Finished reading: Evicted by Matthew Desmond 📚

My Aunt Beth gave me this book! I remember when it came out in 2016; the reporting is done in Milwaukee and I had friends from Milwaukee who were very struck by it when it came out.

None of the observations are specific to Milwaukee, though - it’s a book about the United State’s housing crisis, in general. Actually, it’s more accurate to say this book is about how the United State’s current economic and political incentive structure is a source of deep injustice, and stacks the odds very, very heavily against those trying to climb out of poverty.

It’s not written in a wonk-y or political science-y way, though. The author makes his argument by profiling the successes and struggles of several families in the Milwaukee area: some tenants and some landlords. The book is masterfully written and made for a very quick read; it definitely deserved the Pulitzer prize it received.

Liz read the book right after I did, and we immediately ordered Matthew Desmond’s recently released second book, Poverty by America. It feels like a good time to be reading these books: as Liz and I will be trying to leave the rental market and buy a house in the next year or so, these books have inspired good conversations about what we value, what we aspire to, and how we want to build a sustainable and socially integrated life.

I highly recommend this book!