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You Want Fries With That: A White-Collar Burnout Experiences Life at Minimum Wage
Ever fantasized about quitting your job and starting over? Prioleau Alexander did just that. Here is his laugh-out-loud funny, endearing, and humbling exploration of life at minimum wage. The American Dream used to include a white picket fence, 2.2 kids, and a dog. In today's frantic world, it's . . . well, let's be honest-it's quite different. But what would happen if you did have the nerve to quit your white-collar job? Prioleau Alexander can tell you: He walked away from a lucrative career as an advertising executive, seeking a life "like that dude on Kung Fu." Over the next year he worked minimum-wage jobs as a pizza deliveryman, ice cream scooper, construction worker, ER tech, fast food jockey, and even cowboy on a Montana dude ranch. In YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?, Prioleau explores life at minimum wage and proves unequivocally that the grass is not always greener on the other side.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 10, 2008
16 people are currently reading
249 people want to read
About the author
Prioleau Alexander
9 books16 followersA native son of Charleston, SC, Prioleau Alexander is a graduate of Porter-Gaud School, Auburn University, and a former Marine Officer. The genre in which he writes is non-fiction humor on topics ranging from personal experience to history.
His new book is entitled Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? Madness, Mayhem, and the Making of America, which is now available on Amazon. It is a laugh out loud survey of American History, from Jamestown to James Brown.
He has created Facebook pages for each of the books, in order for readers to get a feel for the areas the books explore.
For Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? copy and paste this link
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
For You Want Fries With That?
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
For Dispatches Along the Way?
https://www.facebook.com/prioleaualex...
He has another book (different publisher) landing on November 1st entitled: They Don't Call It the Submission Process For Nothing. A Rookie Author's Rookie Year. For that book:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Prioleau can be reached at TypingForBeerMoney@gmail.com
His new book is entitled Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? Madness, Mayhem, and the Making of America, which is now available on Amazon. It is a laugh out loud survey of American History, from Jamestown to James Brown.
He has created Facebook pages for each of the books, in order for readers to get a feel for the areas the books explore.
For Where Have All the Cowboys Gone? copy and paste this link
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
For You Want Fries With That?
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
For Dispatches Along the Way?
https://www.facebook.com/prioleaualex...
He has another book (different publisher) landing on November 1st entitled: They Don't Call It the Submission Process For Nothing. A Rookie Author's Rookie Year. For that book:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Prioleau can be reached at TypingForBeerMoney@gmail.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
March 7, 2022
Well-well-well, isn't this golden:
Q:
“There I was in the Middle East for months at a time, and Americans back home couldn’t do anything but bitch: bitch that the war was too expensive; bitch that the war was illegal; bitch that we blew up the wrong people; bitch that the war was about oil. Oil! Hell, if there’s a good reason to fight a war, oil is it. I’d personally kill half the frickin’ Middle East for dollar-a-gallon oil. How in the hell are Sean Penn and Michael Moore gonna fly around in their private jets without oil? Of course, everyone thinks it’s just fine to deploy the military to Bosnia, or Darfur, or Somalia, just as long as there’s nothing to actually gain from the use of force — it’s got to be one hundred percent feel-good, like some kinda Meals on Humvee Wheels. God forbid there’s actually some national interest at stake.”
“So you bagged it.”
“Hell yeah, I bagged it,” he said. “Americans have become a bunch of pansies. And there’s no good reason for it! Think of it, Lowe! We Americans spring from hearty stock. We’re the grandchildren of men and women who plowed a freakin’ nation out of an entire continent filled with oak trees, boulders, and raging rivers. Our forefathers saddled and broke the biggest, baddest symbolic bronco in history. They walked straight up to that grizzly bear called Danger and bitch-slapped him around the meadow, then made him vacuum the den before he could leave.”
I sat there, wishing Tom had a national radio talk show.
“At some point,” Tom continued, “we stuck a needle in our arm and drained out all our good junkyard dawg American mutt blood. We became a nation of whining, sniveling, complaining, suing, Prozac-gobbling, label-warning, non-spanking, airbag-surrounded, water-conserving, designated-driving, emailing geeks.”
“Tom,” I said, “I’m thinkin’ about amblin’ over there and kissin’ you on the lips.” (c)
Do color me impressed with this nice lil' dialogue.
Q:
“Why the Elvis Doctrine?”
“Get a pen,” Tom said, “and write down the names of the countries we’ve fought for or against since JFK. Put ’em one to a line, stacked on top of each other.”
Tom dictated:
El Salvador
Libya
Vietnam
Iraq, part 1
Somalia
Iran
Serbia
Kuwait
Iraq, part 2
Nicaragua
Grenada
“So?” I asked.
“Would you not consider that the most bizarre collection of enemies in history?”
“Yeah, but in each case there was —”
“Think about it, man. There’s got to be a connection.”
“National security?”
“Ah, yes — I get quaking in my boots thinking about that list of A-Team tough guys.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Look at the first letter of each country’s name.”
E.L.V.I.S. I.S. K.I.N.G. (c) LOL! Nice mnemonics!
The rest is also an entertaining exploration of blue collar world seen through a white collar burnout eyes. I guess, now we know the ins and outs.
I was a bit weirded out that the guy with his experience didn't seem to know the concept of 'overqualification' being the likely culprit for him not getting replies from the 'big box' companies. Or did he downplay his quals all the time, not just for the fast food industry? Dunno, it was a bit scketchy on these details.
Some more goldies:
Q:
Lots of people overcome horrifying adversity to succeed in life, so why wouldn’t I?
Because I’m just a person — not an exceptional person.Exceptional people overcome adversity, and rewrite their destiny, and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Exceptional people overcome poor parenting, and emotional scarring, and dirt-poor poverty. Exceptional people rise from the wreckage of their past to succeed. But regular people — people like me — well, we just cruise along with the hand we are dealt. We take the punches and stay on our feet, but there’s no Cinderella Man inside. We do the best we can, and when life happens, it happens. Maybe you’re an exceptional person, but most of us aren’t. Most of us are just trying to get through the day, with enough money to pay the bills and buy some beer.
For me, bottom line? You take a childhood of betrayal, and raw deals, and abuse, and negativity . . . and you shove that down my throat before I’m eighteen? I’m not walking into the Burger World to experience it. I’m walking in because they’re hiring, and it doesn’t seem like it’s worth the energy to look elsewhere. (c)
Lots of cool points, check these out:
Q:
The advertising game is the only business on the planet where potential clients think they’re doing you a huge favor by giving you the opportunity to work for them for free. This occurs when, with great pomp and ceremony, a desirable advertising client announces they are undergoing an “agency review,” which allows advertising agencies to “pitch” their business. What does this entail? It’s too mind-boggling to describe realistically. Instead, let me offer this analogy from the legal profession:
CLIENT WHO NEEDS A LAWYER: Thank you for coming today, gentlemen. I see we have four different law firms represented. Excellent. As you might know, I’ve been charged with trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted bribery of a federal law enforcement officer. And I’m guilty. So, I’ve called you all together to offer each of you the chance to work for me. In three weeks, each of you will be allowed to present your detailed ideas for my defense, which you will argue in front of a mock jury of my choosing. I will pick one firm to represent me, and that firm will get paid for the work they’ve already done. The rest of you will be paid nothing . . . but you can take pride in knowing you had a reputation good enough to be invited to this pitch. Are there any questions or comments?LAWYERS: Just one: if you have a choice, tell your cellmate you want to be the husband. (c)
Q:
You know the drill: no matter what your job, if you make good money then it’s virtually guaranteed you’re swallowing grenades for clients or bosses who don’t appreciate your efforts. You endure the madness for the opportunity to make more money, because more money buys more stuff. (c)
Q:
Then it occurred to me there were lots of other equally mysterious regular-guy jobs: How about being an Ice Cream Scooper Guy? Or a fast-food employee? Or a construction worker? Or a MegaMart associate? Or a golf caddy?
