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$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America Paperback – September 13, 2016
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The story of a kind of poverty in America so deep that we, as a country, don't even think exists—from a leading national poverty expert who “defies convention.” (The New York Times)
Jessica Compton’s family of four would have no income if she didn’t donate plasma twice a week at her local donation center in Tennessee. Modonna Harris and her teenage daughter, Brianna, in Chicago, often have no food but spoiled milk on weekends.
After two decades of brilliant research on American poverty, Kathryn Edin noticed something she hadn’t seen before—households surviving on virtually no cash income. Edin teamed with Luke Shaefer, an expert on calculating incomes of the poor, to discover that the number of American families living on $2.00 per person, per day, was one and a half million households, including about three million children. Where do these families live? How did they get so desperately poor?
Through this book’s eye-opening analysis and many compelling profiles, moving and startling answers emerge. $2.00 a Day delivers provocative ideas to our national debate on income inequality.
“Powerful . . . Presents a deeply moving human face that brings the stunning numbers to life. It is an explosive book . . . The stories will make you angry and break your heart.”—American Prospect
“Harrowing . . . [An] important and heart-rending book, in the tradition of Michael Harrington’s The Other America.”—Los Angeles Times
- Print length240 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateSeptember 13, 2016
- Dimensions5.31 x 0.64 x 8 inches
- ISBN-10054481195X
- ISBN-13978-0544811959
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“A remarkable book that could very well change the way we think about poverty in the United States . . . This essential book is a call to action, and one hopes it will accomplish what Michael Harrington’s ‘The Other Americans’ achieved in the late 1960s—arousing both the nation’s consciousness and conscience about the plight of a growing number of invisible citizens. The rise of such absolute poverty since the passage of welfare reform belies all the categorical talk about opportunity and the American dream.” —The New York Times Book Review "With any luck (calling Bernie Sanders) this important book will spark election year debate over how America cares for its most vulnerable." —Mother Jones “Affluent Americans often cherish the belief that poverty in America is far more comfortable than poverty in the rest of the world. Edin and Shaefer's devastating account of life at $2 or less a day blows that myth out of the water. This is world class poverty at a level that should mobilize not only national alarm, but international attention.”—Barbara Ehrenreich, author of Nickeled and Dimed "In $2.00 A Day, Kathy Edin and Luke Shaefer reveal a shameful truth about our prosperous nation: many—far too many—get by on what many of us spend on coffee each day. It's a chilling book, and should be essential reading for all of us." —Alex Kotlowitz, author of There Are No Children Here “Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer deliver an incisive pocket history of 1990s welfare reform—and then blow the lid off what has happened in the decades afterward. Edin’s and Shaefer’s portraits of people in Chicago, Mississippi, Tennessee, Baltimore, and more forced into underground, damaging survival strategies, here in first-world America, are truly chilling. This is income inequality in America at its most stark and most hidden.” —Michael Eric Dyson, author of Come Hell or High Water: Hurricane Katrina and the Color of Disaster “Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer, with compelling statistics and wrenching human stories, illustrate how—with incomes far below the pay of low-wage jobs that cripples families by the millions—a shocking number of Americans live in an almost unimaginable depth of poverty, with near-zero incomes. We have let the bottom go out of the American economy. This powerful book should be required reading for everyone.” —Peter Edelman, Carmack Waterhouse Professor of Law, Georgetown Law Center and author, So Rich So Poor: Why It’s So Hard to End Poverty in America “This searing look at extreme poverty deftly mixes policy research and heartrending narratives... Mixing academic seriousness and deft journalistic storytelling, this work may well move readers to positive action.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “An eye-opening account of the lives ensnared in the new poverty cycle.” —Kirkus Reviews “A close-up, heartbreaking look at rising poverty and income inequality in the U.S.” —Booklist —
From the Back Cover
“Powerful . . . Presents a deeply moving human face that brings the stunning numbers to life. It is an explosive book . . . The stories will make you angry and break your heart.” — American Prospect
Jessica Compton’s family of four would have no income if she didn’t donate plasma twice a week at her local donation center in Tennessee. Modonna Harris and her teenage daughter, Brianna, in Chicago, often have no food but spoiled milk on weekends.
