Scan barcode
A review by karnaconverse
Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
Encourages readers to answer a single question: do we believe that the right to a decent
home is part of what it means to be an American?
Even though this award-winning book was published in 2016 and based on research conducted in 2008, Desmond's stories about the people he interviewed, accompanied around the neighborhood, and lived with reveal how much an individual's or family's survival depends on having a place they can call home. Within each individual's story, he deftly weaves in social issues of affordable and safe housing, addiction, mental illness, education and job preparedness, foster care, poverty, governmental benefits, and race. It quickly becomes obvious that one issue begets another and another and another.
The author's website turns the narrative into a call for action, with four study guides available for discussion and with opportunities to dig deeper. This question, from the faith-based guide emphasizes the local community: "There seems to be a connected community of people that benefit from evictions as well: the moving companies, the landlords, and the management company at the trailer park. Do they have any spiritual responsibility to the people in the neighborhoods where they work, or are they simply supporting their livelihood?" and this question--"What is the best way to address the affordable housing crisis: through government policies, market mechanisms, church initiatives, or something else?"--shows just how wide-ranging the conversation needs to be.
2024 Des Moines Library: series of discussions about poverty in Iowa
2024 Omaha Library Challenge: Read a book about social justice.
home is part of what it means to be an American?
Even though this award-winning book was published in 2016 and based on research conducted in 2008, Desmond's stories about the people he interviewed, accompanied around the neighborhood, and lived with reveal how much an individual's or family's survival depends on having a place they can call home. Within each individual's story, he deftly weaves in social issues of affordable and safe housing, addiction, mental illness, education and job preparedness, foster care, poverty, governmental benefits, and race. It quickly becomes obvious that one issue begets another and another and another.
The author's website turns the narrative into a call for action, with four study guides available for discussion and with opportunities to dig deeper. This question, from the faith-based guide emphasizes the local community: "There seems to be a connected community of people that benefit from evictions as well: the moving companies, the landlords, and the management company at the trailer park. Do they have any spiritual responsibility to the people in the neighborhoods where they work, or are they simply supporting their livelihood?" and this question--"What is the best way to address the affordable housing crisis: through government policies, market mechanisms, church initiatives, or something else?"--shows just how wide-ranging the conversation needs to be.
2024 Des Moines Library: series of discussions about poverty in Iowa
2024 Omaha Library Challenge: Read a book about social justice.