These are all crap jobs no one wants, but tens of thousands of people have to do them. If they didn’t, hell . . . the American economy would collapse. You could lay off half the white-collar people in the United States and nothing bad would happen; in fact, productivity would probably skyrocket! Imagine, if you will, the banishment of every personal injury lawyer, every pollster, every person in advertising and public relations, every sports and entertainment agent, every real estate developer (and nine out of ten Realtors), every local newscasting team, every government bureaucrat, every HMO administrator, and every person with a business card that even hints of middle management. What do you think would happen?
And you’re right . . . jack-nothing would happen. (c)
Q:
BRAND MANAGER: Hmmm . . . is “perfect” a strong enough word?
ASSISTANT VP OF SALES: How about “extraordinary”?
ART DIRECTOR: Or “flawless”?
VP OF MARKETING: I think “delicious” is the right word. It has a food feel to it.
ASSISTANT VP OF MARKETING: Another great idea, boss!
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Will our people on the front lines embrace it?
VP OF FINANCE: Do extra letters cost more?
ASSISTANT TO CEO: The Big Guy wants results from this poster . . .
BRAND MANAGER: Okay, let’s put together focus groups in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, and Des Moines. Everyone clear their calendars next week — this is hot, and we all need to be there. Everyone in?
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Darn, can’t make it. I’ve decided to kill myself tonight.
Q:
The details of what transpired over the next two weeks are sketchy, but rumors in the legal community are that Tim Brady was served with over 175 lawsuits in sixteen days by twenty-six different law firms. The final straw apparently occurred when a semi-famous bounty hunter kicked in his front door and punched Tim in the face as a preemptive strategy. Fists quickly gave way to cold steel, then to hot lead. When the police arrived, they declared that it was the first white-collar gunfight they’d ever encountered, but due to the layers of legal representation, it was impossible to tie anyone to anything. In the end, the bounty hunter walked and was put on retainer by nine of the law firms involved.
Q:
Q:
“There I was in the Middle East for months at a time, and Americans back home couldn’t do anything but bitch: bitch that the war was too expensive; bitch that the war was illegal; bitch that we blew up the wrong people; bitch that the war was about oil. Oil! Hell, if there’s a good reason to fight a war, oil is it. I’d personally kill half the frickin’ Middle East for dollar-a-gallon oil. How in the hell are Sean Penn and Michael Moore gonna fly around in their private jets without oil? Of course, everyone thinks it’s just fine to deploy the military to Bosnia, or Darfur, or Somalia, just as long as there’s nothing to actually gain from the use of force — it’s got to be one hundred percent feel-good, like some kinda Meals on Humvee Wheels. God forbid there’s actually some national interest at stake.”
“So you bagged it.”
“Hell yeah, I bagged it,” he said. “Americans have become a bunch of pansies. And there’s no good reason for it! Think of it, Lowe! We Americans spring from hearty stock. We’re the grandchildren of men and women who plowed a freakin’ nation out of an entire continent filled with oak trees, boulders, and raging rivers. Our forefathers saddled and broke the biggest, baddest symbolic bronco in history. They walked straight up to that grizzly bear called Danger and bitch-slapped him around the meadow, then made him vacuum the den before he could leave.”
I sat there, wishing Tom had a national radio talk show.
“At some point,” Tom continued, “we stuck a needle in our arm and drained out all our good junkyard dawg American mutt blood. We became a nation of whining, sniveling, complaining, suing, Prozac-gobbling, label-warning, non-spanking, airbag-surrounded, water-conserving, designated-driving, emailing geeks.”
“Tom,” I said, “I’m thinkin’ about amblin’ over there and kissin’ you on the lips.” (c)
Do color me impressed with this nice lil' dialogue.
Q:
“Why the Elvis Doctrine?”
“Get a pen,” Tom said, “and write down the names of the countries we’ve fought for or against since JFK. Put ’em one to a line, stacked on top of each other.”
Tom dictated:
El Salvador
Libya
Vietnam
Iraq, part 1
Somalia
Iran
Serbia
Kuwait
Iraq, part 2
Nicaragua
Grenada
“So?” I asked.
“Would you not consider that the most bizarre collection of enemies in history?”
“Yeah, but in each case there was —”
“Think about it, man. There’s got to be a connection.”
“National security?”
“Ah, yes — I get quaking in my boots thinking about that list of A-Team tough guys.”
“Well, what is it?”
“Look at the first letter of each country’s name.”
E.L.V.I.S. I.S. K.I.N.G. (c) LOL! Nice mnemonics!
The rest is also an entertaining exploration of blue collar world seen through a white collar burnout eyes. I guess, now we know the ins and outs.
I was a bit weirded out that the guy with his experience didn't seem to know the concept of 'overqualification' being the likely culprit for him not getting replies from the 'big box' companies. Or did he downplay his quals all the time, not just for the fast food industry? Dunno, it was a bit scketchy on these details.
Some more goldies:
Q:
Lots of people overcome horrifying adversity to succeed in life, so why wouldn’t I?
Because I’m just a person — not an exceptional person.Exceptional people overcome adversity, and rewrite their destiny, and pull themselves up by their bootstraps. Exceptional people overcome poor parenting, and emotional scarring, and dirt-poor poverty. Exceptional people rise from the wreckage of their past to succeed. But regular people — people like me — well, we just cruise along with the hand we are dealt. We take the punches and stay on our feet, but there’s no Cinderella Man inside. We do the best we can, and when life happens, it happens. Maybe you’re an exceptional person, but most of us aren’t. Most of us are just trying to get through the day, with enough money to pay the bills and buy some beer.
