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I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

Everything I Wish I Never Had to Learn About Money

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I Survived Capitalism and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

By: Madeline Pendleton
Narrated by: Madeline Pendleton
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NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A big-hearted, no-bullshit memoir from the TikTok superstar about her journey from living paycheck to paycheck to creating a multi-million-dollar business that offers a compassionate alternative to capitalism • Includes no-nonsense life and money advice, from negotiating pay and building credit to putting home ownership within reach

"Madeline's life is unique yet wildly relatable...Readers will be thoroughly engaged, as every hardship comes with a lesson that Madeline skillfully shares with us. A thought-provoking, mind-tingling reading experience."—Mercury Stardust, the Trans Handy Ma’am and author of Safe and Sound

Imagine a job where you work four days a week and earn as much as the CEO. You also get full benefits, a gym membership, free lunch, and unlimited time off, no questions asked. Hard-won profits don’t just end up in the CEO’s pocket—they’re distributed equally among all employees. The company even buys you your very own car. It sounds too good to be true, but this is the reality at Tunnel Vision, the clothing company that Madeline Pendleton built from the ground up.

Like so many Americans, Madeline used to struggle to make ends meet. Raised by a punk dad and a goth mom in Fresno, California, she spent her teens intermittently homeless, relying on the kindness and spare couches of the local punk community to get by. By her twenties, she was drowning in student loans and credit card debt, working long hours and sick of her bosses treating her as disposable. Then her boyfriend, struggling with financial stress, died by suicide. Capitalism was literally killing her loved ones—she knew there must be a better way.

Madeline decided to study the rules of capitalism, the game everyone is forced to play. She used what she learned to build a new kind of business, one rooted in an ethos of community care.

Millennials and Gen Zers like Madeline are facing an unprecedented financial reality: Stagnant wages, skyrocketing housing costs, a student debt crisis. I Survived Capitalism is essential reading for anyone searching for hope and stability in an unjust world. Business Personal Development Personal Finance Personal Success Professionals & Academics Heartfelt Employment Money Capitalism
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Critic reviews

“With punk optimism, cinematic storytelling, and a moral center undeterred by what ‘everyone else does,’ this book presents the life and death money scenarios real people face. Madeline covers class, college recruiting, home ownership, and workplace rights with a brilliant sense of community and warmth.”
—Gabe Dunn, podcast host and author of Bad with Money

“A witty and profound commentary on navigating the harsh terrain of poverty, inequality, class, and an oftentimes unforgiving, unfair financial system that all of us are forced to participate in. Drawing on her rich personal experiences and hard-won financial lessons, Pendleton’s path to financial stability is inspiring. This book is a transformative call to action to build a better, more just, equitable world.”
—Paco de Leon, host of the Weird Finance podcast and author of Finance for the People

"Madeline's life is unique yet wildly relatable to Millenials. Readers will be thoroughly engaged, as every hardship comes with a lesson that Madeline skillfully shares with us. A thought-provoking, mind-tingling reading experience." —Mercury Stardust, the Trans Handy Ma'am and author of Safe and Sound

“A vivid account of the many challenges millennials face while trying to make it in an unforgiving economy. . . Illuminating. . . Move on, Jim Cramer. Here’s the real deal—smart, undaunted, and eminently wise.”
—Kirkus Reviews *starred review*

“[Pendleton] shines in her idiosyncratic debut memoir-cum-finance guide. . . Pendleton is a penetrating critic of economic injustice and the shortcomings of traditional personal finance programs. . . Her substantial guidance on “how to run an equitable business” is a refreshing alternative to the lip service found in other manuals. . . This stands out from the pack.”
—Publishers Weekly
All stars
Most relevant
This book & Madeline has changed my perspective on my relationship with money and capitalism as a whole.
I've made a detailed budget and now taking the first steps to paying off my debt and saving a deposit to buy a house.
Madeline's book has made me feel sadness, joy and most importantly, hope. Hope that I can make a future for myself and it's a lot less daunting now.
Thank you Madeline! I will be referring to this book very often :)

Changed my life.

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I’ve followed Madeline for a long time on social media, hearing her story, and the lesson, was so interesting, parts were heartbreaking and it taught without preaching

Worth the wait

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It's a biography of Madeline's life, with realistic tips and advice on how to negotiate money. Very easy to listen to and very helpful to anyone who wants a path through the capitalist jungle that doesn't sacrifice your friends and ideals. loved the book.

The title is spot on

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I loved it. I don't even live in the US and a lot of the financial talk doesn't apply for me, but I really enjoyed the autobiographical aspects

It Was Awesome

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This person's life was no fairytale, a hard life of adversity that anyone who has ever worked for others can relate to very well. So real and vivid, it made me cry several times, and also want to pump my fist in righteous rebellion! An absolute rollercoaster, listen to this book immediately!

Heartfelt, gritty, real and incredibly excellent business advice.

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