If you want to dive deeper into related topics, Athens County Public Libraries has also put together a helpful list of suggested books for your next read.
Book Discussion Guide
In a time when our community faces pressing challenges, we invite you to come together for a conversation that has the power to inspire change: a discussion about poverty, its impact on all of us, and most importantly, what we can do about it.
In Poverty, By America, author Matthew Desmond offers a startling and transformative perspective: poverty exists in America not because we lack resources or compassion, but because the rest of us benefit from it in ways we may not realize. He makes a bold and inspiring call for all of us to become āpoverty abolitionists,ā engaged in a politics of collective belonging that can lead to a new era of shared prosperity and, at long last, true freedom.
We hope that you will take this opportunity to read the book and discuss with your friends and neighbors how for those of us here in Athens County, Ohio ā one of the poorest counties in the state ā the themes of this book resonate profoundly. Poverty is not an abstract concept; it is a daily reality for many of our neighbors, friends, and family members. Yet, as Desmond so powerfully reminds us, we also have the power to change this. By coming together as a community, we can imagine and advocate for a better, more just future.
To help with this discussion, here are some conversation prompts to consider:
- As you read Poverty, by America, what aspects of life in Southeast Ohio came to mind? In what ways could you see your community reflected in the book?
- Desmond defines poverty as āa tight knot of social problems,ā breaking with conventional definitions that focus only on low incomes. What are the implications of this view? How would you define poverty?
- āWeāve been trained to see the poor as idle and unmotivated since the earliest days of capitalism,ā says Desmond. He also writes that āthese old tropes and stereotypes are dying.ā When have you experienced these tropes and stereotypes? Do you think their power is in fact waning? Do you think these stereotypes are worse when applied to the people of Appalachia?
- Reflect on the statement: āsome lives are made small so that others may grow.ā What does that mean to you, and how does it relate to poverty in America?
- Desmond talks about the āwallsā that we build up to keep some people poor and others rich. Do you see those dynamics at work in Athens County, Southeast Ohio, and Appalachia? If so, what are they and what could we do about it?
- In 1961, James Baldwin remarked how āextremely expensive it is to be poor.ā What might that mean in 2025?
- āAmericaās poverty is not for lack of resources. We lack something else.ā After reading the book, what do you think we, as a country, and as a citizenry, lack in this context?
- Poverty in America is often invisible, but it can also be very public. When you see a tent encampment, or homeless people sleeping on the sidewalk, what goes through your mind? What questions do you ask yourself?
- Through his research, Desmond discovered that billions of dollars set aside for assistance to the poor remains unclaimed. Why do you think this is?
- Race and racism are pressing issues in Americaās poverty crisis. Desmond writes: āAnti-Black racism hardens Americansā antagonism toward social benefits.ā Do you see this antagonism in your family, your social circle, or your community? How might you address it?
- āAs people accumulate more money,ā Desmond writes, āthey become less dependent on public goods and, in turn, less interested in supporting them.ā What does this mean for public schools and public transportation? How does this translate toward feelings for government workers? What are the consequences of advancing privatization?
- Desmond found that āevery year, the richest American families receive almost 40 percent more in government subsidies than the poorest American families.ā Did this fact surprise you? Can you think of ways that you or your family benefit from government assistance that youāve never thought of as āwelfareā? Do you think differently about it now?
- Regarding public housing, Desmond writes: āTwo things are true. First, most Americans want the country to build more public housing for low-income families. Second, most Americans do not want that public housing (or any sort of multi-family housing) in their neighborhood.ā How have you and your neighbors responded to recent efforts to build affordable housing developments in Southeast Ohio communities? Have you witnessed NIMBYism, intentional or unintentional, in your community? What are ways we can counter the NIMBY position?
- āThe I.R.S. now estimates that the United States loses over $1 trillion a year in unpaid taxes,ā Desmond writes,āmost of it owing to multinational corporations and wealthy families.ā As part of the recently passed Inflation Reduction Act, Congress has appropriated $80 billion to go after tax cheats and evaders. Do you support these efforts? Why do you think our country has such a high tolerance for tax avoidance?
- Desmond urges us all to become poverty abolitionists. How does he suggest we do that? Which of these efforts do you think will make the biggest difference in reducing, if not abolishing, poverty? Which efforts do you think would be most difficult for you, personally?
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