52 Books, Week 7: The Corner
"Black church services, murderers, Arabs serving burgersAs cats with gold permanents, move they bags as herbalists
The dirt isn't just fertile, its people workin' and earnin' this
The curb getters go where the cats flow and the current is
Its so hot that niggaz burn to live
The furnace is, whether money movin', the determined live
We talk shit, play lotto, and buy German beers
Its so black packed with action that's affirmative" -- Common
Wow. Becomingme said it but I didn't believe it. I must learn to take my favorite poster's words, much more seriously. Near great, this book is. Its probably the best fiction I've read in the past two years (slightly edging out Life of Pi, and the last edition of Harry Potter - Don't sleep). A harrowing, sobering, unwavering, unfliching look at the lives of a family trying to make a miracle happen, the authors really force you to look at some of the most unsavory features of our country, and economic system. Seriously, what do you do when an economy doesn't need 10% of its workers?. The political implications, and public policy implications of the 'war on drugs' are also discussed in realistic terms and very straightforward language.
A long book that never gets tedious, it succeeds in slowly sucking you in, until you realize that the chances of people making it off the corners only diminsh as you turn the pages. In Epstein's book, he writes that novelists are the best sociologists, and after reading this book I couldn't agree more. Simon and Burns team together to write an ethnography so realistic, I feel like I know these characters intimately. As an amazon.com poster said, "To use a worn cliche, this book is indeed an eye opener, telling the tale of people who fell and have no reason to hope for anything beyond the next blast from a pipe."
Just go out and read the damn book. ASAP.
By the way, TI's new single is crazy. Currently reading: We Who Are Dark
Labels: 52 Books
posted by The Generalist at 11:30 PM
2 Comments:
But, darling, the book isn't fiction. It's a true account. Did you get a book with pictures (no really, I'm serious)? You see who the "real" people are. And, at the end of Dutton's series, he interviews Fran, DeAndre, DeAndre's baby's mommy (I've forgotten her name), and Blue--the painter.
I wanted to be sure you knew the book was non-fictional. I think the book takes on a completely different meaning and has unsettling social implications when readers keep this in mind.
Smooches and nipply things to you!
You know what, I did have the book with the pictures! For some reason (and i think primarily because Fat Curt's features, were literally unbelievable to me), I thought the book was fiction (obviously) and the pictures were pre-production stills or something. Another thing that lead to my disbelief: the two white guys who I saw on the back of the cover. When i saw this, I thought to myself, there is no way that these guys were around for this. wow. color me suprised (no pun intended). fortunately the reflections on issues affecting poor urban communities didn't lose any power for me, when i believed the story was false. the reality read true, and that's why i was so impressed by the book. thanks for setting me straight.
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