America keeps the poor in check with high rents and evictions. Sound familiar?

Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond review: This passionate, must-read polemic outlines the de facto war on the poor, and high rents are a key weapon in the arsenal

Bleak picture: Mathew Desmond has shown how some landlords make more money from kicking people out of their homes than keeping them as tenants. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty

Ian O’Doherty

It’s rare that you find a book that is enlightened, thoughtful, considerate and compassionate — while also being frequently infuriating and self-contradictory.