A masterful scholarly work - though accessible to non-experts - examining how the world's poor live on $2 or less per day. Using in-depth 'financial diaries' the authors reveal the world's poor (focusing on Pakistan, India, and South Africa) to have much more dynamic and fluid financial lives than the uninitiated might think. The book provides important insights into how to combat poverty, emphasizing that the poor suffer from the 'triple-whammy' of low and irregular incomes, and a lack of available financial instruments. Recommendations for microfinance and addressing systemic poverty are included. A must-read for anyone interested in leveling the economic playing field on any scale.