For me, bottom line? You take a childhood of betrayal, and raw deals, and abuse, and negativity . . . and you shove that down my throat before I’m eighteen? I’m not walking into the Burger World to experience it. I’m walking in because they’re hiring, and it doesn’t seem like it’s worth the energy to look elsewhere. (c)
Lots of cool points, check these out:
Q:
The advertising game is the only business on the planet where potential clients think they’re doing you a huge favor by giving you the opportunity to work for them for free. This occurs when, with great pomp and ceremony, a desirable advertising client announces they are undergoing an “agency review,” which allows advertising agencies to “pitch” their business. What does this entail? It’s too mind-boggling to describe realistically. Instead, let me offer this analogy from the legal profession:
CLIENT WHO NEEDS A LAWYER: Thank you for coming today, gentlemen. I see we have four different law firms represented. Excellent. As you might know, I’ve been charged with trafficking in cocaine, conspiracy to commit murder, and attempted bribery of a federal law enforcement officer. And I’m guilty. So, I’ve called you all together to offer each of you the chance to work for me. In three weeks, each of you will be allowed to present your detailed ideas for my defense, which you will argue in front of a mock jury of my choosing. I will pick one firm to represent me, and that firm will get paid for the work they’ve already done. The rest of you will be paid nothing . . . but you can take pride in knowing you had a reputation good enough to be invited to this pitch. Are there any questions or comments?LAWYERS: Just one: if you have a choice, tell your cellmate you want to be the husband. (c)
Q:
You know the drill: no matter what your job, if you make good money then it’s virtually guaranteed you’re swallowing grenades for clients or bosses who don’t appreciate your efforts. You endure the madness for the opportunity to make more money, because more money buys more stuff. (c)
Q:
Then it occurred to me there were lots of other equally mysterious regular-guy jobs: How about being an Ice Cream Scooper Guy? Or a fast-food employee? Or a construction worker? Or a MegaMart associate? Or a golf caddy?
These are all crap jobs no one wants, but tens of thousands of people have to do them. If they didn’t, hell . . . the American economy would collapse. You could lay off half the white-collar people in the United States and nothing bad would happen; in fact, productivity would probably skyrocket! Imagine, if you will, the banishment of every personal injury lawyer, every pollster, every person in advertising and public relations, every sports and entertainment agent, every real estate developer (and nine out of ten Realtors), every local newscasting team, every government bureaucrat, every HMO administrator, and every person with a business card that even hints of middle management. What do you think would happen?
And you’re right . . . jack-nothing would happen. (c)
Q:
BRAND MANAGER: Hmmm . . . is “perfect” a strong enough word?
ASSISTANT VP OF SALES: How about “extraordinary”?
ART DIRECTOR: Or “flawless”?
VP OF MARKETING: I think “delicious” is the right word. It has a food feel to it.
ASSISTANT VP OF MARKETING: Another great idea, boss!
OPERATIONS MANAGER: Will our people on the front lines embrace it?
VP OF FINANCE: Do extra letters cost more?
ASSISTANT TO CEO: The Big Guy wants results from this poster . . .
BRAND MANAGER: Okay, let’s put together focus groups in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Dallas, San Diego, and Des Moines. Everyone clear their calendars next week — this is hot, and we all need to be there. Everyone in?
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Darn, can’t make it. I’ve decided to kill myself tonight.
Q:
The details of what transpired over the next two weeks are sketchy, but rumors in the legal community are that Tim Brady was served with over 175 lawsuits in sixteen days by twenty-six different law firms. The final straw apparently occurred when a semi-famous bounty hunter kicked in his front door and punched Tim in the face as a preemptive strategy. Fists quickly gave way to cold steel, then to hot lead. When the police arrived, they declared that it was the first white-collar gunfight they’d ever encountered, but due to the layers of legal representation, it was impossible to tie anyone to anything. In the end, the bounty hunter walked and was put on retainer by nine of the law firms involved.
Q:
September 2, 2010
Things I learned as I laughed reading this book:
1. It's harder than you think to be hired by the big box stores; Wal-Mart, K-Mart etc. That my retirement dream of being a Wal-Mart greeter may not be the best idea.
2. Always tip the Pizza guy at least $5.00 and make sure he can see the house numbers.
3. ERs are for emergencies. Get reassurance from hubby or dog. But recognize a real emergency. (I thought I knew this, but it’s good to be reminded)
4. Never change my order once it’s given to the burger flipper. Parting the Red Sea is easier.
5. Stay out of Ice Cream shops. At least at my present weight. "Judgment is mine," saith the soda jerk.
6. I'd rather not get close enough to cows to have rope or herd them. The romance of the west is now gone.
For a long time, my dream, when my job gets overwhelming, is to open a little bookstore with a coffee shop. Sort of a combo Starbucks and Barn & Noble but on a smaller scale. After reading this book, maybe I'll change that dream. Sandy beaches, drinks with little umbrellas and cabana boys with tanned skin sound good. And no customers or patients just surf and sand......
1. It's harder than you think to be hired by the big box stores; Wal-Mart, K-Mart etc. That my retirement dream of being a Wal-Mart greeter may not be the best idea.
2. Always tip the Pizza guy at least $5.00 and make sure he can see the house numbers.
3. ERs are for emergencies. Get reassurance from hubby or dog. But recognize a real emergency. (I thought I knew this, but it’s good to be reminded)
4. Never change my order once it’s given to the burger flipper. Parting the Red Sea is easier.
5. Stay out of Ice Cream shops. At least at my present weight. "Judgment is mine," saith the soda jerk.
6. I'd rather not get close enough to cows to have rope or herd them. The romance of the west is now gone.
For a long time, my dream, when my job gets overwhelming, is to open a little bookstore with a coffee shop. Sort of a combo Starbucks and Barn & Noble but on a smaller scale. After reading this book, maybe I'll change that dream. Sandy beaches, drinks with little umbrellas and cabana boys with tanned skin sound good. And no customers or patients just surf and sand......
October 27, 2015
I received this book as a gift as it was on my wishlist for some time. I had the idea that this was a book about a man who trades in his white collar job for a minimum wage job and therein receives some enlightenment which changes his way of thinking about the types of people that work fast food, or big box stores. I was half right, at least. The author feels dissatisfied with his life working in advertising so he decides to take up a series of minimum wage jobs, including a burger place, an ice cream shop, delivering pizzas, and working cleaning a construction site.
At least one of the jobs he does isn't really a job, per se, as it is pretty much a chapter of him attending HIPAA classes, and then following a physician friend around in the ER as he sees a variety of patients. The only "research" the author does is referring to vague information that he gleaned by Googling various things. Possibly as a result of his shoddy research, he states at one point that he believes migrant farm workers to be minimum wage workers, which is so far from the truth as to be laughable. If he had bothered to check (from a reliable resource) he would have known that migrants DREAM of being paid minimum wage, in reality are paid far less and often work as a form of indentured servitude that is legal only by loopholes in the law. He also asserts throughout the book that people working minimum wage must be doing so as some sort of personal failure on their part. To back this claim up, he states that people working these sorts of jobs could climb out of this income level if only they possessed the drive, the luck, or the ability to gain a scholarship. This is also not the case in reality, as because of the recession many people with college degrees are working minimum wage jobs through no fault of their own. The final straw came in the last few chapters of the book where the author made his political opinion known pretty plainly which really didn't belong in a book of this sort. I found this to be demeaning towards people who work and live the minimum wage lifestyle; he stereotyped and attacked various populations, so chances are pretty good that if you aren't a Republican or member of the military that he will offend you at some point during this book. Heck, I'm a Navy Veteran and he offended me with his baseless attacks. Steer clear of this one.
