Book cover of Good Jobs, Bad Jobs: The Rise of Polarized and Precarious Employment Systems in the United States, 1970s-2000s

Book description

The economic boom of the 1990s veiled a grim reality: in addition to the growing gap between rich and poor, the gap between good and bad quality jobs was also expanding. The postwar prosperity of the mid-twentieth century had enabled millions of American workers to join the middle class, but…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Good Jobs, Bad Jobs as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Most experts now see 1981 as the key moment when the economy changed: jobs became much less secure, white-collar jobs no longer felt like insiders to the power structure, benefits and wages fell, and income inequality took off.

This book describes the process of moving toward more open-market arrangements in employment. It is largely an explanation driven by events within the US, ultimately political and “private policy” decisions driven by a different view on business obligations. 

From Peter's list on hate your job and dread job hunting.

If you love Good Jobs, Bad Jobs...

Ad

Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Want books like Good Jobs, Bad Jobs?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 51 books like Good Jobs, Bad Jobs.

Browse books like Good Jobs, Bad Jobs

Book cover of Working: People Talk about What They Do All Day and How They Feel about What They Do
Book cover of Dying for a Paycheck: How Modern Management Harms Employee Health and Company Performance―and What We Can Do About It
Book cover of Down and Out in the New Economy: How People Find (or Don't Find) Work Today

Share your top 3 reads of 2025!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,278

readers submitted
so far, will you?

Ad

📚 If you like Good Jobs, Bad Jobs, you might also like...

Book cover of The Bridge: Connecting The Powers of Linear and Circular Thinking

The Bridge by Kim Hudson,

The Bridge provides a compassionate and well researched window into the worlds of linear and circular thinking. A core pattern to the inner workings of these two thinking styles is revealed, and most importantly, insight into how to cross the distance between them. Some fascinating features emerged such as, circular…

Book cover of And Then They Were Gone: Teenagers of Peoples Temple from High School to Jonestown

And Then They Were Gone by Ron Cabral,

Of the 918 Americans who died in the shocking murder-suicides of November 18, 1978, in the tiny South American country of Guyana, a third were under eighteen. More than half were in their twenties or younger.

The authors taught in a small high school in San Francisco where Reverend Jim…

5 book lists we think you will like!