The authors in this provocative collection of essays eschew endless cynicism in favor of a new view of work and hope for our future. They offer a vision of what less work and better standards of living might look like in the real world. "The Writer's Voice: Intellectual Work in a Culture of Austerity" deals with an ex-Village Voice staffer and her struggle to find time for her art in a world that overvalues productivity and "making a living". Also don't miss "Why There is No Movement of the Poor", "Schooling to Work", and the excellent "Post-Work Manifesto".

From the Manifesto:

"Corporate welfare far outweighs welfare to the poor but most Americans seem unaware of this, and few complain. What we have is subsidies and tax cuts for the rich and service cuts for everyone else."

"If the current situation is allowed to continue on its present course, only the few will be able to enjoy life without the constant stress of economic worries. The rest of us will be so buried in work without end, anxious about procuring or simply sustaining our livelihoods, that even the freedom to imagine a different kind of life will seem more and more like a luxury. It has become increasingly difficult to find the time just to reflect, to write, to feel--to change."

"So what is to be done? At a fundamental level, the first thing required is a change in ideas, in perceptions which by now are badly out of sync with our circumstances. Unless we begin to think differently about work itself, collective anxieties are likely to steadily worsen. Unless we rethink our basic vision there will be little hope for people in the middle and working classes--or for those who are poor--in the generations to come."

Yes indeed! A very succinct statement of a mission that CLAWS shares.

CLAWS rating: 5