At least one of the jobs he does isn't really a job, per se, as it is pretty much a chapter of him attending HIPAA classes, and then following a physician friend around in the ER as he sees a variety of patients. The only "research" the author does is referring to vague information that he gleaned by Googling various things. Possibly as a result of his shoddy research, he states at one point that he believes migrant farm workers to be minimum wage workers, which is so far from the truth as to be laughable. If he had bothered to check (from a reliable resource) he would have known that migrants DREAM of being paid minimum wage, in reality are paid far less and often work as a form of indentured servitude that is legal only by loopholes in the law. He also asserts throughout the book that people working minimum wage must be doing so as some sort of personal failure on their part. To back this claim up, he states that people working these sorts of jobs could climb out of this income level if only they possessed the drive, the luck, or the ability to gain a scholarship. This is also not the case in reality, as because of the recession many people with college degrees are working minimum wage jobs through no fault of their own. The final straw came in the last few chapters of the book where the author made his political opinion known pretty plainly which really didn't belong in a book of this sort. I found this to be demeaning towards people who work and live the minimum wage lifestyle; he stereotyped and attacked various populations, so chances are pretty good that if you aren't a Republican or member of the military that he will offend you at some point during this book. Heck, I'm a Navy Veteran and he offended me with his baseless attacks. Steer clear of this one.
December 9, 2011
PAINFUL. To be perfectly honest, I did not even finish the book. Halfway through I gave up on all hope that this author would write anything worth reading. His voice, his lexicon, and the general flow of his "writing" are less than impressive.
My assumption is that whoever decided to publish this "book" banked on it's concept distracting the reader from the inane babbling of the "author".
Alexander attempts to depict a worthwhile "fish out of water" tale about his descent into the working class from the eaves of the white collar castle.
However, I am willing to bet that the readers identify more with the water than the fish. What average reader has never had a crappy minimum wage job at some point in their life?
Perhaps if the author had written anything poignant, or if he had the ability to depict his ineptitude with any tinge of entertaining self deprecation, this would have been an enjoyable read. Instead, he attempts to entertain the reader with his amazement at discovering the more obvious aspects of the menial labor job.
That, my friends, alienates the reader even further. His surprise at the most basic elements of each job, his childish misconceptions about what the word "work" means, and his misguided digs at coworkers in an attempt to further dramatize his trauma, solidify Alexander as a douche more than as a clever informant.
My assumption is that whoever decided to publish this "book" banked on it's concept distracting the reader from the inane babbling of the "author".
Alexander attempts to depict a worthwhile "fish out of water" tale about his descent into the working class from the eaves of the white collar castle.
However, I am willing to bet that the readers identify more with the water than the fish. What average reader has never had a crappy minimum wage job at some point in their life?
Perhaps if the author had written anything poignant, or if he had the ability to depict his ineptitude with any tinge of entertaining self deprecation, this would have been an enjoyable read. Instead, he attempts to entertain the reader with his amazement at discovering the more obvious aspects of the menial labor job.
That, my friends, alienates the reader even further. His surprise at the most basic elements of each job, his childish misconceptions about what the word "work" means, and his misguided digs at coworkers in an attempt to further dramatize his trauma, solidify Alexander as a douche more than as a clever informant.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2009
Another author far less clever than he thinks he is - sigh.
The first couple of essays, on delivering pizza and scooping ice cream, held some promise (drug references to show he's a "kewl conservative" aside); the rest were either un-followable or mediocre. Two other, more effective books covering the same premise: Selling Ben Cheever by Ben Cheever, and My Secret Life on the McJob by Jerry Newman.
The first couple of essays, on delivering pizza and scooping ice cream, held some promise (drug references to show he's a "kewl conservative" aside); the rest were either un-followable or mediocre. Two other, more effective books covering the same premise: Selling Ben Cheever by Ben Cheever, and My Secret Life on the McJob by Jerry Newman.
April 24, 2015
You Want Fries With That is a hilarious look inside minimum wage jobs. Prioleau's observational humor is spot-on and I found myself laughing through most of it. The chapter entitled "10ccs of Sanity, Stat...", where he shadows an ER doctor for a couple shifts, was my favorite because it reminded me of my own job- dealing with the public and all of the potential insanity that goes along with that. I wish he had taken on a retail clothing job and examined the ridiculousness that goes along with hawking clothes at $50 per t-shirt for a company that pays its employees a pittance. Maybe I should write a book about that...
This is not a political treatise about the plight of the under-paid worker, so if you're looking for that, you will need to keep looking.
If you like You Want Fries with That, I would recommend My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (humorous take on dating) and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (a collection of humorous essays, especially the chapter "The Great Leap Forward").
This is not a political treatise about the plight of the under-paid worker, so if you're looking for that, you will need to keep looking.
If you like You Want Fries with That, I would recommend My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler (humorous take on dating) and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris (a collection of humorous essays, especially the chapter "The Great Leap Forward").
July 6, 2012
Interesting, some of the jobs more than others. The cowboy one was pretty dull and the building stuff. I did enjoy the others though - the retail ones were really interesting.
Good book and reads well with humor.
April 22, 2016
Surprise! White collar ad exec finds out that minimum wage jobs are hard... Thankfully this was somewhat funny and they kept the best story for last... Otherwise I never would have finished this.
March 22, 2022
Well-written collection of "white collar advertising executive and retired Marine officer takes random blue-collar jobs" experiences. He went for some "teenager jobs" (which are sadly actual long-term jobs for adults now, too) at an ice cream shop, burger fast food place, pizza delivery, medical tech in an emergency room, construction labor, etc. Surprisingly, he failed to get hired by a number of companies (presumably due to presumed overqualification) - he missed out on big box retail and some big national chains.
The conclusion was him taking a much more genteel job at a "dude ranch" outfit and then scamming/loafing his way to success, which I guess is a fitting end.
The interesting part for me was basically "squared away person takes a job normally held by underclass", and seeing how much poverty itself causes people to have problems, vs. work conditions, vs. sorting effects of people into careers/jobs in the first place. Inconclusive; I think the main lesson is that it's amazing how large scale American capitalism manages to dumb down jobs to the point where they require no skill, but also those same jobs punish anyone trying to do better.
The conclusion was him taking a much more genteel job at a "dude ranch" outfit and then scamming/loafing his way to success, which I guess is a fitting end.
The interesting part for me was basically "squared away person takes a job normally held by underclass", and seeing how much poverty itself causes people to have problems, vs. work conditions, vs. sorting effects of people into careers/jobs in the first place. Inconclusive; I think the main lesson is that it's amazing how large scale American capitalism manages to dumb down jobs to the point where they require no skill, but also those same jobs punish anyone trying to do better.
April 26, 2015
There were things about this book that I loved (the wordplay, the seriously funny voice of Alexander, the occasional anecdotes about his very-patient wife), and things I wasn't crazy about at all (the air of snobbery, disrespect and arrogance that is an ugly undercurrent throughout the book). Overall, it was definitely an entertaining read, but one that made me uncomfortable reading it at times, as Alexander seems to think that taking jobs that kind of suck because he wants to rather than because he has to makes him better than those who work the jobs as their primary source of income.
For instance, his chapter about being an ER med tech was disgusting and hilarious, but lacked empathy for those who actually HAD to do this job versus himself, who simply shadowed his surgeon buddy around and left as soon as he was expected to clean up shit. It was great reading, but it also made me feel terribly for the people who actually worked that job on a consistent basis. It would have taken only a few sentences in each chapter to give some props to the people who DO work these jobs to have earned a higher rating from this reader, but that probably wouldn't have been authentic to the author anyway.... eh, I'm not sure.
