Publisher's Synopsis
Where Am I Wearing? traces the author's journey from Honduras, to Bangladesh, to Cambodia, to China, and back again to discover the origins of his favorite clothes, including his sandals, pants, boxers, and t-shirt. It intimately describes the connection between impoverished garment workers' standards of living and the all-American material lifestyle. It is a personal and intimate look at globalization and outsourcing, answering the questions: How are the lives of foreign workers affected?, Why are these workers so poor?, and How guilty should we feel? Timmerman's travels to the people who made his clothes reveal that globalization isn't a black or white, good or bad, issue. It's much more complex. Where Am I Wearing? bridges the gap between global producers and consumers by introducing readers to the human elements of globalization names, personalities, hopes, and dreams with the economic and political elements serving as a backdrop. Whether it be bowling a few frames with workers in Cambodia, riding a roller coaster with workers in Bangladesh, or dining on their floor during a power outage, the book puts a face on the impersonal force of globalization. Not only does it show readers why they should care about the workers that make their clothes, it gives them a reason to care. In this revision, Kelsey completes the story by travelling back to a small village in Honduras to find a key garment worker from the first edition. However, he is now living in California. Kelsey heads north from Honduras to track him down, and discovers him living a double life, with a new, expecting, American wifewhile continuing to support his Honduran girlfriend and kids back home. The man shares his complex story of love and sacrifice, heartache and hope, and life as an illegal immigrant.
