I know I floated a couple of books as possibilities for August, but there has been very little response to either one, so let’s hold back on them for now: if we choose to look at them, it’s probably best to give a couple of months’ warning, to give people a decent chance at reading them, or maybe picking up on the content from reviews.
Instead, I’m suggesting we use a different book as the starting point. Not because I have read it (I’ve only just downloaded the Kindle version), but because Genny Harrison has done a short and effective commentary on it. I have recommended Genny several times before - do follow her Facebook account and subscribe to her Substack feed.
The book she is talking about is "Poverty, by America" by Matthew Desmond. As we have repeatedly noted, this is one of the areas where any analysis of the challenges faced by the USA also applies to the UK with very few changes. And aspects of the analysis here include important points I have not heard as clearly before - such as the way we describe government support for the middle classes (‘encouraging responsible behaviour’) and government support for the poor (‘handouts’) in completely different ways.
The link details are in the recent email; please contact me if you didn't receive it.
Comments before the discussion can be posted on the PBWorks page:
http://kingdompeople.pbworks.com/w/page/164686785/Meeting_260802
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