Ultimately, this book is funny, but very non-PC and somewhat insulting to anyone not in the upper-middle class. Read at your own risk.
For instance, his chapter about being an ER med tech was disgusting and hilarious, but lacked empathy for those who actually HAD to do this job versus himself, who simply shadowed his surgeon buddy around and left as soon as he was expected to clean up shit. It was great reading, but it also made me feel terribly for the people who actually worked that job on a consistent basis. It would have taken only a few sentences in each chapter to give some props to the people who DO work these jobs to have earned a higher rating from this reader, but that probably wouldn't have been authentic to the author anyway.... eh, I'm not sure.
Ultimately, this book is funny, but very non-PC and somewhat insulting to anyone not in the upper-middle class. Read at your own risk.
May 12, 2018
Taking a one-year sabbatical off from a high-flying advertising career to explore the potential of a range of minimum-wage jobs might not be a possibility, or even a vaguely conceived idea for everyone. But that is precisely what Mr. Prioleau (Pray-lo) Alexander did when he hit a low point in his career.
You Want Fries With That? A White-Collar Burnout Experiences Life at Minimum Wage is the paperback release of his journey from the ranks of the unemployed to becoming, in turn, a pizza delivery man, an ice-cream parlor counter hand, a laborer on a construction site, an ER tech (on a strictly look-see-puke basis), a fast food jockey, and a cowboy (imagine a suit shepherding Mormons in the Montana outback and you’ll start LOL-ing long before you even start reading this one).
On the way he also goes through the application process at a Big Box store, but doesn’t quite make it (which is partly to blame on the fact that he declined to say that his schedule would not be able to accommodate their 24/7/365 availability requirement, or so Mr. Alexander thinks).
You Want Fries With That? is less one man’s self-exploration resulting from his trials and tribulations experienced during a period off from work in the corporate sector than it is a telling indictment—albeit told in the most humorous way—of the shortcomings of the lowest echelon of the service and other industries. Mr. Alexander’s approach is provocative and stimulating as he regales readers with descriptions of the people and places that he encounters in the above-mentioned range of work settings.
One point to bear in mind: The author has been criticized for not always being politically correct. An ex-Marine, his background shows, not only in his work ethic, but also in statements such as the following in relation to a cadaverous 94-year-old woman in ER: “Side note: I can honestly tell you that if I was back in the Marines and on a patrol in some foreign war zone, and came upon a civilian who looked that, without hesitation I would have cleared the room and smothered her . . . and slept like a rock feeling like I’d done something heroic.” Despite his marked lack of empathy in the above instance, Mr. Alexander is, by and large, understanding of how and why certain people land up not only working at a minimum-wage job for a short period in their youth, but might, in fact, never advance beyond that level in their careers.
A key aspect of this work is the unconventional, ground floor up look that Mr. Alexander provides at the industries through which he ventures. Coming from the ranks of the problem solvers and solution finders of industry, his experiences clearly enable him to see both the lighter side and the more serious implications of the hierarchical way in which most businesses and organizations are run. As such, management should pay careful heed to the lessons that Mr. Alexander learns about living life at grassroots level. In short, the work could prove an eye-opener to many.
You Want Fries With That? is highly recommended for anyone who has ever wondered what it really feels like to be on the other side of the counter. The insights that Mr. Alexander provides into the construction industry should also prove invaluable for all those who plan on renovating an existing home or building a new one from scratch.
You Want Fries With That? is a greatly entertaining and informative read—as long as you are not overly PC in your requirements for your reading material.
You Want Fries With That? A White-Collar Burnout Experiences Life at Minimum Wage is the paperback release of his journey from the ranks of the unemployed to becoming, in turn, a pizza delivery man, an ice-cream parlor counter hand, a laborer on a construction site, an ER tech (on a strictly look-see-puke basis), a fast food jockey, and a cowboy (imagine a suit shepherding Mormons in the Montana outback and you’ll start LOL-ing long before you even start reading this one).
On the way he also goes through the application process at a Big Box store, but doesn’t quite make it (which is partly to blame on the fact that he declined to say that his schedule would not be able to accommodate their 24/7/365 availability requirement, or so Mr. Alexander thinks).
You Want Fries With That? is less one man’s self-exploration resulting from his trials and tribulations experienced during a period off from work in the corporate sector than it is a telling indictment—albeit told in the most humorous way—of the shortcomings of the lowest echelon of the service and other industries. Mr. Alexander’s approach is provocative and stimulating as he regales readers with descriptions of the people and places that he encounters in the above-mentioned range of work settings.
One point to bear in mind: The author has been criticized for not always being politically correct. An ex-Marine, his background shows, not only in his work ethic, but also in statements such as the following in relation to a cadaverous 94-year-old woman in ER: “Side note: I can honestly tell you that if I was back in the Marines and on a patrol in some foreign war zone, and came upon a civilian who looked that, without hesitation I would have cleared the room and smothered her . . . and slept like a rock feeling like I’d done something heroic.” Despite his marked lack of empathy in the above instance, Mr. Alexander is, by and large, understanding of how and why certain people land up not only working at a minimum-wage job for a short period in their youth, but might, in fact, never advance beyond that level in their careers.
A key aspect of this work is the unconventional, ground floor up look that Mr. Alexander provides at the industries through which he ventures. Coming from the ranks of the problem solvers and solution finders of industry, his experiences clearly enable him to see both the lighter side and the more serious implications of the hierarchical way in which most businesses and organizations are run. As such, management should pay careful heed to the lessons that Mr. Alexander learns about living life at grassroots level. In short, the work could prove an eye-opener to many.
You Want Fries With That? is highly recommended for anyone who has ever wondered what it really feels like to be on the other side of the counter. The insights that Mr. Alexander provides into the construction industry should also prove invaluable for all those who plan on renovating an existing home or building a new one from scratch.
You Want Fries With That? is a greatly entertaining and informative read—as long as you are not overly PC in your requirements for your reading material.
August 7, 2021
I checked this out from the library when it first came out. I can't remember why, but I don't mean that in a bad way. My parents asked what I was reading, and I told them. They both asked to borrow it when I was done. My dad especially stood out to me since he sticks to spy novels and sports and music biographies, and I read other stuff. My parents have each worked minimum wage jobs: my mom got her first job in a country club because she wanted one, as far as I can tell, and my dad has worked multiple minimum wage jobs because he had to. As adults, my mom became a teacher and my dad is a businessman who makes five times as much money as she does. This was often pointed out to me growing up. My parents have severe class differences. Anyway, they both read the book and took tips from the book to become even better customers (putting numbers more clearly on our house, explaining better where it was, are the ones that stand out). I told other kids at the youth theatre company I was at, about this book. Three kids immediately asked to borrow it and talked about how great it was. One worked at a movie theatre. Another had just left but was a cashier. A third had just left the cashier job and worked in food service. So it resonated with people across class divides and age groups.
