Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century

Throughout the book, numerous people explain what it means to be “houseless” versus “homeless.” What is the difference between these terms? Why might nomads prefer one term over the other?

Bruder often reflects back on the vagabonds of the Great Depression and how they differ from today’s nomads. Write an essay comparing and contrasting the vagabonds of the Great Depression in the 1930s with the van dwellers and nomads of the Great Recession post-2008. What do Okies and nomads have in common? How are they different?

Write an essay analyzing Bruder as a first-person narrator. Why does she include her own story? What does this add to the book that the reader may not otherwise know?

Consider Linda’s beloved video of an octopus hiding inside of a coconut. What do you think this image resonates with her so much? How does this image act as a metaphor for American nomads?

Write an essay analyzing the role of shame in Nomadland, using the experiences of 2-3 nomad characters to support your argument.

Write an essay reflecting on the following quote and what it might mean in your own life: “In the widening gap between credits and debits hangs a question: What parts of this life are you willing to give up, so you can keep on living?” (Coda, Page 247).

Bruder infiltrates the workamping positions that many of her subjects work every year, and she uses her reporting to situate these new kinds of jobs within the economic developments of the past century. How has labor evolved since the Great Depression? How do these “gigs” and seasonal jobs differ from previous eras, and how do companies get away with exploiting their workers? Consider conducting outside research to supplement your writing.

Choose one of the following people Bruder follows throughout the book: Linda May, Silvianne Delmars, LaVonne Ellis, Swankie Wheels, Bob Wells. Trace their story and write about why you think Bruder included them in the book. What do they show us about the van dwelling movement, or what did they represent to the reader?