I thought Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America was good too, better than Polly Toynbee's UK version, perhaps because it seemed more desperate. Looking at the criticism of the book on Amazon, I just love the way someone hated it because of its liberal agenda. No shit. Damn those liberals and all that liberty they keep wanting. Anyone who isn't rich just doesn't deserve to live.
It's the ultimate pyramid scheme (actually that's religion, Hank won't even pay up until after you leave town).