From Alienation to Addiction:

The History of American Work in Global Context
2008

Over the past two hundred years, work experiences have changed greatly, causing new issues such as heightened boredom and alienation, but also new levels of obsession with work. This book looks at the modern changes in work, examining global patterns but also special features of the work culture in the United States.

Work is so basic, so widely assumed, that it might be tempting to assume it has little history or little regional variety. But historians in recent decades have helped make it very clear that work is a considerable variable, within societies, across societies, and across time. The arrival of modern work was a real jolt to many people, accustomed to premodern standards, and it can be argued that, only two centuries into the modern experience, we're still adjusting to the new forms in many ways. History helps us measure where we are in the process of change and adjustment.