Publisher’sWeeklyTop10FallReleaseinBusinessandEconomicsAconsumercreditindustryinsider-turned-outsiderexplainshowbankslureAmericansdeepintodebt,andhowtobreakthecycle.DelinquenttakesreadersonajourneyfromCapitalOne’sheadquarterstostreetcornersinDetroit,kitchentablesinSacramento,andotherplaceswheredebtaffectspeople’severydaylives.UncoveringthetruecostsofconsumercredittoAmericanfamiliesinadditiontothebenefits,investigativejournalistElenaBotella--formerlyanindustryinsiderwhohelpedsetcreditpolicyatCapitalOne--revealstheunderhandedandoftenpredatorywaysthatbanksinduceAmericanborrowersintodebttheycan’tpayback.CombiningBotella’sinsightsfromthebankingindustry,quantitativedata,andresearchfindingsaswellaspersonalstoriesfrominterviewswithindebtedfamiliesaroundthecountry,Delinquentprovidesarelatableandhumaneentryintounderstandingdebt.Botellaexposesthewaysthatbankmarketing,productdesign,andcustomermanagementstrategiesexploitourcommonweaknessesandfantasiesinhowwethinkaboutmoney,andshealsodemonstrateswhycompetitionbetweenbankshasfailedtomakelifebetterforAmericansindebt.Delinquentasks:Howcanwemakecreditavailabletothosewhoneedit,responsiblyandwithoutcausingharm?Lookingtothefuture,Botellapresentsathoroughandincisiveplanforreckoningwithandreformingtheindustry.
