A review by workable123
Ghost Work: How to Stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass by Siddharth Suri, Mary L. Gray

5.0

A terrific book on a subject of growing importance. From the title you might expect that the book is a doomsday prediction about how automation will squeeze every last shred of dignity from the workplace. They certainly expand on the problems with ghost work, from not having a channel for feedback or complaints, increasing worker transaction costs, all without a safety net. But the authors offer a balanced and nuanced take, noting that we cannot discount the benefits of this type of system, which has the potential to reduce workplace discrimination, provide remuneration for those whose responsibilities prevent them from working during 9-5 hours, and proving a sense of accomplishment and community.

The historical perspective, from piecework to the 1990s Microsoft court case, was especially well told. The main criticisms are occasionally over-explaining APIs and being redundant with some of the story telling, but would recommend the read!