Jessica Bruder Knihy

"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.

Gripping behind-the-scenes story of Edward Snowden's massive leak of US secret surveillance.

It all began in 1986 when a pair of friends burned an eight-foot-tall effigy on Baker Beach in San Francisco in front of an impromptu audience of twenty. Two decades later Burning Man has evolved into a dazzling annual extravaganza dedicated to radical self-reliance and self-expression, attracting nearly forty thousand people. These revelers -- an eclectic mix of punks, geeks, families, ravers, grad students, gear heads, hippies, and tourists -- turn the ancient lakebed of Nevada's Black Rock Desert into a bustling city that exists for one glorious week before disappearing in a cloud of ashes and dust. Burning Book is both a loving commemoration of the event's storied history and an enlightening companion for festival goers. Bruder explores the unique ethos and breathtaking art installations that have shaped the event, along with Black Rock City's distinctive landmarks, pranks, lore, and gift-based economy. Illustrated with hundreds of stunning photographs, Burning Book is a striking tribute to an extraordinary cultural phenomenon for the legions who participate in Burning Man every year, and for those who haven't become part of this unforgettable celebration -- yet.

Die Verfilmung wurde mit 3 Oscars, 2 Golden Globes und dem Goldenen Löwen ausgezeichnet. Zehntausende Menschen in Amerika leben in Wohnmobilen, Vans und Anhängern, übernachten auf Supermarkt-Parkplätzen, neben Highways und in der Wüste. Sie arbeiten in verschiedenen Berufen, von der Zuckerrübenernte in North Dakota bis hin zu zwölf Stunden Schichten im Amazon-Versandzentrum in Texas. Viele von ihnen sind älter und haben durch die Finanzkrise der 2010er Jahre ihre Existenzgrundlage verloren, was sie zwingt, als Nomaden von Job zu Job zu ziehen. Jessica Bruder begleitete diese Menschen ein Jahr lang und dokumentierte ihren Lebensweg durch Amerika. Ihre Reportage beleuchtet Themen wie Ausbeutung, Ungerechtigkeit und prekäre Lebensumstände, bietet aber auch Einblicke in die altersweise Beharrlichkeit, den Gemeinschaftssinn und das Abenteuer, das nur ein amerikanischer Highway verspricht. Die Geschichte wurde 2021 mit 3 Oscars und dem Goldenen Löwen 2020 ausgezeichnet und gilt als herausragendes Werk, das an John Steinbecks "Früchte des Zorns" erinnert. Es wurde von der New York Times als „Buch des Jahres“ sowie mit dem Discover Great New Writers Award prämiert.