Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond | Conversation Starters

by Daily Books

Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond | Conversation Starters


Matthew Desmond, a Harvard sociologist, gives readers insight into some of Milwaukee’s poverty-stricken neighborhoods in his new book, Poverty and Profit in the American City. He introduces readers to families who are experiencing eviction on a regular basis because most of their income is spent on rent. Desmond’s years of research, living in these neighborhoods and getting to know the tenants and their landlords, help bring to light the answers to some important questions, hoping to bring solutions to a problem that is unique to America.


Since its release in 2016, Poverty and Profit in the American City has received many notable awards, including a Pulitzer Prize for General Non-fiction.


A Brief Look


EVERY GOOD BOOK CONTAINS A WORLD FAR DEEPER than the surface of its pages. The characters and their world come alive, and the characters and its world still live on. Conversation Starters is peppered with questions designed to bring us beneath the surface of the page and invite us into the world that lives on.


These questions can be used to...


Create Hours of


Promote an atmosphere of discussion for groups
Foster a deeper understanding of the book
Assist in the study of the book, either individually or corporately
Explore unseen realms of the book as never seen before


This book you are about to enjoy is an independent resource meant to supplement the original book. If you have not yet read the original book, we encourage doing before purchasing this unofficial Conversation Starters.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Sociology

ebook

Published November 21, 2017

Reviews

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this back in 2017 and was part of my Everybody Reads Reading Challenge. Here's the review...

I was hesitant to read this at first, worried that it was going to be too textbook-sy, but I needn't have worried. Matthew Desmond focused on a few people in various stages of eviction. This method made it more relatable. It was eye opening how much of a business this has become which I think makes it more difficult to find solutions.

I did go to a book club to discuss this. Most of the attendees were regulars so I didn't really feel comfortable sharing my thoughts. Plus, I was definitely the youngest one there by far. It was cute though. The first five minutes was about how cold the room was.

It wasn't an easy book to get through and it was a timely book. Poverty is practically everywhere. Thinking about the problem as a whole is overwhelming. It reminded me, just with everything else we want to change, we need to start small because we can't change anyone other than ourselves. Hopefully, by doing so, we can set an example within the people we know, our circles of influence. It's hard to think about changing the world when you're trying to just get by on a day to day basis. By focusing on fixing your current problems- and helping others along the way if you're able- you're also creating solutions for the big picture.

[Mary Kaczmarek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very eye opening book about the housing in Milwaukee.

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-organized, well-written collection of anecdotes (backed with statistics!) of poverty relating to homelessness.

[Janet Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening and fascinating

[Maria Rupert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched. A social issue that needs to be understood, told and properly addressed.

[BookClubBot]

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