Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond

21 reviews

abicaro17's review against another edition

dark informative reflective slow-paced

3.0

This was really informative but almost too much at times. This read like a really interesting textbook about how we as a society create and perpetuate poverty. There were a lot of interesting facts about how America was affected by the pandemic and how the government creates a lot of situations where poverty is increased. This being said it is sooo dense and boring at times. I listened to the audio version which was great but I did zone out a few times. It's not what I would say fun but it is informative. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Racism, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Classism, Slavery, Abortion, Alcohol, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Confinement

lisettemarie's review against another edition

challenging informative sad slow-paced

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, and Xenophobia

kshertz's review

informative inspiring fast-paced

4.75

The man does his research. I’m incredibly impressed with the thorough research and care taken to address poverty. I’m happy it dispels the myths and gives real actionable solutions. I find it to be a great blueprint for how to move forward. Poverty and how to rid American of it was so informative and inspiring. I leave the book with thoughts and plans for how I can divest from poverty and become a poverty abolitionist. I really learned a lot 

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Gaslighting, Misogyny, and Racism

paguroidea's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

5.0

The SSDI part was kind of hard to get through- hits close to home. I’m glad it was mentioned though, it IS legislated poverty.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Racism

devynreadsnovels's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring medium-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Classism, Racism, Sexism, and Violence

Moderate: Death, Gaslighting, Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Police brutality

Minor: Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Deportation, Slavery, Xenophobia, Medical content, Cursing, Gun violence, Hate crime, and Pandemic/Epidemic

abbybrace98's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Minor: Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Colonisation, Physical abuse, Grief, Racism, Gaslighting, Slavery, Drug abuse, Deportation, Gun violence, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Death, Child abuse, Addiction, Violence, Xenophobia, Ableism, and Hate crime

alexisgarcia's review

informative sad medium-paced

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism and Classism

fkshg8465's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring sad slow-paced

4.75

I can only use one word to decisive describe this book: WOW! It completely changed my paradigm of what I thought was poverty and helped me see what my part in poverty could be - whether as a contributor or as an abolitionist. This is not a problem we have to live with, apparently. And it’s neither a political one, though the politicians would like us to think differently. Wow.
 
Round up to a five. I wish Desmond would’ve also addressed Native American poverty and immigrant poverty. Seems like a big miss. Perhaps both are too big a topic on either of their own. Maybe the writer will write a book on these separately in a future project.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Slavery, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Racism

meganpbell's review against another edition

informative reflective medium-paced

4.5

This direct and accessible study of American™️ brand poverty presents a clear, comprehensive, and compassionate dissection of the structural forces at work against the poor and for the rich. I really appreciated how powerfully and pragmatically Desmond destigmatizes poverty and that he provides policies that could bring about lasting change as well as ways to vote with your dollars for greater economic equality.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Classism, Addiction, Chronic illness, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Mental illness, and Police brutality

lovelymisanthrope's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

5.0

I read "Evicted" a few years ago, and loved the knowledge I took away from that book, so I was excited to pick up Matthew Desmond's latest book that explores American poverty.
"Poverty, by America" explores why poverty is so prevalent in America, and it presents suggestions about what could be done to amend these horrid situations. Through firsthand accounts of interacting with people below the poverty line, and thorough research on the topic of poverty, Matthew Desmond has created a book that is fraught with knowledge every American who has a heart should be seeking.
As someone who read and loved "Evicted" I was very happy to read some updated content on the housing crisis, especially in relation to what happened to housing because of COVID. It was disheartening to hear that things are no better off now, than they were when he wrote Evicted years ago. However, there was one inspiring story about a group of people in low-income housing that fought back against the system, won, and are making their homes a better place. That should be the American dream.
It is so upsetting to learn just how much of a business it has become to keep the rich rich and to keep the poor suffering. It could be so easy to do something to help those who are struggling, but it would mean the rich cannot cheat the system, and that does not bode well for the people in charge.
I was also shocked to learn, and completely heartbroken how deep racism still runs within low-income housing and poverty. We may have come a long way, but there is still so much more to do to become a country to be proud of.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to learn more about poverty, and what it truly means to be poor in America. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Racism