How affective was barbara use if ethos in nickel and dimed?

I think that Barbara Ehrenreich really tried to bring out the spirit or essence of many of the low wage workers that she meets. She is quick to illustrate that these are not simply low educated lazy people rather she portrays them as quite the opposite. Many of these people are hard workers who care about their jobs despite being paid little for them. Many are simply victims of an American style class and economic system that makes it difficult to escape the downward pressures of poverty.