Reviews
$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America by Kathryn J. Edin, H. Luke Shaefer, Kathryn Edin
rachelb36's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
I'll start by saying I'm skeptical about some of the reporting in this book. The authors didn't seem to do much verification of the stories that their "case subjects" reported to them - they seemingly took it all as fact.
They also wrote with a fair amount of bias themselves - they have strongly held beliefs about what keeps poverty going and how to fix the problem. (Namely, bringing cash welfare back.)
However, there was enough I liked about the book that I feel makes it deserving of my 3.5 stars.
I appreciated that the authors acknowledged how much effort it takes to be poor, how much time is invested in trying to survive and, if possible, get ahead, when you lack the resources to make those activities simple and easy.
I also liked that they actually talked about poverty in rural areas, something I feel is constantly being overlooked in a culture where urban living/giving is currently so trendy.
"As the geographic mismatch between available charity and the people who require it grows, more struggling families living outside the large urban centers find themselves completely disconnected from help when they need it." (p 103)
Because it's fairly short, I think it would be a good read for those individuals who are unaware of the plight of the poor, generally speaking. As far as the content itself goes, I enjoyed [b:Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City|25852784|Evicted Poverty and Profit in the American City|Matthew Desmond|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453060710s/25852784.jpg|45720714] better, but it's a longer, more daunting read.
I'll start by saying I'm skeptical about some of the reporting in this book. The authors didn't seem to do much verification of the stories that their "case subjects" reported to them - they seemingly took it all as fact.
They also wrote with a fair amount of bias themselves - they have strongly held beliefs about what keeps poverty going and how to fix the problem. (Namely, bringing cash welfare back.)
However, there was enough I liked about the book that I feel makes it deserving of my 3.5 stars.
I appreciated that the authors acknowledged how much effort it takes to be poor, how much time is invested in trying to survive and, if possible, get ahead, when you lack the resources to make those activities simple and easy.
I also liked that they actually talked about poverty in rural areas, something I feel is constantly being overlooked in a culture where urban living/giving is currently so trendy.
"As the geographic mismatch between available charity and the people who require it grows, more struggling families living outside the large urban centers find themselves completely disconnected from help when they need it." (p 103)
Because it's fairly short, I think it would be a good read for those individuals who are unaware of the plight of the poor, generally speaking. As far as the content itself goes, I enjoyed [b:Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City|25852784|Evicted Poverty and Profit in the American City|Matthew Desmond|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453060710s/25852784.jpg|45720714] better, but it's a longer, more daunting read.
stuhlsatzg's review against another edition
4.0
A heart wrenching account of families living on less than $2 a day. I was thrilled to have the chance to hear Dr. Edin speak at our university. She was clearly a very caring and down to earth individual and that attitude is reflected in the writing of this book. I definitely look forward to reading the rest of Kathy Edin's work.
tanya_the_spack's review against another edition
4.0
Depressing. The way we treat our fellow Americans and fellow human beings.... Shameful.
youeatdogfood's review
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
3.5 stars. ‘$2.00 a Day’ by Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer offers an eye-opening and really heartbreaking exploration of the struggles faced by Americans living day-to-day in extreme poverty, on as little as $2 a day (per person), a pressing issue that’s often overlooked or flat out ignored in society.
Edin and Shaefer’s research and intimate interviews w individuals and families facing such extreme poverty provide valuable firsthand accounts, and their empathetic approach helped me gain a deeper understanding of the challenges these people face on a daily basis, as we all know the average person (like me) is closer to experiencing this kind of poverty than they are to being a millionaire. They highlight the urgency of addressing poverty in America, showcasing the dire circumstances that individuals and families living on less than $2 a day are facing.
However, I found the book fell short in one area, and an important one no less, which is in its recommendations for tackling $2-a-day poverty. While Edin and Shaefer predominantly advocate fr workforce participation as a means of improving lives, they seem to overlook other, more vital, potential solutions. The absence of comprehensive discussions on alternatives like a universal basic income or addressing capitalism and systemic issues stemming frm this such as racism, sexism, and classism, left me longing fr a more nuanced - and I’ll be honest, a far more radical - analysis.
Their focus on workforce participation as a panacea fr poverty overlooks the complexities faced by people w disabilities or those burdened w parenthood, and though they acknowledged that workforce participation doesn’t work fr everyone, especially those who are parents or are disabled, it didn’t feel fully fleshed out to me what their alternatives were. It’s crucial to consider alternative strategies like UBI’s that provide a safety net fr those unable to engage in the workforce due to varying circumstances. It also by and large fails to delve deeper into the systemic biases and punitive policies that perpetuate this cycle of poverty many people and families across the world are facing. Exploring these topics more extensively would have added depth to Edin and Shaefer’s analysis and strengthened their call fr change.
However, in spite of these limitations, ‘$2.00 a Day’ remains an important and impactful book. It prompts us to question the prevailing societal norms that perpetuate poverty and serves as a starting point fr discussions on how we can collectively address this urgent issue. While the book may fall short in its recommendations fr systemic change, it succeeds in bringing attention to the harsh realities faced by those living in extreme poverty in America and can hopefully serve as a catalyst fr deeper conversations about implementing lasting solutions to eradicate poverty worldwide.
margaretefg's review against another edition
3.0
Edin and Shaefer combine statistical analysis with stories of some families struggling to manage their lives on $2 a day or less. They set out to investigate the results of welfare reform and why so few people are using TANF. The families they profile live in very different places (Chicago, Cleveland, the Delta, Tennessee) which illustrates the impact of private charity and public institutions or their absence. The story they tell is simpler and less nuanced than Matthew Desmond's Evicted and he might object to some of their analysis of housing costs. The book is an easy intro to the issues around welfare and low wage work.