是四海為家, 還是無家可歸?
全球金融海嘯後的新生活形態, 以車為家的銀髮打工客, 美國地下經濟最年長的新免洗勞工



同名電影榮獲──
★囊括本屆金球獎劇情類最佳影片、最佳導演兩項大獎★
★威尼斯影展最佳影片金獅獎★
★多倫多影展觀眾票選大獎★
★爛番茄滿分開盤★


《重生騎士》導演、多倫多影展伊伯特導演獎得主 趙婷 改編原作
《意外》金獎影后 法蘭西絲麥朵曼 主演
琳達梅依 & 史汪奇 真實游牧族參與拍攝演出

歷經二○○八年美國金融海嘯的新興族群──
他們的退休生活，是開著車駛離美國夢

如今，數以萬計的美國人正在和中產階級的生存模式角力，他們錙銖必較、反覆計算，在停滯的薪水與不斷累加的帳單中身心俱疲。

一群原本應從勞動市場上退役，卻不堪金融海嘯衝擊的中老年美國人，選擇減掉最大筆的支出：房租與房貸，住進車裡，形成人數正不斷增加的「露營車打工族」。從北達科他州的甜菜田到德州亞馬遜倉庫，一個成本低廉、多數由來來去去的老人所組成的新勞動力市場正蔚然成形。

作者潔西卡．布魯德開著她的二手休旅車「海倫」，一路追隨她的受訪者，包括一生努力工作、獨自拉拔孩子長大的單親媽媽：琳達‧梅依，由此輻射出一個橫跨全美的游牧社群──他們原本是教授、軟體工程師、大學行政人員、退役軍官，從沒想過自己有朝一日會身陷一個又一個低薪、高工時與高風險，卻標榜自己是露營兼賺錢、勞動顧筋骨的季節性工作中。

本書敘述的是一個發人省思的故事，跟美國經濟體的腹黑面有關，它暗示不安定的未來可能正在前方等候多數的人，但同時也歌頌這群大膽放棄世俗的根，不曾放棄希望的美國人罕見的適應力和創造力。

原著獎項

★二○一八安東尼盧卡斯圖書獎（J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize）決選
★二○一八海倫伯恩斯坦卓越新聞圖書獎（Helen Bernstein Book Award）決選
★《紐約時報書評》（New York Times Book Review）編輯優選圖書
★《柯克斯書評》（Kirkus Reviews）二○一七年最佳圖書
★《美國圖書館期刊》（Library Journal）二○一七年前十大圖書
★《書目》雜誌（Booklist）編輯二○一七年優選圖書

本書介出自臉譜出版《游牧人生》


The inspiration for Chloé Zhao's Golden Globe Award–winning film starring Frances McDormand
March and April pick for the PBS Newshour-New York Times "Now Read This " Book Club
New York Times bestseller

"People who thought the 2008 financial collapse was over a long time ago need to meet the people Jessica Bruder got to know in this scorching, beautifully written, vivid, disturbing (and occasionally wryly funny) book. " ―Rebecca Solnit

From the beet fields of North Dakota to the National Forest campgrounds of California to Amazon’s CamperForce program in Texas, employers have discovered a new, low-cost labor pool, made up largely of transient older Americans. Finding that social security comes up short, often underwater on mortgages, these invisible casualties of the Great Recession have taken to the road by the tens of thousands in late-model RVs, travel trailers, and vans, forming a growing community of nomads.

On frequently traveled routes between seasonal jobs, Jessica Bruder meets people from all walks of life: a former professor, a McDonald’s vice president, a minister, a college administrator, and a motorcycle cop, among many others―including her irrepressible protagonist, a onetime cocktail waitress, Home Depot clerk, and general contractor named Linda May.

In a secondhand vehicle she christens “Van Halen,” Bruder hits the road to get to know her subjects more intimately. Accompanying Linda May and others from campground toilet cleaning to warehouse product scanning to desert reunions, then moving on to the dangerous work of beet harvesting, Bruder tells a compelling, eye-opening tale of the dark underbelly of the American economy―one that foreshadows the precarious future that may await many more of us. At the same time, she celebrates the exceptional resilience and creativity of these quintessential Americans who have given up ordinary rootedness to survive. Like Linda May, who dreams of finding land on which to build her own sustainable “Earthship” home, they have not given up hope.

25 illustrations