The World's Best Book Summaries
How dangerous are predatory landlords? How did landlording turn into a full-time job? In his book Evicted, Matthew Desmond argues that predatory landlords are contributing to the housing and eviction crisis in the US. They target low-income earners by charging too much in rent, neglecting repairs, and making non-binding agreements. Continue reading to learn more about predatory landlord practices and their effects.
How did housing discrimination come to be? What role did slavery have to play in current-day housing discrimination? According to sociologist and the author of Evicted, Matthew Desmond, present-day housing discrimination can be traced back to the 1800s. He provides a brief timeline of how this came to be. Keep reading to learn the history of racial discrimination and housing.
Is housing discrimination still around today? How do landlords get around discrimination laws? Despite being outlawed in 1968, housing discrimination toward minorities is still prevalent today. The discrimination creates further problems, forcing minorities into poor neighborhoods and restricting their access to education and healthcare. Keep reading for further insights into the present housing discrimination problem.
What is the cycle of poverty and eviction? Why is it so difficult to escape the cycle? How can this lead to crime? Sociologist Matthew Desmond argues that it’s nearly impossible to break out of the cycle of poverty and eviction because each situation exacerbates the other. Some who end up in this loop end up living in motels or even turning to crime. Continue reading for a deeper look at the poverty-eviction cycle.
When was the last time you got a raise at work? How much has the minimum wage increased since 1970? According to Matthew Desmond, the author of Evicted, a big contributor to the housing and eviction crisis is stagnant wages. Over the years, the cost of housing has risen, however, wages have not increased to meet it. Keep reading to understand why eviction rates are rising.
Why is there an eviction crisis in the United States? How much is a household supposed to pay in rent? Matthew Desmond, the author of Evicted, says that there are two major causes of the eviction crisis: stagnant wages and renters who don’t stand up for each other. These two issues combined are resulting in eviction rates higher than during the Great Depression. Here’s a closer look at the two causes of the rising eviction rates.
Why are eviction rates rising in the United States? Why is the poverty-eviction cycle so hard to break? Can anything be done to help the situation? Imagine living with the knowledge that you could lose your home at any time, for any reason. In Evicted, sociologist Matthew Desmond explains that millions of Americans live every day under the threat of eviction, and it takes a heavy toll on them both psychologically and financially. Keep reading for our brief overview of Desmond’s book Evicted.
What does community have to do with evictions? How has renter solidarity changed since the Great Depression? Matthew Desmond, sociologist and the author of Evicted, says that a primary reason why evictions in the US are rising is that renters don’t stand up for each other anymore. Renters are allowing predatory landlords to walk all over them in fear of losing housing. Here’s a look at how renter solidarity has changed.
Do you want to know how to fix the housing crisis in America? Is rent control a good idea? How helpful are rental assistance programs? In his book Evicted, sociologist Matthew Desmond lays out three ways that the United States government could fix the housing crisis. In fact, some federal programs already exist and just need to be expanded. Here are Desmond’s suggestions from Evicted.
How is creativity defined? What are the most common creative characteristics? What can you do to boost your creativity? According to Scott Barry Kaufman and Carolyn Gregoire in Wired to Create, creativity isn’t a characteristic itself, but rather the effect of a collection of different characteristics. By encompassing the 10 characteristics, you can maximize your creative potential. Keep reading to learn what the 10 characteristics are in our overview of Wired to Create.