So... here we go again. Another book, four more mini-blogs, and two more major blogs. But this time it's nonfiction... which I'm less than thrilled for. While trying to find a nonfiction book for this assignment I was less than ecstatic. I searched up "Pulitzer prize winners nonfiction" in Google and let my sorrows come sweeping in. The first book that I saw was Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. It won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize so I figured... sure, why not?
I've never been a fan of nonfiction. Growing up I was an avid reader, devouring page after page, chapter after chapter, and book after book. These books were all different, of course, but they had one similarity. Fiction. They were ALL fiction. I always figured that I had to learn about nonfiction things in school, so I might as well enjoy fantasy in my spare time. My teachers were concerned, so they told my mom I needed to broaden my horizons. My response:
So, when I picked this book up at the Wissahickon Valley Public Library (#notspon) I was not ready to pour over its pages like I was when I read Room (still missing that BTW). I am about 70 pages in and I don't really know what to think.
You know when you have that one person who you sometimes want to hang out with but other times you're like "no thanks"? Yeah... that's what this book is like to me. I enjoy learning about the stories of the tenants that the plot includes, but the book is very thick. By this I mean it is full of information, and reading it feels similar to trudging through mud.
Despite my nonexistent enthusiasm for reading this book, I am ready to trudge ahead and learn more about the characters. Matthew Desmond includes facts as well as quotes from the people in his story, so reading this book not only teaches me about them but also gives me statistics on eviction rates.
This book follows so many characters and their stories. Drug addicts, expectant mothers, single parents, and more are brought into the text. I've already seen recounts of rape, poverty, homelessness, and separation. I knew this book would have strong topics when I picked it... it's kind of the reason I did. I've noticed a theme in my books... that being that they both involved high risk living situations. I am interested to learn about a more common form a living, as captivity is not nearly as common as eviction is. This book is really broadening my horizons, and I have learned so much already. Strap in tight, because we're about to go on a wild ride.
I've never been a fan of nonfiction. Growing up I was an avid reader, devouring page after page, chapter after chapter, and book after book. These books were all different, of course, but they had one similarity. Fiction. They were ALL fiction. I always figured that I had to learn about nonfiction things in school, so I might as well enjoy fantasy in my spare time. My teachers were concerned, so they told my mom I needed to broaden my horizons. My response:
So, when I picked this book up at the Wissahickon Valley Public Library (#notspon) I was not ready to pour over its pages like I was when I read Room (still missing that BTW). I am about 70 pages in and I don't really know what to think.
You know when you have that one person who you sometimes want to hang out with but other times you're like "no thanks"? Yeah... that's what this book is like to me. I enjoy learning about the stories of the tenants that the plot includes, but the book is very thick. By this I mean it is full of information, and reading it feels similar to trudging through mud.
Despite my nonexistent enthusiasm for reading this book, I am ready to trudge ahead and learn more about the characters. Matthew Desmond includes facts as well as quotes from the people in his story, so reading this book not only teaches me about them but also gives me statistics on eviction rates.
This book follows so many characters and their stories. Drug addicts, expectant mothers, single parents, and more are brought into the text. I've already seen recounts of rape, poverty, homelessness, and separation. I knew this book would have strong topics when I picked it... it's kind of the reason I did. I've noticed a theme in my books... that being that they both involved high risk living situations. I am interested to learn about a more common form a living, as captivity is not nearly as common as eviction is. This book is really broadening my horizons, and I have learned so much already. Strap in tight, because we're about to go on a wild ride.
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