"This book is a useful compendium of writings regarding the nature of poverty. Each of the sections does an effective job of discussing the traditional dimensions of poverty, such as measurement, people versus place, economics versus personal decisions, and policy responses. Readers will find the work useful for understanding the nature of this social problem." -- CHOICE"This book is a useful compendium of writings regarding the nature of poverty. Each of the sections does an effective job of discussing the traditional dimensions of poverty, such as measurement, people versus place, economics versus personal decisions, and policy responses. The hidden gem in this work, however, is the last chapter, which deals with a new paradigm for addressing poverty. Readers will find the work heavily academic but useful for understandingthe nature of this social problem." --L. T. Grover, Southern University and A&M College