Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, provoked the seventeen book club attendees to a high level of frustration, disbelief and sadness when voicing their thoughts at our last meeting. Megan selected a book providing an overview of poverty and widespread hardship associated with homelessness in Milwaukee. Matthew Desmond’s thoroughly researched Doctoral dissertation morphed into a full-blown insight on public policy on urban poverty and unaffordable housing. Just about everyone at our meeting had a visceral response to the life and stories of renters and landlords in Milwaukee. Megan asked the attendees: would recommend the book to others? Our collective responses was that everyone should read this “important” book but this sentiment was contradicted somewhat when we realized not everyone wants to read this type of book. The group was unanimous in their belief that the research was well done. Craig found the book valuable in his work for a non-profit in the field of low income housing; he has recommended the book to his co-workers. Craig also believed that everyone should also the read the book and take away whatever they wanted from Matthew Desmond’s reporting. Tricia found the book difficult to read: “these are my kids”. She abandoned the book midway. Despite not finishing the book she believed the topics were well researched and would recommend it to non-teachers. MaryAnn found the book very moving as she reflected on personal experiences her family went through when she was in high school. MaryAnn encouraged us to read more about this issue in the book South Side dealing with Chicago’s longstanding housing problems. Mary would also recommend the book but not just to anyone. For Mary, Evicted evoked childhood memories of 3 generations living together in a small home on Pulaski Avenue. Tammy stated “this is the first book that she could recommend without any reservations”. Ela would recommend the book but she found [it] “challenging and uncomfortable to read”. It provided a better understanding on the “how’s and whys” of homelessness. Ela found Desmond’s literary non-fiction accessible. Sam thought the book to be sad and powerful. Evicted provides a message that everyone should hear although he would not recommend the book. Sam believed Desmond’s story was better suited as a long form article found on the internet. New member Amy would recommend the book: “it’s not just a house it’s your life.” Nick would recommend Evicted to someone “who reads this type of book”. He felt the social issues were well done although he didn’t agree with all of Desmond’s findings. He enjoyed following the individual characters in depth. Elora felt Evicted was an important book. She believed the author handled the issues humanely. Carl felt the book was “ok”. He did like the broader, big picture insights on the housing issues. Mary Lou found it to be a good book; a thought provoking read. The book helped her better understand the people and the personal issues they faced in trying to find their families a place to live. Victor would recommend the book. He liked reading the personal stories. He felt Desmond captured the dehumanizing factors that the impoverished individuals must go through to find and keep housing. In my reading of the book I found the complexities of the housing issue were overwhelming. We discussed a few of the seemingly insurmountable problems facing tenants. In no particular order of insolvability: mental health (depression), domestic violence and the overwhelming damage to children forced to constantly move from one uninhabitable place to the next. A vast literature connects nonsupportive parenting to lower self-esteem, aggression and antisocial behavior in children. As Desmond reported (and substantiated) Milwaukee neighborhoods with more children had more evictions. We also welcomed first timer Kate. Kate shared first-hand experience dealing with housing issues in San Francisco and Chicago. She would recommend the book to anyone. To quote Matthew Desmond, The home is the center of life. The home is the wellspring of personhood. It is where our identity takes root and blossoms. When we try to understand ourselves, we often begin by considering the kind of home in which we were raised. In languages spoken all over the world, the word for “home” encompasses not just shelter but warmth, safety, family – the womb. So in response to Megan’s question, should everyone be entitled to a home and in context perhaps of the above quotation, Victor responded “heck yes, everyone deserves housing”. . I agree with Victor. We missed the insights provided by Carole and her delicious baked goods.
Megan asked the attendees: would recommend the book to others? Our collective responses was that everyone should read this “important” book but this sentiment was contradicted somewhat when we realized not everyone wants to read this type of book. The group was unanimous in their belief that the research was well done. Craig found the book valuable in his work for a non-profit in the field of low income housing; he has recommended the book to his co-workers. Craig also believed that everyone should also the read the book and take away whatever they wanted from Matthew Desmond’s reporting.
Tricia found the book difficult to read: “these are my kids”. She abandoned the book midway. Despite not finishing the book she believed the topics were well researched and would recommend it to non-teachers.
MaryAnn found the book very moving as she reflected on personal experiences her family went through when she was in high school. MaryAnn encouraged us to read more about this issue in the book South Side dealing with Chicago’s longstanding housing problems. Mary would also recommend the book but not just to anyone. For Mary, Evicted evoked childhood memories of 3 generations living together in a small home on Pulaski Avenue.
Tammy stated “this is the first book that she could recommend without any reservations”. Ela would recommend the book but she found [it] “challenging and uncomfortable to read”. It provided a better understanding on the “how’s and whys” of homelessness. Ela found Desmond’s literary non-fiction accessible. Sam thought the book to be sad and powerful. Evicted provides a message that everyone should hear although he would not recommend the book. Sam believed Desmond’s story was better suited as a long form article found on the internet. New member Amy would recommend the book: “it’s not just a house it’s your life.”
Nick would recommend Evicted to someone “who reads this type of book”. He felt the social issues were well done although he didn’t agree with all of Desmond’s findings. He enjoyed following the individual characters in depth.
Elora felt Evicted was an important book. She believed the author handled the issues humanely.
Carl felt the book was “ok”. He did like the broader, big picture insights on the housing issues. Mary Lou found it to be a good book; a thought provoking read. The book helped her better understand the people and the personal issues they faced in trying to find their families a place to live.
Victor would recommend the book. He liked reading the personal stories. He felt Desmond captured the dehumanizing factors that the impoverished individuals must go through to find and keep housing. In my reading of the book I found the complexities of the housing issue were overwhelming.
We discussed a few of the seemingly insurmountable problems facing tenants. In no particular order of insolvability: mental health (depression), domestic violence and the overwhelming damage to children forced to constantly move from one uninhabitable place to the next. A vast literature connects nonsupportive parenting to lower self-esteem, aggression and antisocial behavior in children. As Desmond reported (and substantiated) Milwaukee neighborhoods with more children had more evictions.
We also welcomed first timer Kate. Kate shared first-hand experience dealing with housing issues in San Francisco and Chicago. She would recommend the book to anyone.
To quote Matthew Desmond, The home is the center of life. The home is the wellspring of personhood. It is where our identity takes root and blossoms. When we try to understand ourselves, we often begin by considering the kind of home in which we were raised. In languages spoken all over the world, the word for “home” encompasses not just shelter but warmth, safety, family – the womb.
So in response to Megan’s question, should everyone be entitled to a home and in context perhaps of the above quotation, Victor responded “heck yes, everyone deserves housing”. . I agree with Victor.
We missed the insights provided by Carole and her delicious baked goods.