bbboeken's review against another edition
1.0
Ik liet mij dit boekje een paar maanden geleden meebrengen, misschien zelfs al langer geleden, bij het verschijnen van de Nederlandse vertaling ergens eind 2020. Ik ben er toen meteen aan begonnen, maar ik heb het ook bijna meteen weer weggelegd. Ik kon mij maar niet in het boekje inleven. Voor deze tweede poging heb ik mijzelf verplicht door te lezen.
Heike Geiβler vertelt haar wedervaren in het Amazon distributiecentrum in de u-vorm, met de bedoeling zichzelf te projecteren op de lezer, en zo een grotere betrokkenheid van die lezer te bekomen. Voer voor studenten literatuur, maar bij mij werkte het voor geen meter. De werknemers in het distributiecentrum moeten elkaar met 'jij' aanspreken, om op die manier aan te tonen dat er --vanzelfsprekend enkel zogezegd-- geen hiërarchie bestaat in het bedrijf. Dat verschil tussen 'u' en 'jij', tussen vousvoyeren en tutoyeren, werkt prima in talen zoals het Duits en het Frans, maar mist grondslag in het moderne Nederlands. In Vlaanderen wordt de u-vorm nog wel gebruikt, maar veel meer als dialectvorm dan als beleefdheidsvorm pur sang.
Was het nu het gebruik van die beleefde u-vorm, dan wel de halsstarrige poging om zichzelf op de lezer te projecteren, daar ben ik nog niet uit, maar het vormde een onoverkomelijke barrière om mij in het verhaal in te leven.
Komt daar dan nog eens bij het salonsocialitische, elitair-pretentieuze en gemakzuchtige dédain dat Geiβler voelt voor zowel haar collega's als voor de mensen die net iets beter af zijn dan zijzelf (cfr de appartement-scene met de hematoloog en de internist -pp 74-75), en het wordt bijzonder moeilijk om ook maar enige sympathie op te brengen voor de auteur.
Jammer, want het onderwerp interesseerde mij erg (meteen ook de reden waarom ik mijzelf verplichte dit boekje volledig uit te lezen).
Heike Geiβler vertelt haar wedervaren in het Amazon distributiecentrum in de u-vorm, met de bedoeling zichzelf te projecteren op de lezer, en zo een grotere betrokkenheid van die lezer te bekomen. Voer voor studenten literatuur, maar bij mij werkte het voor geen meter. De werknemers in het distributiecentrum moeten elkaar met 'jij' aanspreken, om op die manier aan te tonen dat er --vanzelfsprekend enkel zogezegd-- geen hiërarchie bestaat in het bedrijf. Dat verschil tussen 'u' en 'jij', tussen vousvoyeren en tutoyeren, werkt prima in talen zoals het Duits en het Frans, maar mist grondslag in het moderne Nederlands. In Vlaanderen wordt de u-vorm nog wel gebruikt, maar veel meer als dialectvorm dan als beleefdheidsvorm pur sang.
Was het nu het gebruik van die beleefde u-vorm, dan wel de halsstarrige poging om zichzelf op de lezer te projecteren, daar ben ik nog niet uit, maar het vormde een onoverkomelijke barrière om mij in het verhaal in te leven.
Komt daar dan nog eens bij het salonsocialitische, elitair-pretentieuze en gemakzuchtige dédain dat Geiβler voelt voor zowel haar collega's als voor de mensen die net iets beter af zijn dan zijzelf (cfr de appartement-scene met de hematoloog en de internist -pp 74-75), en het wordt bijzonder moeilijk om ook maar enige sympathie op te brengen voor de auteur.
Jammer, want het onderwerp interesseerde mij erg (meteen ook de reden waarom ik mijzelf verplichte dit boekje volledig uit te lezen).
annevdh's review against another edition
3.0
Very interesting way of writing, and a story worth telling. A depressing analysis of the humiliating jobs meant for robots that are done by people. Employers also treat their employees as such; inefficient robots who complain too much. Wasn’t easy to get through, though. Not a quick read-away.