After two decades of brilliant research on American poverty, Kathryn Edin noticed something she hadn’t seen before — households surviving on virtually no cash income. Edin teamed with Luke Shaefer, an expert on calculating incomes of the poor, to discover that the number of American families living on $2.00 per person, per day, has skyrocketed to one and a half million households, including about three million children.
Where do these families live? How did they get so desperately poor? Through this book’s eye-opening analysis and many compelling profiles, moving and startling answers emerge. $2.00 a Day delivers new evidence and new ideas to our national debate on income inequality.
“Harrowing . . . [An] important and heart-rending book, in the tradition of Michael Harrington’s The Other America.” — Los Angeles Times
Kathryn J. Edin, professor of sociology and public health at Johns Hopkins University, is the author of Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood Before Marriage.
H. Luke Shaefer, associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, is a research affiliate at the National Poverty Center.
About the Author
KATHRYN J. EDIN is the William Church Osborne Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. The author of nine books, Edin is widely recognized for using both quantitative research and direct, in-depth observation to illuminate key mysteries about poverty: “In a field of poverty experts who rarely meet the poor, Edin usefully defies convention” (New York Times).
H. LUKE SHAEFER, Ph.D. is the Hermann and Amalie Kohn Professor of Social Justice and Social Policy and Associate Dean for Research and Policy Engagement at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He is also a professor of social work and the inaugural director of Poverty Solutions, an interdisciplinary, presidential initiative that partners with communities and policymakers to find new ways to prevent and alleviate poverty.
Product details
- Publisher : Mariner Books; Reprint edition (September 13, 2016)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 240 pages
- ISBN-10 : 054481195X
- ISBN-13 : 978-0544811959
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.31 x 0.64 x 8 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #21,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #12 in Sociology of Marriage & Family (Books)
- #18 in Poverty
- #181 in Sociology Reference
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
H. Luke Shaefer is the Hermann and Amalie Kohn Professor of Social Justice and Social Policy at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy. At U-M, he also directs Poverty Solutions, a university-wide initiative that partners with communities and policymakers to find new ways to prevent and alleviate poverty.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.
KATHRYN J. EDIN is the William Church Osborn Professor of Sociology and Public Affairs at Princeton University. The
author of nine books, Edin is widely recognized for using direct, in-depth observation to illuminate key mysteries about poverty: “In a field of poverty experts who rarely meet the poor, Edin usefully defies convention” (New York Times).
Customer reviews
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book compelling and informative. They find the content depressing and eye-opening, allowing them to develop empathy and understanding for the poor. However, some customers report missing pages or messed up chapters. Opinions vary on the suspenseful aspect, with some finding it shocking and frightening, while others describe the narratives as heartwrenching and inspiring.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book compelling and well-researched. They say it's an important book that covers key issues and provides a readable insight into the lives of poor families. The stories are interesting, though some of the information is dated. Overall, readers consider it an excellent and worthwhile read for all Americans.
"This book is excellent...." Read more
"...Luke Shaefer is not undercover investigative reporting, but just as worthwhile in its study of a handful of familieses who either do not work, but..." Read more
"This book combines family stories with government statistics about the affliction of poverty in America...." Read more
"Here's my Goodreads review of this timely and important book:..." Read more
Customers find the book informative and well-researched. They say it sheds light on a side of society most are not exposed to. The book is detailed and thorough, opening their minds and challenging preconceived ideas. The bibliography and footnotes are helpful.
"...Covid19's effects on the economy and the $2/day poor, but extensive bibliography and footnotes are very helpful for the reader's future readings and..." Read more
"...The writer covers actual statistical information and the life stories of some of the poorest people in America...." Read more
"...day in and day out to try to make ends meet and provide basic shelter and food for their families...." Read more
"This is a fine academic out of the classroom into the field work by Professors Edin and Shaefer that takes a serious look at the underside of our..." Read more
Customers find the book's content depressing and a sad tale of struggle.
