English Poverty

Conservative think tanks like the Manhattan Institute disseminate anti-homeless myths in the media, legislatures, and the larger culture, claiming that our homeless neighbors cause their own predicament and that the best we can do is manage the problem. Drawing on her deep legal knowledge, policy expertise, and decades of frontline service, Mary Brosnahan cuts through the misinformation to deliver two important messages: that homelessness ultimately stems from a lack of investment in affordable housing; and that the greatest myth of all is that we should have no hope.

Homelessness is a complex and growing problem in America. It cannot be “solved,” but it can be managed, and some approaches work better than others. At a time when cities its size have thousands of unsheltered homeless on their streets at night, Colorado Springs has less than 400. Meeting Homelessness with Hope explores why this is so.

In a bold challenge to the conventional wisdom of both liberals and conservatives, Michael Tanner, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, looks at the reasons for poverty in America and offers a detailed agenda for increasing wealth, incomes, and opportunity. The author argues that conservative critiques of a “culture of poverty” fail to account for the structural circumstances in which the poor live, especially racism, gender discrimination, and economic dislocation. However, he also criticizes liberal calls for fighting poverty through redistribution or new government programs.

Upton Sinclair, the greatest of the muckraking journalists, author of "The Jungle" and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, decided to run for Governor of California in 1934. It was the depths of the Great Depression in America and around the world. He changed his party registration to Democratic, ran for, and won the nomination. In this book, Sinclair lays out step by step what he proposes to do to lift the working men and women of California out of the poverty and unemployment which had gripped the state, the nation, and the world.

Rev. Adam Hamilton, COR, Kansas writing about The Wealth of Poverty says, "Often the church’s efforts addressing poverty involve performing acts of service for or to the poor. These acts are sometimes motivated more by one’s own needs or self-interest than by a genuine concern for the poor. Tina Carter and Mindy Johnson-Hicks invite listeners to take a different approach...."

We typically view poverty as a technical problem that we can solve with more money, more technology, and more volunteers. But there is an adaptive side to the problem of poverty, as well. Reframing Poverty directs our attention to the emotional and often unconscious mindsets we bring to this issue.

Writer and journo-tech pioneer Christine Marie Nielsen didn't think she'd be returning to her native city of Milwaukee (oft called the most segregated city in the US in terms of socio-economic and racial lines), but because of family income constraints and a resulting need to help her parents, she does. While there, she looks into systemic problems and what makes the city tick, but she also finds herself being pulled back into a cycle of poverty.

A collection of short stories about turning setback into comebacks. Author Troy Harris II was only sure of two things: he was uncomfortable, and in what seemed like a truly foreign land. As it turns out, he was just home less in Dallas....

A pivotal moment arrives when their son Mateo brings home a seed from school—an apple tree seed. In a twist of fate, this humble seed becomes a catalyst for change, leading the family down a path of disciplined transformation. At the heart of the story is a family united by love, with parents dedicated to the happiness of their young children.

From Streets to Solutions: Innovating Against Homelessness offers a comprehensive exploration of homelessness, dissecting its causes, the populations it affects, and the myriad of solutions that have been and can be employed to tackle it. Drawing on real-world case studies, expert interviews, and extensive research, the book weaves a narrative that is both informative and actionable.

Journalist Alison Owings slips behind the cold statistics and sensationalism surrounding San Francisco’s Tenderloin to reveal a harrowing and life-affirming account of Del Seymour—whose addiction led him into eighteen years of homelessness, pimping, and drug dealing. Once sober, he started Tenderloin Walking Tours and later Code Tenderloin, the remarkable organization teaching homeless, recovering addicts, sex workers, dealers, ex-felons, and other marginalized people how to get and keep a job.

Nick and Pascal live and sleep outside in central London. They are an unusual duo: Nick is an avid reader of history and philosophy able to converse on any topic; Pascal is quiet, spending much of his time lying still, communicating silently with birds and animals. They have lived alongside each other in London's streets for nearly two decades, yet do not identify as homeless. For the past five years they have taken shelter under the hornbeam trees in Regent's Park. Emma Tarlo first meets Nick and Pascal when out walking. Gradually they develop a friendship.

Ireland, 1948. The potato famine has left the Cavanagh family destitute. Kitty and Peter manage to secure tickets for America - seeking hope in an unknown land. But still fortune will not favour them. On a terrifying crossing of the Irish Sea, Peter vanishes, and with him their tickets. Now, Kitty and her young family are stranded in Liverpool - with not a penny to their name. Facing prejudice and distrust, they move to Blackburn, where the welcome is no warmer, but Kitty at least can gather rags and scraps to exchange for a coin or two.

Will has the wrong shoes – he's always known it but doesn't know how to change it. Navigating the difficulties of home and school when you feel you stick out is tough, but finding confidence with the help and empathy of friends can be all you need to see the way.

When we hear of Jamaica or the Caribbean, we think of beautiful islands of paradise with sun, sea and sand, reggae music, cannabis, and "irie" people like Usain Bolt - people who are living out their best dreams, desires, and lives. But this book analyzes this motif, given the historical and current economic and political situation in Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the "Global South". In an attempt to escape the adverse realities of poverty, inequality, and injustice, the people of the Global South find themselves in north metropolises with very little agency.

Unveiling the Invisible: Exploring Homelessness in Massachusetts delves deep into the complex issue of homelessness in the state of Massachusetts. Authored by Dr. David K. Ewen, minister, this thought-provoking book examines the historical context, current state, and various aspects surrounding homelessness in Massachusetts. Through a comprehensive analysis, the book sheds light on urban centers and homelessness hotspots, factors contributing to homelessness, and the unique challenges faced by special populations and homeless families.

Twelve-year-old Lulu and her younger sister, Serena, have a secret. As Daddy always says, “it’s best if we keep it to ourselves,” and so they have. But hiding your past is one thing. Hiding where you live—and that your Daddy has gone missing—is harder. At first Lulu isn’t worried. Daddy has gone away once before and he came back. But as the days add up, with no sign of Daddy, Lulu struggles to take care of all the responsibilities they used to manage as a family. Lulu knows that all it takes is one slip-up for their secret to come spilling out.

Lazarus "Laz" Weathers has always been shy, and his issue with stuttering when he speaks hasn't helped. Stuck in a Seattle trailer park, Laz finds baseball helps him escape from the world of poverty and drugs. When he gets an opportunity to pitch for the rich kids across town, he has a chance to get drafted by the major leagues. But playing for the other team means leaving behind his family, including Antonio, Laz's younger brother, who more and more, seems to be drawn to the dark world of the Jet City's drug ring.

In this poignant new story, A Gift from Bob, James Bowen recalls the last Christmas he was to spend on the streets, busking and selling the Big Issue with his cat Bob. In 2010, the weather was as bleak as his prospects. Christmas had always been the time he dreaded. Now at least he had Bob by his side, but his health was poor, and he had no money for food or warmth. There was no choice but to venture out onto the frozen streets to earn enough to pay for his electricity and - with luck - to afford some small treats for Christmas as well.

In Those Who Wander, Vivian Ho delves deep into a rising subculture that’s changing the very fabric of her city and all of urban America. Moving beyond the disheartening statistics, she gives voices to these young people - victims of abuse, failed foster care, mental illness, and drug addiction. She also doesn’t ignore the threat they pose to themselves and to others as a dangerous dark side emerges. With alarming urgency, she asks what can be done to save the next generation of America’s vagabond youth.