Off the Books

By Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh,

Book cover of Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor

Book description

In this revelatory book, Sudhir Venkatesh takes us into Maquis Park, a poor black neighbourhood on Chicago's Southside, to explore the desperate, dangerous and remarkable ways in which a community survives. We find there an entire world of unregulated, unreported, and untaxed work, a system of living off the books…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked Off the Books as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

When I moved to London, I started noticing the ‘underground economy’ that happens on the big city’s sidewalks. When I read Venkatesh’s account of exactly this economy of sellers, hustlers, buskers, and people who beg in New York, I was hooked.

Right there, where we walk and shop ourselves, there are people living a parallel life. Sometimes, our lives overlap, but mostly we stay unconnected. This separation, our ‘looking away,’ is where the problems start. 

Want books like Off the Books?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like Off the Books.

Browse books like Off the Books

Book cover of Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City
Book cover of Demon Copperhead
Book cover of On the Run: Fugitive Life in an American City

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,224

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in black markets, poverty, and the economy?

Black Markets 17 books
Poverty 97 books
The Economy 184 books