I checked it out again over a decade later out of curiosity. This...has not aged well. The author's views, I mean. He thinks the world would come to a screeching halt if minimum wage workers went on strike everywhere? This book was published in 2008. Twelve years later, minimum wage workers were given barely a raise and called heroes, but only briefly. They then had to pay back the raise they were given their employers because the employers reneged. They're not called heroes anymore either. The federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in a long, long time and isn't liveable, and I have seen the most bullshit of reasons why on the internet. So. The author's fatphobia permeates lots of this book, as do his views that aren't as socially acceptable now. Some portions were indeed funny. This guy is massively classist, as are the quotes on the cover. That's not funny at all. Minimum wage jobs are the reality of a -lot- of people. And he gets to just...go back to being white collar whenever he wants.
I have had minimum wage jobs my whole life. Some of them were in a white collar industry. Most were not. It's odd sometimes to reflect on that. An updated version of this book is never going to come out. I strongly recommend reading online if you want to know more about working poor; people on social media are drawing awareness to the myriad of factors and it's more immediate and direct than a nonfiction book written to primarily entertain. I'm glad I read it again though and compared it to experiences I have now.
I checked it out again over a decade later out of curiosity. This...has not aged well. The author's views, I mean. He thinks the world would come to a screeching halt if minimum wage workers went on strike everywhere? This book was published in 2008. Twelve years later, minimum wage workers were given barely a raise and called heroes, but only briefly. They then had to pay back the raise they were given their employers because the employers reneged. They're not called heroes anymore either. The federal minimum wage hasn't been raised in a long, long time and isn't liveable, and I have seen the most bullshit of reasons why on the internet. So. The author's fatphobia permeates lots of this book, as do his views that aren't as socially acceptable now. Some portions were indeed funny. This guy is massively classist, as are the quotes on the cover. That's not funny at all. Minimum wage jobs are the reality of a -lot- of people. And he gets to just...go back to being white collar whenever he wants.
I have had minimum wage jobs my whole life. Some of them were in a white collar industry. Most were not. It's odd sometimes to reflect on that. An updated version of this book is never going to come out. I strongly recommend reading online if you want to know more about working poor; people on social media are drawing awareness to the myriad of factors and it's more immediate and direct than a nonfiction book written to primarily entertain. I'm glad I read it again though and compared it to experiences I have now.
December 30, 2012
Prioleau Alexander used to work for an advertising agency before he got tired of it and quit. He was tired of having to kiss up to clients who thought they knew his job better than he did - actually, he was tired of having to kiss up to clients, period, because none of them ever seemed to appreciate the work that he and the others in his advertising agency did for them. For a while after quitting, he just sat around like a lump and apparently made his wife angry at him (I'd probably be angry, too, if my family were suddenly depending on just one person's income because someone decided they were tired of their job). Then he got an idea - he'd start doing minimum wage jobs, just to see what they're like. The jobs he did were pizza delivery guy, ice cream scooper guy, demolition guy for a construction company, tech at a hospital, cashier guy at a fast food place, and cowboy. He also tried to get a job at a big-box store, but no one would hire him.
For each of these jobs, Alexander talks about how he got the job (in some cases, very quickly, without even the need for an application or interview), how the job began (usually with little to no training), what the job entailed, and what the benefits and drawbacks of the job were. The book was strongest when Alexander talked about normal minimum wage jobs that many people take - pretty much anything except for his time as a hospital tech and a cowboy. While those two jobs were interesting to read about, they felt like they didn't really belong in this book and were maybe just there because Alexander had a page number quota he needed to fill.
Although I imagine people who are working in minimum wage jobs right now will probably find a lot in this book to agree with Alexander about, this book seems to have been written more for those who are currently in white-collar jobs and haven't ever worked in anything but jobs like that. I found myself wondering about Alexander. Hadn't he ever taken jobs like these when he was younger, either in high school or during college? He mentions that he used to be a Marine, so maybe he went straight from high school to the military, without stopping to get a crappy, low-paying job along the way. At any rate, he sure writes like he's never had jobs like these before.
Alexander's earliest chapters are his best. I enjoyed reading about what it was like to be a pizza delivery guy, an ice cream scooper guy, and a demolition guy. Alexander had interesting observations to make about the people he worked for and with and any customers he might have served. In his chapter about being a pizza delivery guy, Alexander explains why he now never tips less than $5 when he has a pizza delivered, and why others should do the same. In the ice cream scooper chapter, he writes about the categories of customers he observed, whereas in the demolition guy chapter he writes about the types of workers found at a home renovation.
Considering that the stereotypical minimum wage jobs are at fast food places, it takes a long time before this chapter shows up and then it's way too short - by this time, I think Alexander has gotten a bit bored with minimum wage jobs. The hospital tech job, while disgusting and sometimes depressing, cannot really be considered a normal minimum wage job - after all, Alexander only got it because he had a friend who was a doctor at the hospital. The cowboy job was also something that felt out of place because most people would not have had this opportunity - Alexander got this job because a friend of his knew a guy, and the guy was willing to pay to fly Alexander to a new state to do the job. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't happen to most people who are looking for minimum wage work. These oddball chapters are my biggest complaint about the book.
My other complaint is that in a few places near the end of the book, Alexander gets pretty political - I had problems keeping my hackles from rising, even though I didn't necessarily disagree with everything he wrote. Also, Alexander is occasionally amazingly idealistic when it comes to America and how well it and its various systems work. In his mind, America is the greatest country on the planet, because even the poorest of its poor have clothes. Also, anyone who perseveres and gets a college education won't end up with a minimum wage job like one of the ones he wrote about - apparently, Alexander hasn't looked at the job market lately and hasn't considered the fact that so many people have college degrees that having one isn't necessarily worth much. I should know - I've got a BA and an MLS (Master's in Library Science) and I still haven't managed to get a full-time job in my field after more than a year of sending out applications [At the time I wrote this review, I was still job hunting. I now have a job I enjoy that pays all my bills and then some, but my original point still stands.]. Minimum wage jobs aren't just for people lacking college degrees.
One final complaint: although Alexander starts just about every chapter with information on the history of whatever it is his job is about (ice cream, big-box stores, etc.), he rarely ever looked at a book while doing his research. Most of his history sections start with the phrase "I Googled it." When Google fails him (as it does in the case of big-box stores), does he go to his local library and talk with a reference librarian? No, he contacts a Wikipedia writer. In case you're unfamiliar with Wikipedia (however it may sometimes seem, there are still people out there who haven't used it), it's an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit. This means that when he said he contacted a Wikipedia writer to ask about big-box stories, he could've been talking to a 12-year-old kid or a conspiracy nut. The "nut" option seems like a possibility, since his history of big-box stores has them starting with a gangster whose idea was stolen by Sam Walton. Apparently, Walton sent a whole squadron of corporate lawyers after the guy, as well as, eventually, a bounty hunter. Since this all sounds like it might potentially be just anti-Wal-Mart fiction, I would've appreciated it if Alexander had actually used cite-able sources so that his readers could check his information. However, there are no citations whatsoever in the entire book, and the only book Alexander mentions is Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Granted, this is a popular non-fiction book, and not a scholarly work, but it's still incredibly sloppy.
Overall, though, this was a funny, scary book - funny if you can approach it objectively, scary if you think of all the people who have to have jobs like this. Very scary if you have to have a job like one of these yourself, or if you, like me, are facing the possibility of a life with jobs like these, because you can't manage to get anything else.