Weird to write a review of this book on the platform it so despises.
Weird to write a review of this book on the platform it so despises.
clementinemac's review
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
The way I considered buying this on Amazon…
bkish's review
4.0
When I read about this book I wanted to read it about and by a young woman in Leipzig Germany who is broke and in 2010 december she seeks and is hired by Amazon GmbH. She is working there I think for a month as "seasonal associate". this book was published in Germany and only recently translated for us and available from MIT Press. She covers everything and she is a writer. Its a dark disturbing book and she and the translator really succeeding in conveying the people and the situations for other workers in the warehouse and of course herself.
the amazon system as it existed in 2010 is beautifully (not the right word) explained from her perspective in her various roles with packaging counting various tasks in their Fullfillment Center. throughout her telling of her working there she is mostly working day shift and in various groups. Considered a good worker she eventually joins the best group. It is also so that in this group the workers have an easier situation based on the products.
I think that Heike was kind to Amazon and careful and the situation was worse than she told. and what she told was humiliating and demeaning and insulting and cruel and very hierarchical like a power pyramid.
How she left there that was quite unique and the aftermath of a letter from HR applauding her and asking her to contact them for employment. the nature of the work is here in her writing and also the unnecessary treatment of the workers by various managers and those above her in their hierarchy. I did enjoy reading about the "problem solvers" who come when the worker has done something wrong like miscounting the products....
Good book and I thank the author and the translator Katy Derbishyer. It is important in reading this that sometimes sentences are very puzzling and that is in the translation....
Judy
the amazon system as it existed in 2010 is beautifully (not the right word) explained from her perspective in her various roles with packaging counting various tasks in their Fullfillment Center. throughout her telling of her working there she is mostly working day shift and in various groups. Considered a good worker she eventually joins the best group. It is also so that in this group the workers have an easier situation based on the products.
I think that Heike was kind to Amazon and careful and the situation was worse than she told. and what she told was humiliating and demeaning and insulting and cruel and very hierarchical like a power pyramid.
How she left there that was quite unique and the aftermath of a letter from HR applauding her and asking her to contact them for employment. the nature of the work is here in her writing and also the unnecessary treatment of the workers by various managers and those above her in their hierarchy. I did enjoy reading about the "problem solvers" who come when the worker has done something wrong like miscounting the products....
Good book and I thank the author and the translator Katy Derbishyer. It is important in reading this that sometimes sentences are very puzzling and that is in the translation....
Judy
bluelightbeam's review
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Seasonal Associate was easy to read and insightful. I often found myself relating to the author/narrator. Her analysis of workplace dynamics offered some food for thought as well.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual harassment
frankie_s's review
4.0
By no means perfectly executed but I found this really melancholy and it really gets at something about these times. Companion piece for Nothing to See
carolinexmason's review
4.0
On the surface, Seasonal Associate by Heike Geissler (and translated from its original German by Katy Derbyshire) is a memoir about her time working at an Amazon warehouse in Eastern Germany. However, it’s dream-like quality and her use of the second person read more like a fictional narrative about the monotonous nature of capitalism. Her writing style (as it was translated) had a poetic simplicity that enhanced the nature of the work and stark environments she inhabited.
Her study of human behavior, and specifically how we are (or are NOT) defined by our work, were the most interesting parts of the novel. At first, she goes out of her way to repeatedly justify her decision to work at Amazon to the reader. She often views her interactions and laborious tasks as though she were in the audience of experimental theater, rather than an expendable employee. In an extremely limiting description, I would describe this book as ‘what if Sally Rooney had written the film Nomadland.’
Her study of human behavior, and specifically how we are (or are NOT) defined by our work, were the most interesting parts of the novel. At first, she goes out of her way to repeatedly justify her decision to work at Amazon to the reader. She often views her interactions and laborious tasks as though she were in the audience of experimental theater, rather than an expendable employee. In an extremely limiting description, I would describe this book as ‘what if Sally Rooney had written the film Nomadland.’