Evicted

This is my new favorite non-fiction book. I’m not normally a non-fiction kind of reader. But the author, Matthew Desmond, did great in telling a story while also educating the reader about the devastating effects eviction can have on individuals, families, and communities. He follows six families in Milwaukee – three from the North side “ghetto” and three from the far south side “white trash” trailer park. I love that he writes the book from the individuals’ perspective – what they say they’re thinking and experiencing – rather than his perspective of what they’re going through. He also gives their landlords’ side of the story. He did an amazing job of telling each person’s (tenant or landlord) story without placing judgment or blame on either party. Sprinkled in-between the narratives are statistics and facts that demonstrate how the events that happened to the families are typical for others, both in Milwaukee and many other cities. It was eye-opening for a Wisconsinite, but the author also makes a point throughout to show how the lack of affordable housing and the consequences of such is a nation-wide issue.