"A sad, shocking, yet compelling read. Well researched. Never take for granted what you have. Millions of Americans are far worse off." Read more
"This book is fascinating, detailed and completely depressing. I am shocked to know that people in this country have to live this way...." Read more
"...you case histories so you get to know individuals and families, heartbreaking, deeply so at times...." Read more
"This book is frightening, informative and depressing...." Read more
Customers find the book enlightening and compassionate. It helps them understand the people they serve better. The account of people's lives is humanizing and gives readers a better appreciation for those around them. Readers appreciate the thoughtful, complex, and humanistic analysis that brings to life a hidden but fascinating study of the dignity, endurance, resourcefulness, and courage of the poorest families.
"...by Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer is the most mind-blowing, compassionate, humane yet shattering non-fiction book I have read in years...." Read more
"...it wasn't hard to identify and empathize with the kids...." Read more
"This is a humanizing account of people's lives collected by the author...." Read more
"...so you get to know individuals and families, heartbreaking, deeply so at times...." Read more
Customers find the book insightful and informative about the lives of the poor in the US. They appreciate the thoughtful, complex analysis that brings the issues to life.
"...Very eye opening." Read more
"...This is a very eye opening read, and should be a call to arms to anyone with any kind of humanity in their soul...." Read more
"Interesting look at how so many Americans are surviving on little to nothing. It makes you look at the system in a different way...." Read more
"Very eye opening book. Makes you open up your mind and biases of what you thought you knew about the poor." Read more
Customers have mixed reviews about the book. Some find it shocking, frightening, and revealing. Others find the narratives heartwrenching, dark, and depressing. The data presentation is strong, but the conclusions are weak.
"...to work often can't pull themselves out of poverty due to unavailability of decent work, of practices that make saving or even paying for daily..." Read more
"Two Dollars a Day by Kathryn J. Edin and H. Luke Shaefer is the most mind-blowing, compassionate, humane yet shattering non-fiction book I have read..." Read more
"...Stories were graphic so I had to take breaks in reading...." Read more
"A sad, shocking, yet compelling read. Well researched. Never take for granted what you have. Millions of Americans are far worse off." Read more
Customers have different views on the poverty rate in the US. Some find it an excellent account of the working poor, while others say it's a discouraging picture of poverty in America brought about by good intentions. The lack of jobs and good jobs is a serious issue, and millions of Americans are far worse off.
"...The lack of jobs, and lack of GOOD jobs, is a serious issue...." Read more
"...Well researched. Never take for granted what you have. Millions of Americans are far worse off." Read more
"This is an excellent book on the economics of poverty...." Read more
"...I admired their resiliency. They are struggling to get and keep employment. The challenge of keeping their children safe is continuous...." Read more
Customers are unhappy with the missing pages in the book. They report missing pages from the middle, including the entire third chapter. Some reviewers also mention that the chapters are messed up and they couldn't get past chapter two.
"The book was completely missing Ch. 3 "A Room of One's Own" and instead, reprinted Ch. 4 twice...." Read more
"...a class and as I am reading for an assignment I notice that it skips from page 39-71. I am missing a whole chapter." Read more
"...what happened with the printing of this book but the chapters are completely messed up! I was reading page 38 and suddenly the next page was page 71!..." Read more
"...Couldn't get past chapter two. All statistics and data. Not a book, but more of some kind of thesis." Read more
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Missing 33 pages from middle
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2017This book is excellent. Of all people to kick the poor people when they are down leave it to Bill and Hillary who OVERTURNED a 60 year law that was lifting up the poor for decades. Wow. If you bless the poor as an individual then you are blessed by God as an individual. Therefore, who can argue against----- if we bless the poor as a nation then God will bless us as a nation???? It's Psalm 41:1-3. It's in the Bible people. The cuts affect children the most because many single moms have more than one kid. So if you got 15 million on welfare ---- 5 million are moms and 10 million are kids, roughly. You gotta think about who you are starving out. It were better for a millstone to be hung around your neck than to harm some of these kids (Math. 18:6). If you loan to the poor it costs you nothing. Nothing because God pays it back and then some (Prov. 19:17) - both to individuals and nations. Granted If you don't work--- you don't eat, but for single moms raising kids is a job in itself and the only job they should have to worry about. Able bodied adult males is a different story. Welfare reform cut off single moms in the millions. It's fruit is untold misery and its initiators were unmerciful.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2022Nothing new under the sun, as they say. Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" (2001) focused on her undercover work as a low-wage employee. This book, by scholars Kathryn Edin and Luke Shaefer is not undercover investigative reporting, but just as worthwhile in its study of a handful of familieses who either do not work, but work off the books in essentially making less than $2 a day. From undocumented ride sharing to selling home-made snacks out of a dining room at a small mark-up, they are, to paraphrase Ehrenreich, "not getting by in America." Some are youngsters, minor children, who sell their bodies to put food on the family table. Others to the almost-timeless (by now) job of selling their food stamps. Parents and children bounce from family to family when they can't pay the rent - sometimes at great cost to the children, such as the young teen in this book who was molested by a relative her mother had trusted. Other mothers meet so-called "friends" (as the families call them) to consensually trade sex for a few dollars (minors can't consent in the United States, even when they are are on cusp of age 18). What is not mentioned is the people who sell their-anti-depressants and other life-saving medications. In my work as a food pantry volunteer, I've know a smattering of such people, seen the drug deals go down; seen the young woman go off with other food pantry guests to trade sex for money, for who knows what the former want and need. The authors should have cited the prescription sellers as well. It's not a new phenomenon. Still, overall thorough research leading from the Middle West to the Mississippi Delta, north to south and back again, focused on a handful of families. Equity is a large and important focus of this study, although whites and Blacks are given equal shrift. Inadequate explanation of why the authors didn't include a coastal community but included two mid-west states (Illinois and Ohio). Cf: David Bowie's song "This Is Not America," for an artistic interpretation of this problem - his song was released more than a decade before President Clinton's so-called 'welfare reform," for defines, in lyrical form, the $2/day problem. The authors don't cite Bowie, but they do cite - extensively - Clinton's disastrous policy on the working and non-working poor. Book needs a 2022 update to cover Covid19's effects on the economy and the $2/day poor, but extensive bibliography and footnotes are very helpful for the reader's future readings and research.
- Reviewed in the United States on March 13, 2021This book combines family stories with government statistics about the affliction of poverty in America. About 1/4 to 1/3 of American are in the low income or welfare brackets, depending on interpretations. There is, given these biographical sketches, a link between health, education, personality development, and either middle income or poverty status. Politicians have sympathy for the poor yet find progress difficult and slow. In boom years poverty recedes but it is still with us in pockets of this country. One way the government research could be broadened is to look at town, city, and voting district/borough poverty levels. Focusing on the average income and health of the town or city will support efforts like methadone clinics which can reduce poverty for individuals and on average, even while some of the adjacent property owners may have slight declines in property value. As shown in this book the individuals with income and asset problems are constantly dragged down by higher than appropriate costs for housing, cars/transportation, medical care, education, and even for food. Finding ways to manage or dramatically reduce just one of these factors will help. Poor individuals and poor families tend to be very numerous in poor towns. Pushing through town-level improvements and overcoming NIMBY attitudes will be important in economic growth. After a decade or so of opioid addiction among various groups and little progress on methadone clinics it is unclear whether politicians can see whether this anti-drug measure is also a reliable anti-poverty measure.
Top reviews from other countries
- mmelgarejoReviewed in Spain on May 26, 2020
4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book
It is a book which describes the other face of the U.S. It shows you how people live with 2 dollars o less per day. The author supports his statements with real cases, and put on the table the problem of the inefficient of the social government departments and highlights the importance of enhancing some essential public services.
- Mary FReviewed in Canada on June 9, 2017
4.0 out of 5 stars where are the fathers?
The question that came to me reading this is:Where are the fathers? Why would you have eight children by an abusive man who does not support his own children? I empathize with the unfair practices like unpaid overtime and unreasonable firings, but think that many of these problems were self inflicted.
2 people found this helpfulReport - Mr. S. PugsleyReviewed in the United Kingdom on October 4, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Every rich white person should read this book
Littered with racism. America, you want to know why you have a race problem, why you have a crime problem? Read this book!!!
2 people found this helpfulReport - Amazon CustomerReviewed in Canada on June 23, 2017
3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting Book
It was a good book with a lot of good points but was a little dry at time. Still interesting to read.
- MaylinReviewed in the United Kingdom on July 31, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Sad but powerful
Very powerful reading! As a student of environmental issues and international relations and politics, this is a very good book to read.