Customer Reviews

A People's History of Poverty in America (New Press People's History)

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Finally a book that traces poverty in the U.S. in historical perspective, and through the voices of the poor themselves. Read it to learn about the lived experience of poverty. This is a must read for social scientists and everyday people alike. Well-written with succinct, insightful analysis by the author. Take it from someone who has first hand experience and has studied the subject for a long time---this book is well worth the price. You won't be able to put it down.

This book is interesting. Its good to hear from the people in poverty and their lives but author puts too many examples throughout each page. 1 or 2 is sufficient but some pages are nothing but quotes from different people even entire chapters. Author too is biased and casts doubt on all but poor people.

I bought this with the expectation that it would be a work of history rather than a cut and paste job.

This is a bizarre book. The author's attitude is clear by page 5, where he states, "But Americans are callous, when not merely indifferent, and we have been throughout most of our history." The rest of the book is a screed against, well, practically everything and everyone except the poor: impersonal and intrusive government programs (there is no other kind), manipulative and self-interested private charities (ditto), oblivious and insensitive philanthropists (ditto)--you name it. No one who isn't poor knows what it's like, he says, and so in their ignorance and arrogance, self-important benefactors and institutions inevitably show contempt for the poor, who generally have superior characters because of their familiarity with suffering.

On page 114 he has a section titled "Rethinking Responsibility," where he posits that it's the *responsible* choice of poor women to go on welfare (and not work) so that they can stay home to take care of their kids! We're supposed to *admire* women who deliberately choose to let taxpayers support them and their families instead of working. Incredible. I know a lot of working mothers--I didn't realize they were so neglectful, earning a paycheck instead of going on the dole! Wow, I guess they don't love their children as much as welfare mothers do, otherwise they'd stop working and go on public assistance. The book is full of this upside-down attitude.

Pimpare seems to have the 1960s counter-culture idea that the government should provide no-strings-attached welfare *indefinitely* to anyone who wants it at any time. I don't begrudge anyone a safety net when they need it, but that's just crazy, as well as unsustainable. Pimpare searches out any instance he can find of charity gone wrong (a 19th century magnate serving ham sandwiches to poor Jewish children, for example) and NO examples of the countless good works and invaluable aid that has been provided to the needy by agencies both public and private throughout the history of our country, both at home and around the world.