Book Review: A People's History of Poverty in America

This book review analyses the book 'A People's History of Poverty in America' by Stephen Pimpare, highlighting the government's support to the poor. It covers topics like homelessness, malnutrition, unemployment, and movements by the poor for their basic rights.

Running Head: BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1BOOK REVIEW
The purpose of the study is to analyse how the book “A People’s History of Poverty
in America” has highlighted the support of the government to the people of America
struggling with acute poverty. The book “A People’s History of Poverty in America” is a
commendable creation of the author Stephen Pimpare. Author’s aim was to show the real
picture of poverty in United States and propagate the public programs of the government to
aid poor people of US. Stephen Pimpare is well known for writing his reflections on the
social issues like poverty, homelessness, social injustice, and social policies by US
government. He is a professor of political science and social welfare policy in Yeshiva
College and the Wurzweiler School of Social Work.
The book “A People’s History of Poverty in America” contains nine chapters
(Midgley, 2009). It also includes an epilogue so that a large amount of information can be
organised thematically. The book covers varieties of topics which are- the distressful
situation the poor face, their characteristics, struggle, homelessness, the miserable lives of
women and children, malnutrition, unemployment, deaths due to famine, movements by the
poor for the provision of their basic rights (Midgley, 2009). He has also highlighted the
concern of the US government to eradicate poverty, the evolution of the policies for aiding
the poor, the relief services by the government. Finally, he has provided some suggestions to
remove poverty and inequality from US (Pimpare & Harris, 2013).
The book is inspired by the New Press "People's History Series" which was
edited by Howard Zinn, which is applauded by the mass for aiding the poor section of
America to raise their voice and claim their rights (Galster, 2013). Other valuable
sources consulted by the author are-article published in the newspapers, journals
published by the government containing the details of the public programs, magazines,

2BOOK REVIEW
novels on social injustices and also government reports containing the results of the
public programs organised by the government (Ravallion, 2017). .
One of the major strengths of this book is the author justice to the central theme of
poverty and government policies to aid the poor. The author Stephen Pimpare has made the
book a reflection of the reality by revealing the true picture of poverty in America (Pimpare
& Harris, 2013).. Thus, the book has broken the myth that developed countries bear no
symbol of poverty (Shaefer & Edin, 2013). This book has also provided a logical explanation
of the reasons behind the existence of acute poverty in America. The book has also provided
statistical evidences. Thus the book follows a realistic approach (Midgley, 2009). It is
informative as well as engrossing. These are the strengths of the book. Most of the book s,
articles as well as journals focus only on the loopholes of the public policies by the US
government. This book is one of the few valuable sources, which throw light on the activities
of the government to eradicate poverty, providing social security as well unemployment,
providing subsidies in order to create provision for healthy foods, shelter and clothing for the
poor (Galster, 2013). The author has also enriched the book with recommendations to
improve the policies of the government to eradicate poverty. It has also suggested a culturally
grounded approach of social work.
The existence of some loopholes have made the analysis of poverty and government
policies incomplete. It is true that the author has evidenced all the incident of poverty and
homelessness in the book by quantitative data, interviews of the poor, but the book has given
less focus on the racial discrimination by the US government while helping the people
struggling with poverty. This is a major weakness of this book. The book does not contain
any statistical data showing the effectiveness of the policies of the State to abolish poverty as
well as inequality (Midgley, 2009). Also, the study is unable to suggest appropriate media for

3BOOK REVIEW
the poor people so that their voice can be reached to the government and create a mass
appeal.
. In the conclusion, it can be stated that, the author Stephen Pimpare is partially
successful to communicate the central theme of the book to the readers, but he has ignored
the fact that poverty is creating hindrance in the socio-economic growth of America. The
author should have criticized the policies of the government with the help of statistical
evidence. He should also suggest some renovation in the conventional policies of the US
government to eradicate poverty. This should have included engagement programs for the
poor for the betterment of their mental health as well as programs to provide them basic
amenities of life. However, it is true that the real picture of distress of the impoverish people
has been elaborated all through the book. This is capable of evoking the consciousness of the
common people as well as the government of US to come forward, fight and add happiness to
the lives of these distressed people.

4BOOK REVIEW
References
Butler, T. (2013). Review of the book Rainbow pie: A redneck memoir, by J. Bageant, and
Those who work, those who don’t: Poverty, morality, and family in rural America, by
J. Sherman. Journal of Research in Rural Education, 28(5), 1-4.
Galster, G. C. (2013). US assisted housing programs and poverty deconcentration: A critical
geographic review. In Neighbourhood effects or neighbourhood based problems?(pp.
215-249). Springer, Dordrecht.
Midgley, J. A People's History of Poverty in America. Stephen Pimpare. Reviewed by James
Midgley.
Pimpare, S., & Harris, S. (2013). Between The Lines, Interview with Stephen Pimpare.
Ravallion, M. (2017). Poverty comparisons. Routledge.
Shaefer, H. L., & Edin, K. (2013). Rising extreme poverty in the United States and the
response of federal means-tested transfer programs. Social Service Review, 87(2),
250-268.