Our Book Club meets on the last We dnesday of every month. \;
\nNovember's Book Pi ck is Poverty\, By America by Mathhew Desmond.
\nThe United
States\, the richest country on earth\, has more poverty than any other a
dvanced democracy. Why? Why does this land of plenty allow one in every ei
ght of its children to go without basic necessities\, permit scores of its
citizens to live and die on the streets\, and authorize its corporations
to pay poverty wages? \;
\;
In this landmark book\, acc
laimed sociologist Matthew Desmond draws on history\, research\, and origi
nal reporting to show how affluent Americans knowingly and unknowingly kee
p poor people poor. \;Those of us who are financially secure exploit t
he poor\, driving down their wages while forcing them to overpay for housi
ng and access to cash and credit. We prioritize the subsidization of our w
ealth over the alleviation of poverty\, designing a welfare state that giv
es the most to those who need the least. And we stockpile opportunity in e
xclusive communities\, creating zones of concentrated riches alongside tho
se of concentrated despair. Some lives are made small so that others may g
row.
\;
Elegantly written and fiercely argued\, this compas
sionate book gives us new ways of thinking about a morally urgent problem.
It also helps us imagine solutions. Desmond builds a startlingly original
and ambitious case for ending poverty. He calls on us all to become pover
ty abolitionists\, engaged in a politics of collective belonging to usher
in a new age of shared prosperity and\, at last\, true freedom.
A small number of copies will be available for checkout on 10/28/2026.
\n https://lacountylibrary.libnet.info/event/17400362 URL;VALUE=URI:https://lacountylibrary.libnet.info/event/17400362 ATTACH:https://static.libnet.info/images/events/lacountylibrary/adult_book _club.png END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR