2009)?
What a reality check - should be required reading for all elected officials and their aides!
—ashleyly
I was exhausted just reading it; cannot imagine living it (and I tend to be a workoholic).
—cvg
Interesting take on migrant workers. Made me think about New York workers.
—xefi
Thanks for recommending, Leanne. I enjoyed it.
—colyermurrell
