Matthew Desmond tells the engrossing story of 8 families, all in Milwaukee, struggling to find affordable housing.  Desmond, who spent a year embedded in the poorest neighborhoods of Milwaukee while researching the book, provides a first-hand look at the daily obstacles facing below the poverty line Americans. Desmond provides a perspective that is compassionate and balanced and tells the story of the unending onslaught of forces that thwart the efforts of these families to keep a roof over their heads. The result highlights the urgency of the current housing crisis in the U.S. for low-income renters.  An important book that every American should read.