Were your perceptions of blue collar/low wage Americans transformed or reinforced by "Nickel and Dimed"?

I would say both. There were certain aspects of the novel that surprised me, but there were also a number of things that we see in out everyday lives. Everyone knows someone who works at a low wage job, we all knowe blue collar workers. Think about their lives....... If you work in a fast food restaurant as a student, you get by because you're there to earn spending money, or to save for something you want to buy. Then think about the people trying to pay the bills and raise a family of those same wages. It's not possible.