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
For each of these jobs, Alexander talks about how he got the job (in some cases, very quickly, without even the need for an application or interview), how the job began (usually with little to no training), what the job entailed, and what the benefits and drawbacks of the job were. The book was strongest when Alexander talked about normal minimum wage jobs that many people take - pretty much anything except for his time as a hospital tech and a cowboy. While those two jobs were interesting to read about, they felt like they didn't really belong in this book and were maybe just there because Alexander had a page number quota he needed to fill.
Although I imagine people who are working in minimum wage jobs right now will probably find a lot in this book to agree with Alexander about, this book seems to have been written more for those who are currently in white-collar jobs and haven't ever worked in anything but jobs like that. I found myself wondering about Alexander. Hadn't he ever taken jobs like these when he was younger, either in high school or during college? He mentions that he used to be a Marine, so maybe he went straight from high school to the military, without stopping to get a crappy, low-paying job along the way. At any rate, he sure writes like he's never had jobs like these before.
Alexander's earliest chapters are his best. I enjoyed reading about what it was like to be a pizza delivery guy, an ice cream scooper guy, and a demolition guy. Alexander had interesting observations to make about the people he worked for and with and any customers he might have served. In his chapter about being a pizza delivery guy, Alexander explains why he now never tips less than $5 when he has a pizza delivered, and why others should do the same. In the ice cream scooper chapter, he writes about the categories of customers he observed, whereas in the demolition guy chapter he writes about the types of workers found at a home renovation.
Considering that the stereotypical minimum wage jobs are at fast food places, it takes a long time before this chapter shows up and then it's way too short - by this time, I think Alexander has gotten a bit bored with minimum wage jobs. The hospital tech job, while disgusting and sometimes depressing, cannot really be considered a normal minimum wage job - after all, Alexander only got it because he had a friend who was a doctor at the hospital. The cowboy job was also something that felt out of place because most people would not have had this opportunity - Alexander got this job because a friend of his knew a guy, and the guy was willing to pay to fly Alexander to a new state to do the job. I'm sorry, but that just doesn't happen to most people who are looking for minimum wage work. These oddball chapters are my biggest complaint about the book.
My other complaint is that in a few places near the end of the book, Alexander gets pretty political - I had problems keeping my hackles from rising, even though I didn't necessarily disagree with everything he wrote. Also, Alexander is occasionally amazingly idealistic when it comes to America and how well it and its various systems work. In his mind, America is the greatest country on the planet, because even the poorest of its poor have clothes. Also, anyone who perseveres and gets a college education won't end up with a minimum wage job like one of the ones he wrote about - apparently, Alexander hasn't looked at the job market lately and hasn't considered the fact that so many people have college degrees that having one isn't necessarily worth much. I should know - I've got a BA and an MLS (Master's in Library Science) and I still haven't managed to get a full-time job in my field after more than a year of sending out applications [At the time I wrote this review, I was still job hunting. I now have a job I enjoy that pays all my bills and then some, but my original point still stands.]. Minimum wage jobs aren't just for people lacking college degrees.
One final complaint: although Alexander starts just about every chapter with information on the history of whatever it is his job is about (ice cream, big-box stores, etc.), he rarely ever looked at a book while doing his research. Most of his history sections start with the phrase "I Googled it." When Google fails him (as it does in the case of big-box stores), does he go to his local library and talk with a reference librarian? No, he contacts a Wikipedia writer. In case you're unfamiliar with Wikipedia (however it may sometimes seem, there are still people out there who haven't used it), it's an online encyclopedia that anyone can edit. This means that when he said he contacted a Wikipedia writer to ask about big-box stories, he could've been talking to a 12-year-old kid or a conspiracy nut. The "nut" option seems like a possibility, since his history of big-box stores has them starting with a gangster whose idea was stolen by Sam Walton. Apparently, Walton sent a whole squadron of corporate lawyers after the guy, as well as, eventually, a bounty hunter. Since this all sounds like it might potentially be just anti-Wal-Mart fiction, I would've appreciated it if Alexander had actually used cite-able sources so that his readers could check his information. However, there are no citations whatsoever in the entire book, and the only book Alexander mentions is Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. Granted, this is a popular non-fiction book, and not a scholarly work, but it's still incredibly sloppy.
Overall, though, this was a funny, scary book - funny if you can approach it objectively, scary if you think of all the people who have to have jobs like this. Very scary if you have to have a job like one of these yourself, or if you, like me, are facing the possibility of a life with jobs like these, because you can't manage to get anything else.
(Original review, with read-alikes and watch-alikes, posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.)
April 7, 2024
This book is so biased towards the USA, as if no other nation has the possibilities it does. I'd say that any person born into a developed nation can count themselves lucky.
Following are Prioleau's experiences in the jobs he tries out:
Prioleau comes to the conclusion that life at minimum wage is working to pay the staples of life. Jobs are "hopeless, dreary, dreamless affairs".
The book has a couple of amusing bits. In Chapter One, Prioleau talks about the marriage vows and the difference in what men and women class as necessities, concluding that "women always win the argument because it's tough to argue with someone who won't speak to you". Also his take on the "honey-do-list" is good.
Following are Prioleau's experiences in the jobs he tries out:
Prioleau comes to the conclusion that life at minimum wage is working to pay the staples of life. Jobs are "hopeless, dreary, dreamless affairs".
The book has a couple of amusing bits. In Chapter One, Prioleau talks about the marriage vows and the difference in what men and women class as necessities, concluding that "women always win the argument because it's tough to argue with someone who won't speak to you". Also his take on the "honey-do-list" is good.
March 29, 2024
Amusing (mostly)
For the most part I enjoyed this, though it was largely oriented towards a male audience. Unlike other books where someone who has sampled hundreds of jobs over the course of a year, this was half a dozen jobs this former executive genuinely tried, before he eventually figured out how to leverage his former talents into a business. Amusing moments as he faced recruiting systems and new employee training (or the lack thereof).
For the most part I enjoyed this, though it was largely oriented towards a male audience. Unlike other books where someone who has sampled hundreds of jobs over the course of a year, this was half a dozen jobs this former executive genuinely tried, before he eventually figured out how to leverage his former talents into a business. Amusing moments as he faced recruiting systems and new employee training (or the lack thereof).
March 18, 2022
This was surprisingly funny! So relatable, especially the home Reno stuff. Narrator was great too - deadpan delivery was spot-on! Just don’t drink anything while you listen (I almost choked laughing). Oh & be prepared to fast forward through some of the ER adventures. He’s far braver than I in that regard. Anyhow, highly recommend for light-hearted funny read!
November 26, 2025
DNF at 20% - I don’t want to do it anymore.
This book could have been so much fun and revelatory, but this guy is just insufferable.
20% in we got: misogyny (women/wife bad), racist stereotypes, MAGA level US idolatry (in 2008), crapping on blue collars.
Who is this even for? If I wanted to listen to a bitter rando telling me how the world works, I can just go to any other type of (social) media. Pass.
This book could have been so much fun and revelatory, but this guy is just insufferable.
20% in we got: misogyny (women/wife bad), racist stereotypes, MAGA level US idolatry (in 2008), crapping on blue collars.
