Shortchanged Life and Debt in the Fringe Economy

Shortchanged takes a hard look at the corporate vultures that prey on America's poor and middle classes. This 'fringe economy'' made up of pawnshops, payday lenders, cheque cashers, credit card companies and the like, entices vulnerable consumers into an economic netherworld of high interest rates and ever-increasing debt. Powerful analysis is combined with moving personal stories of the mothers, fathers, and families whose lives have been put on the line for the perpetuation of this economy. Ruthless, compelling, outrageous, and often enraging, Shortchanged puts the spotlight on the shady side of America's economic underbelly.

Howard Karger is a professor of social policy at the Graduate School of Social Work, University of Houston. He is a two-time Fulbright Scholar and has written nine books and more than 80 articles or book chapters in various national and international journals. His articles have also appeared in The Washington Monthly, The Jerusalem Report, Tikkun, and Ram- parts. Howard and his wife, Anna, live in Houston, Texas.