"I’d settled $35,000 in credit card debt and left work on my own terms." Since the writer did not say he paid off his credit card debt, it seems safe to assume he had some of the debt written off and paid the balance. How responsible is that?  

 “Nomadland,” sounds like a whiny book. The author complains about lack of work yet cannot "tough it out." 
"Amazon’s CamperForce program, for example, hires legions of seasonal workers – most of whom live out of their vehicles — ahead of Christmas and cuts the positions when the holiday ends." When these workers hire on, they know the deal so stop making it sound like they have had the rug pulled out from under them.

I am betting most of the problems written up are the direct result of people living above their means--financing their lifestyles on credit cards--and now, too late, have realized their own mistakes, but instead of owning up, they are blaming others. How many of these folks have blown money on tattoos, piercings, boats and such?