Barbara Ehrenreich

"I have never seen a conflict between journalism and activism: As a journalist, I search for the truth. But as a moral person, I am also obliged to do something about it."

Barbara Ehrenreich (born 1941) was a social critic, freelance journalist, activist, reviewer and the author of 21 books. Born in Montana, she graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, and later earned a PhD in cell biology from Rockefeller University in New York.

During the 1970s she became deeply involved in the emerging women's health movement and taught at the State University of New York, Old Westbury. Her writing career began with articles in Ms. magazine, where she later became a regular columnist, as well as contributing to Mother Jones.

Her literary reputation grew with the publication of several influential nonfiction works, including the New York Times bestseller Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America (2001). The book documented her three-month experiment living on low wages while working in jobs such as waitressing, house cleaning and retail.

In 2005 she continued exploring economic insecurity with Bait and Switch, which examined the challenges of finding and keeping white-collar employment. She also wrote This Land is Their Land: Reports from a Divided Nation.

In 2012 she co-founded the Economic Hardship Reporting Project with the Institute for Policy Studies, an initiative designed to highlight poverty and economic insecurity in the United States and encourage wider public discussion of these issues.

What genres does Barbara Ehrenreich write in?

Ehrenreich is primarily a nonfiction writer whose work spans social criticism, investigative journalism, essays and reportage on politics, economics, health and feminism.

Which of her books is best to start with?

A widely recommended starting point is Nickel and Dimed: Undercover in Low-Wage America, her New York Times bestseller based on firsthand reporting about low-wage work. Other accessible titles include Smile or Die, which critiques the culture of positive thinking, and Bait and Switch, which examines the world of white-collar job searching.

Are her books part of a series or is there a recommended reading order?

Most of Ehrenreich's books are standalone works rather than part of a series. Readers can choose titles based on subject area, such as labor and inequality, corporate culture, health and medicine, or collections of essays.

What recurring themes does she explore?

Her writing frequently explores economic inequality and poverty, low-wage work, critiques of corporate culture and positive thinking, women's health and feminist history, and the role of journalism in social activism.

Has she received notable recognition for her work?

She gained wide recognition with Nickel and Dimed, which became a New York Times bestseller. She also co-founded the Economic Hardship Reporting Project to draw attention to poverty and economic insecurity in the United States.