Evicted

Poverty and Profit in the American City

By: Matthew Desmond

Narrated by: Dion Graham

Length: 11 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE • NAMED ONE OF TIME’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • One of the most acclaimed books of our time, this modern classic “has set a new standard for reporting on poverty” (Barbara Ehrenreich, The New York Times Book Review).

In Evicted, Princeton sociologist and MacArthur “Genius” Matthew Desmond follows eight families in Milwaukee as they each struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Hailed as “wrenching and revelatory” (The Nation), “vivid and unsettling” (New York Review of Books), Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY President Barack Obama • The New York Times Book Review • The Boston Globe • The Washington Post • NPR • Entertainment Weekly • The New Yorker • Bloomberg • Esquire • BuzzFeed • Fortune • San Francisco Chronicle • Milwaukee Journal Sentinel • St. Louis Post-Dispatch • Politico • The Week • Chicago Public Library • BookPage • Kirkus Reviews • Library Journal • Publishers Weekly • Booklist • Shelf Awareness

WINNER OF: The National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction • The PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction • The Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • The Hillman Prize for Book Journalism • The PEN/New England Award • The Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize

FINALIST FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE AND THE KIRKUS PRIZE

“Evicted stands among the very best of the social justice books.”—Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto and Commonwealth

“Gripping and moving—tragic, too.”—Jesmyn Ward, author of Salvage the Bones

“Evicted is that rare work that has something genuinely new to say about poverty.”—San Francisco Chronicle

©2016 Matthew Desmond (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Astonishing... Desmond has set a new standard for reporting on poverty.”—Barbara Ehrenreich, New York Times Book Review

“After reading Evicted, you’ll realize you cannot have a serious conversation about poverty without talking about housing. . . . The book is that good, and it’s that unignorable.”—Jennifer Senior, New York Times

“This book gave me a better sense of what it is like to be very poor in this country than anything else I have read. . . . It is beautifully written, thought-provoking, and unforgettable.”—Bill Gates

A story that needed to be told!

This book has revealed many unspoken truths about poverty, homelessness, addiction, hunger, and the fact that the love of money has taken presidence over basic humanity. I have already recommended it to 4 people. Great work Mr. Desmond!

It's A Game!

This book depicts and illustrates the vicious cycle of Poverty and Profit in America's Housing system!

Eye opening and captivating.

Matthew was able to bring the reader into the homes of the people he wrote about. I highly recommend Evicted to those who want to better understand how poverty can act like a funnel that is nearly impossible to get out of along with those who view poverty as a way of life that is far from their own.

With today's political agendas I only can hope the privileged people who are making decisions start to think of the lives their decisions are truly affecting. Books such as this provide an opportunity to step into someone else's shoes.

The epilogue is definitely worth reading and was particularly impactful for me as the author describes how writing the book affected him personally.

Engrossing, honest and eye-opening

Strong narrative interlaced with sound research makes for a compelling look at conditions we often turn away from. Dion Graham’s tone and delivery are perfection.

Excellent from start to finish

I listened to this book over the weekend, and it was both lively and heartbreaking. It is filled with stories that have aspects of tragedy and joy and as importantly, truth. Highly recommend, great narration as well.

Much Better Than a College Course!

This is not a book full of stats, pie charts and bar graphs and that’s why I enjoyed it so much. I learned so much about the cycle of poverty that keeps poor people poor. Using stories about several people and families the author shows how one poor decision after another keeps these families in a constant state of crisis. Desmond keeps the book interesting and keeps the pace just right.

Masterful Weaving of Narrative and Research

The stories of the people in this book are heartbreaking and compelling. Desmond paints a picture of the "eviction crisis" through his interactions with tenants and landlords in Milwaukee. He weaves in research about the reality of housing and homelessness in the United States. His writing is honest and sympathetic.

Desmond paints a masterfully concise, logical picture of an extremely complex issue. He details how stress, trauma and homelessness impact human behavior and the human psyche. He relates the reality of classism and racism in the US, without jargon-y, politicized language, He is honest about his own perspective and beliefs.

He ends the book with a well-researched and composed essay on the state of housing in the US. He explains his research methodology, and offers ideas for solving the crisis, based on what has worked in other countries.

Graham does a great job with a book that was certainly a challenging one to narrate.

Listen anytime of day

This is a great book. The story telling is well thought out. Even if you have some background about this topic this is a must read. I recommend it to everyone in sight.

Disturbing

This book is highly disturbing but extremely well written. Very difficult to understand why we do not do more for people in need of decent and affordable housing. There is a lot to take from that book.

Landlord

Wow, if you are thinking about getting into the rental business I suggest reading this book. It really sets the stage for real life experiences. Some landlords take advantage some try to be helpful. This book might help you find the best place to be.
Truly enlightening.