Flint Memorial Library (North Reading)

Seasonal associate, Heike Geissler ; translated by Katy Derbyshire ; afterword by Kevin Vennemann

eng

Includes bibliographical references

autobiography

no index present

non fiction

Seasonal associate

offprintsbibliography

1029795837

Heike Geissler ; translated by Katy Derbyshire ; afterword by Kevin Vennemann

Semiotexte native agents series

No longer able to live on the proceeds of her freelance writing and translating income, German novelist Heike Geissler takes a seasonal job at Amazon Order Fulfillment in Leipzig. But the job, intended as a stopgap measure, quickly becomes a descent into humiliation, and Geissler soon begins to internalize the dynamics and nature of the post-capitalist labor market and precarious work. Driven to work at Amazon by financial necessity rather than journalistic ambition, Heike Geissler has nonetheless written the first and only literary account of corporate flex-time employment that offers "freedom" to workers who have become an expendable resource. Shifting between the first and the second person, Seasonal Associate is a nuanced expose of the psychic damage that is an essential working condition with mega-corporations. Geissler has written a twenty-first-century account of how the brutalities of working life are transformed into exhaustion, shame, and self-doubt

Machine generated contents note: One.A job is required and found. Essentially, you're beside yourself. And it may be a matter of life and death -- Two.You attend a training session or watch a play. No one feels like crying or raging yet, but don't worry, they will -- Three.You know a bit about insults and you open your mouth. You're much stronger than me and you're not yet talking to yourself in employee language -- Four.My boyfriend gets mail from Amazon. You learn new words and encounter your first products. You laugh, once -- Five.You show off with chocolates you can't afford. I consider what actually works. Together, we fall over backwards. And aside from that, it's Monday -- Six.For a while, you know your way around the job. But then you have a cubi-tote problem. And that's a real and lasting big deal --Note continued: Seven.You're sick and worried the illness might have disappeared overnight. The doctor's job might not be any better than yours. And it's worth sticking out a leg to trip up the working world -- Eight.You have dismissive armies inside you. But at least it's snowing, and you're back to health. Aside from that: books! And a brief crush adds bonus power on the job -- Nine.It'll soon be Christmas so it's time to act. My boyfriend gets more mail from Amazon. You work the turbo shift and you've had enough -- Ten.You're nearly through. First, though, you want to talk about the weather. Your new best friend is a soccer hooligan, and taped choirs don't count -- Eleven.Have you actually taken action now? You've got a whole lot done, but you still have little idea of freedom. And Amazon wants to employ you again

adult