Planet of the Slums does an excellent job of revealing what's really behind the prevalence of slums across the globe. From bad government policy, destructive IMF and World Bank programs, and misdirected NGO involvement to profiteering military and government officials, small landowners trying to become a little less poor, and environmental distress Davis covers the issue with explicit and shocking detail.

Where it fell short, and frustrated me, was in presenting some kind of solutions. I can understand the magnitude of the issue with so many forces being involved in keeping people impoverished because of the immense profits made off of managing misery. Davis does point out why solutions of the past won't work today, but with 90% of the book focused on the problems people in slums face everyday there could have been more light shed on what folks are doing to organize and mobilize.

If you're someone who already cares and has some idea about the severity of global poverty then you'll feel like Planet of the Slums could have gone a little further...