The Hungry Cowboy

A behind-the-scenes look at the dynamics of
class, race, and economics in a suburban eatery
"Erickson's study makes a novel and important contribution to our understanding of interactive service work. Service workers at the
Hungry Cowboy are deeply embedded in personal relationships
and community with their customers. Written in a vivid and
engaging style, The Hungry Cowboy joins the list of must-read
books in the sociology of work and identity."
-Vicki Smith
Professor and Chair, Sociology, University of California, Davis
Karla A. Erickson is assistant professor of sociology at Grinnell College. She is coeditor of Feminist Waves, Feminist Generations: Life Stories from the Academy. Her research has been published in Qualitative Sociology, Symbolic Interaction, Ethnography, and Space and Culture.