Nomadland
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"From the beet fields of North Dakota to the National Forest campgrounds of California to Amazon's CamperForce program in Texas, employers have discovered a new, low-cost labor pool, made up largely of transient older Americans. Finding that social security comes up short, often underwater on mortgages, these invisible casualties of the Great Recession have taken to the road by the tens of thousands in late-model RVs, travel trailers, and vans, forming a growing community of nomads: migrant laborers who call themselves "workampers." In a secondhand vehicle she christens "Van Halen," Jessica Bruder hits the road to get to know her subjects more intimately. Accompanying her irrepressible protagonist, Linda May, and others, from campground toilet cleaning to warehouse product scanning to desert reunions, then moving on to the dangerous work of beet harvesting, Bruder tells a compelling, eye-opening tale of the dark underbelly of the American economy--one that foreshadows the precarious future that may await many more of us. At the same time, she celebrates the exceptional resilience and creativity of these quintessential Americans who have given up ordinary rootedness to survive. Like Linda May, who dreams of finding land on which to build her own sustainable "Earthship" home, they have not given up hope."--Jacket flap.
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Jessica Bruder infiltrated a subculture that exists in the United States: people (usually over 50) who live out of mobile vehicles, be it trailer, car, panel truck, etc., because they can't afford house or rent payments. She has researched the field and made comparisons to the Dustbowl Crisis of the 1930's. Bruder spent 3 years studying and traveling with this group, investing in her own trailer to experience the lifestyle. Those who are most successful in living like this are folks who consider themselves “houseless” but not homeless. And many call themselves “vanily” (chosen family of like minded individuals) rather than family.
Most stories leading to this way of life are sad ones, some are heartbreaking. But there is a large “vanily” out there and they are there for each other. The people who live like this still needs to work and so they migrate all over the U.S. for temporary/seasonal work (National Parks and Amazon Fulfillment Centers are the largest employers) and stay in touch with each other via the internet. It's interesting to note that these people have pared there belongings down to the essentials and then spend 3 or 4 months a year working in Amazon warehouses unpacking, sorting, distributing and mailing a wealth of what America thinks it needs to be happy and fulfilled. I found the book well-written, interesting and thought compelling.
Well, that was depressing. Who knew there were all these folks, mostly retirement age and older (that is, my age) living out of vans and campers and working anywhere they can to be able to afford to buy food and a place to park? Downright scary. Especially at my age.
I loved every chapter in this book. It helps that I am already highly interested in this subject. I loved how it did not shy away from covering both the good and the bad aspects of vandwelling. I hated to leave Linda and fingers crossed that there is a follow up book about the Earthship!