Who is this even for? If I wanted to listen to a bitter rando telling me how the world works, I can just go to any other type of (social) media. Pass.
April 15, 2018
This is an excellent account of working various low-paying jobs.
November 10, 2019
Decent. But he hardly experienced life at minimum wage.
December 9, 2019
Read it in a day. Enjoyable and entertaining at times but tends to fall a bit flat.
October 11, 2021
liked the lists and the last chapter as a horse rider/tourist cowboy for hire the most.
October 25, 2021
Hilarious and Profound Tale of Modern Life
Like Bill Bryson, Prioleau Alexander gives us a view of a ‘hidden’ world that we experience every day, but never really SEE. Take this journey with him and you won’t be sorry. A really terrific read.
Like Bill Bryson, Prioleau Alexander gives us a view of a ‘hidden’ world that we experience every day, but never really SEE. Take this journey with him and you won’t be sorry. A really terrific read.
October 20, 2022
A funny book about life and his jobs. Favorite chapter for me was 6. I’m a nurse in a hospital and I was rolling with laughter.
May 25, 2023
3.5 stars (liked it)
August 8, 2024
Laugh-out-loud funny!
August 19, 2008
This is in the same vein as Morgan Spurlock’s 30 Days show, only not as serious. In fact, Mr. Alexander is pretty funny. He quits his great paying job as a creative director for an ad agency (i think that’s what it was) because it’s a job filled with ass kissing and bullshit, and he was sick of it. So he decides to work some shitty minimum wage jobs and write a book about it.
Some of the jobs he tries out are Pizza Dude, Burger Joint Dude, Construction Dude, ER tech Dude, Ice cream Shop Dude, and even Cowboy Dude. He comes to find out that really, the worst part of these kinds of jobs? the public.
Don’t I know it.
He makes fun of the public pretty good. I will warn you that his ER tech story is pretty gross. In fact, I can’t get it out of my head, and I didn’t actually see it, you know? So if you’re grossed out pretty easily you may want to skip the couple of pages where he works at the hospital. You’ve been warned.
It was an enjoyable read, but it just wasn’t that in depth, or serious. It read more like a “My Summer Vacation” essay or something. Maybe it was supposed to? I don’t know. He didn’t really get into the financial part of it, and I think it would have benefitted the book if he had. I mean, you work minimum wage jobs for a year and have to pay bills, that’s hard as hell. But you work minimum wage jobs for a year and you have a nest egg and your wife works a good paying job, that’s not really that hard. It still sucks to work with the public and get paid peanuts, but you’re not having to worry about the car payment or insurance.
Some of the jobs he tries out are Pizza Dude, Burger Joint Dude, Construction Dude, ER tech Dude, Ice cream Shop Dude, and even Cowboy Dude. He comes to find out that really, the worst part of these kinds of jobs? the public.
Don’t I know it.
He makes fun of the public pretty good. I will warn you that his ER tech story is pretty gross. In fact, I can’t get it out of my head, and I didn’t actually see it, you know? So if you’re grossed out pretty easily you may want to skip the couple of pages where he works at the hospital. You’ve been warned.
It was an enjoyable read, but it just wasn’t that in depth, or serious. It read more like a “My Summer Vacation” essay or something. Maybe it was supposed to? I don’t know. He didn’t really get into the financial part of it, and I think it would have benefitted the book if he had. I mean, you work minimum wage jobs for a year and have to pay bills, that’s hard as hell. But you work minimum wage jobs for a year and you have a nest egg and your wife works a good paying job, that’s not really that hard. It still sucks to work with the public and get paid peanuts, but you’re not having to worry about the car payment or insurance.
March 21, 2016
I really felt like the author thought he was better than min wage workers and thier jobs. yes they may not be a job someone chosen but you can get joy and fulfillment out of these jobs too. I know grocery cashiers and tims workers who love it and chose not to do something higher paying. I also am not sure if I believe all the charactors/bosses he has and feel like he just scared everyone from getting thier home renoed or built. I know many contractors, not a single one would have an employee they don't keep track of pay wherever they want and jut don't show up. But than again I am reminded of the difference between Canada and the US regarding min wage. I felt the author focused more on trying to be funny and picked odd times to be informative, it doesn't help in Canada we don't have hospital techs but I had to look that up, nothing in the book actually told me what they really do and I'm not sure how shadowing a Dr is the same as actually working as a tech. as for his Dr friend, good job his name is not mentioned! What doctor performs an invasive procedure when it is not needed what so ever!!??!?!! I could hardly handle the hospital section. I also was confused about the wagon train, in the end I'm assuming it was a horse ride vacation and there was horse pulling a wagon with everyone's stuff, again no explaination, but the author decided to give a whole history of Mormon which I'm not too sure the story needed.. so very disappointing book..
December 18, 2012
You've probably read Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America Everyone has. This is the same book without all the pious sociology. Mind you, I was a sociology major and liked Ehrenreich a lot. But this covers the same ground and is so much more fun. It's not particularly politically correct--I kept thinking of people I probably couldn't give it to--but the message is really the same as the ultra-correct Ehrenreich's. Minimum wage work in really stinks. It's not enough money to live on even as it sucks up all your time.
It may be that the management consultants have really taken over America since Ehrenreich did her foray into this world, but some of the details I found most fascinating had to do with the way that corporate America avoids spending a penny more on labor than it has to. This was especially vivid in the story of being a pizza delivery man, where everyone gets sent home as soon as it looks like it might be a slow night.
I will never again tip a pizza delivery person less than $5. I will never again sample a whole bunch of ice creams at the ice cream store. Life lessons learned!
It may be that the management consultants have really taken over America since Ehrenreich did her foray into this world, but some of the details I found most fascinating had to do with the way that corporate America avoids spending a penny more on labor than it has to. This was especially vivid in the story of being a pizza delivery man, where everyone gets sent home as soon as it looks like it might be a slow night.
I will never again tip a pizza delivery person less than $5. I will never again sample a whole bunch of ice creams at the ice cream store. Life lessons learned!
December 21, 2011
What an excellent book. The introductory chapter did a terrible job of selling the idea, but once you dive in to the ins and outs of pizza delivery the story becomes more enjoyable. I cannot decide which section I liked better between the ice cream jerk or the ER tech, because parts in both sections had me laughing out loud. However, I do not think that the ER Tech or Boss Hog jobs actually counted because he didn't actually work. In both of those sections he just seemed to be hanging around and both positions were acquired through connections.
I can see where some of the criticism of Alexander "trying to be too funny" in places are coming from, but I didn't find it that off putting. Some sections made me groan, but when I think of people trying not to be funny I get awful flashbacks of watching Bob Saget's comedy special which is a unique kind of torture.
This book was a lot of fun and I hope he takes another stab at life at minimum wage because I would love to read about his experience working at a theme park.
I can see where some of the criticism of Alexander "trying to be too funny" in places are coming from, but I didn't find it that off putting. Some sections made me groan, but when I think of people trying not to be funny I get awful flashbacks of watching Bob Saget's comedy special which is a unique kind of torture.
This book was a lot of fun and I hope he takes another stab at life at minimum wage because I would love to read about his experience working at a theme park.
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