In America, the land of opportunity, poverty persists as a pervasive and complex issue. Matthew Desmond's "Poverty, By America" offers an intimate and eye-opening account of the lives of eight families grappling with financial hardship.
This book delves into the systemic barriers that perpetuate poverty, including inadequate housing, precarious employment, unaffordable healthcare, and the criminalization of poverty. Desmond reveals the hidden mechanisms that trap families in a cycle of despair, from eviction to incarceration to homelessness.
Through personal narratives and rigorous research, "Poverty, By America" exposes the human cost of systemic inequality. It challenges the myths surrounding poverty and provides a sobering look at the challenges faced by those living on the margins in the United States.
Synopsis
Matthew Desmond's "Poverty, By America" is a groundbreaking work that explores the pervasive and profound effects of poverty in the United States. Through in-depth ethnographic research, Desmond meticulously unveils the systemic barriers that trap individuals and families in poverty, revealing the devastating human toll it takes.
The book intimately follows the lives of eight families living in a poor neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Desmond immerses readers in their daily struggles to make ends meet, maintain housing, and escape the cycle of poverty. He exposes the harsh realities of eviction, homelessness, and the precariousness of work in low-wage industries.
Desmond argues that poverty in America is not simply a condition, but rather a systematic oppression sustained by policies that perpetuate inequality. He meticulously traces how housing policies, zoning laws, and the criminal justice system create and exacerbate poverty, particularly for Black families. By shedding light on these systemic mechanisms, "Poverty, By America" challenges the dominant narratives that blame poverty on individual failures.
Desmond's work is a powerful indictment of the economic and social structures that perpetuate poverty in the United States. With compassion and rigorous analysis, he exposes the injustices faced by the marginalized and calls for fundamental changes to create a more just and equitable society.
Book Details
| Author: | Matthew Desmond | |
| Publisher: | Crown Publishing Group | |
| Pub Date: | March 7, 2017 | |
| ISBN: | 9780307458139 | |
| Page Count: | 464 | |
| Categories: | Sociology, Economics, Social Work |
About The Author
Matthew Desmond is a sociologist and author who has spent years studying poverty in America. His book, Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, won the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 2017. Desmond is a professor of sociology at Princeton University and a MacArthur Fellow.
## Review: "Poverty, By America" by Matthew Desmond
Matthew Desmond's "Poverty, By America" is an eye-opening and deeply personal account of poverty in the United States. Desmond, a sociologist from Princeton University, spent several years living in poor neighborhoods in Milwaukee and Milwaukee and interviewing low-income families. His book is a powerful testament to the challenges they face and the systemic barriers that keep them in poverty.
Desmond's writing is clear, concise, and engaging. He uses vivid storytelling to bring the lives of his subjects to life, and he deftly weaves together personal narratives with data and analysis. The book is divided into three parts: "Housing," "Work," and "Family." Each section examines a different aspect of poverty and the ways in which it affects people's lives.
In the first section, Desmond describes the challenges that poor families face in finding and keeping affordable housing. He shows how evictions can be a major source of trauma and instability, and how the lack of affordable housing can lead to homelessness. In the second section, Desmond looks at the difficulties that poor people face in finding and keeping work. He discusses the low wages and precarious employment that are common in poverty-stricken communities, and he shows how these factors can make it difficult for people to support themselves and their families. In the third section, Desmond examines the ways in which poverty affects families. He discusses the high rates of violence, crime, and drug abuse in poor neighborhoods, and he shows how these factors can damage family relationships and tear communities apart.
"Poverty, By America" is a powerful indictment of the policies and practices that perpetuate poverty in the United States. Desmond's book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the true nature of poverty and its devastating effects on people's lives.
Where to Read
This book is available in bookstores.