During a government shutdown, federal workers hear it all —

"It must be nice having a surprise vacation!”
“You’ll get back pay… eventually.”
"You could always pick up a side hustle!"
“Guess it’s ramen noodle week!”

Spoiler alert: none of those lines help.

This tongue-in-cheek, illustrated collection captures the most creative (and cringeworthy) comments people make during a shutdown — turning everyday awkwardness into laughter and solidarity.

Written from the perspective of a furloughed federal employee, WHAT NOT TO SAY DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN is a humorous peek behind the bureaucracy. It’s the perfect read for anyone who’s ever worked for Uncle Sam, survived a shutdown, or just wondered what it’s like to get “thanked for your service”... with zero paycheck attached.

Inside you’ll find:
• Real-life “Did they really just say that?” quotes from past shutdowns
• A relatable nod to every civil servant who’s been through it (again)
• A quick, funny read for friends, coworkers, and family who just don’t get it

If laughter is the best coping mechanism, consider this your furlough survival guide.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

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We first started out as ?The Paperback Exchange,? a chain of physical bookstores where we would part exchange your beloved books for new stories to transport you to faraway places. However, as shopping started to evolve to online shops and marketplaces, we bid our stores goodbye to become ?PBShop.? This transition has only allowed us to blossom as we now ship thousands of titles to book lovers across the globe. We pride ourselves in being a community of local book lovers which allows our passion and devotion to shine in everything we do. In 2020 we not only celebrated our 20th birthday but our 1st birthday as being completely employee owned after becoming an E.O.T in September 2019. We are proud to be different and embrace standing apart on a book mountain by working from a virtual inventory which allows us to provide thousands of books that may be difficult to get for your bookshelf or your studies. Working with a number of different suppliers allows us to explore other avenues such as puzzles, sheet music and even stationery so we really do have something for everyone. Life is about being versatile in all realms of existence. If this is your first visit or you are a returning customer, we would like to welcome you to the PBShop family, for there is no friend as loyal as a book. We are a company who put our customers at the centre of everything we do as we understand the importance of reading because once you learn to read, you will forever be free. There are a whole lot of things in this world of ours that we are yet to explore, which is why we will forever inspire curious minds.

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