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jexjthomas's review against another edition
5.0
As far as I'm concerned, this is one of the most important books published in the last twenty years. David Simon and Ed Burns's wonderful book tackles life in the inner city, both on the macro and micro levels, looking at not only the crushing, systemic problems, but the fleeting joys -- and how far some people will go to recreate those joys. Centering mostly on the McCullough family, The Corner also features a rich cast of supporting characters, whose lives and stories are just as interesting as the McCulloughs', and whose failures and successes are just as affecting.
Structurally, the book switches between a fairly straight narrative about the McCullough family and those around them, and essay-like asides tackling the broader issues at play. That said, Simon and Burns are never prescriptive or condescending, nor do they hold the reader's hand and direct him to particular conclusions. This is a world that is morally ambiguous, and the authors are careful not to moralize, leading to a book that feels truly journalistic, which is eminently readable and moving.
This is a book that I've recommended to nearly everyone I know, and which I've forced into the hands of dozens of people. It's a book that goes a long way to describe the experience of people that often get ignored, or who are prejudged and written off -- or worse. I feel very strongly that The Corner should be required reading in high school sociology classes. It'd be like a mainline of compassion.
As an added bonus for fans of The Wire, you'll notice a lot of similarities between some of the folks that populate real world Bawlmer and those we've come to know and love on The Wire.
Structurally, the book switches between a fairly straight narrative about the McCullough family and those around them, and essay-like asides tackling the broader issues at play. That said, Simon and Burns are never prescriptive or condescending, nor do they hold the reader's hand and direct him to particular conclusions. This is a world that is morally ambiguous, and the authors are careful not to moralize, leading to a book that feels truly journalistic, which is eminently readable and moving.
This is a book that I've recommended to nearly everyone I know, and which I've forced into the hands of dozens of people. It's a book that goes a long way to describe the experience of people that often get ignored, or who are prejudged and written off -- or worse. I feel very strongly that The Corner should be required reading in high school sociology classes. It'd be like a mainline of compassion.
As an added bonus for fans of The Wire, you'll notice a lot of similarities between some of the folks that populate real world Bawlmer and those we've come to know and love on The Wire.
kellyroberson's review against another edition
5.0
A profound commentary on life in urban America. Definite must-read for anyone wanting to understand how nuanced and seemingly unconquerable the problems of the street are, but also for anyone hoping beyond hope that things may one day change. David Simon is unmatched in his understanding and reporting on American life.
monda16's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
4.0
tcoale's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorite non-fiction books of all time. It presents the integration of essays on the plight of the modern city with a narrative discussing the life of one family living in Baltimore. I read the book shortly after moving out of Baltimore myself, and almost felt as if the curtain was pulled back on many question that I thought had no answers. Please read this book.
sde's review against another edition
3.0
This book was an in-depth look at life in an inner city neighborhood. It was interesting but got very repetitive. I think the author could have cut out a great deal and still have gotten the message across. After reading again and again of Gary shooting heroin or DeAndre skipping school, I just got bored, rather than sympathetic. In my experience in a much smaller city, there are more people trying to do good and hold the neighborhood together than is depicted in this book. Maybe once you get to a certain scale it becomes more intractable.
In books like this I always wonder how the author got so much information from folks in such detail. Would be curious to know more about the author's methods of investigating and talking to folks.
I did appreciate the insight into why the people around the "Corner" behave in the ways they do. They are not just self-destructive. For instance, for girls in this situation, it makes sense for them to have babies young, and all the handing out of birth control will not do much.
In books like this I always wonder how the author got so much information from folks in such detail. Would be curious to know more about the author's methods of investigating and talking to folks.
I did appreciate the insight into why the people around the "Corner" behave in the ways they do. They are not just self-destructive. For instance, for girls in this situation, it makes sense for them to have babies young, and all the handing out of birth control will not do much.
rebeccavenchers's review
5.0
Anyone who knows me has been subjected to my love for 'The Wire', mostly though my melding of quotes from the show into my everyday language. The show is one of my all time favourite series, and one day, when perusing the shelves in the famous Parisian bookstore Shakespeare and Company, I saw this book sitting there, jumping out at me. It was one that I was familiar with, being a fan of the show and having seen the book before, and despite the 15 euro price I snapped it up quickly and had it stamped by the bookstore.
Months later, I finally decided to take on the 600+ page brick. I had always wanted to read more about the people that were the inspiration for The Wire. I can safely say that this is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. Set in 1993, the book is divided into the four seasons and focuses on one broken family, the McCullough's in West Baltimore and their friends, family, enemies and acquaintances along the notorious open air drug market surrounding Fayette Street.
The form of the book is very difficult to describe. Some of the time, it reads like a novel; the intricacy and depth in which the characters are explored and their incredible stories sometimes seem like they could only come from someones imagination. Couple this with the fact that their stores are told is what has been termed 'non-fiction prose' and it almost seems like it is just an intricately woven plot. But, in fact, through not-so-conventional journalistic methods, like integrating themselves into the lives and daily routines of drug addicts, fiends, touts and school children on the edge of the chasm of manhood, the result is a beautifully written account of the hardship where everyday surrounds the needle. Whether or not that person is or isn't a drug addict, everyone is somehow affected by it - drug users whose days revolve around finding enough money to keep the pain of withdrawal at bay, teenage boys selling on the corner to save enough for Nike's with the constant knowledge that a stray bullet could end their short lives, or the upstanding, blue-collar citizens of the area being subjected to an open air drug market on their front porches, or drug addict sons blasting in their basement. They are all affected.
Though all its 628 pages, you may laugh at the capers, or you may cry at the pain and injustice these people suffer but there is always a profound sense of sadness. It prevails in this book because sometimes you forget that it isn't a novel - it is real life, it is fact and these are peoples lives being described. One of the best aspects of the book is the authors' wonderful writing and at times, their seemingly lyrical descriptions of life on the corner, history as it was and what has happened since the publication. Some have fallen, some have moved on, some have stayed and managed to climb out of the depths of addition and reliance on drugs.
But ever present is 'the corner'. The corner, it becomes clear, is a character, in much the same way as Tyreeka, DeAndre, Fran or Gary. It is tangible, always there, lurking with a stranglehold on each and every one of the residents of West Baltimore. And it doesn't care whether they live or die, stay or go - it will always be there, consuming and feeding off the vulnerability of these people. What Burns and Simon have produced is a voice for these people, those who perhaps would never get a chance to be heard or would otherwise be misunderstood. They explain clearly how things have reached this point, why current strategies do not work and freely admit that no-one from the upper echelons of society will be able to understand, and therefore solve the problem. They do this by stating facts, weaving in personal stories and never condescend or write with a patronising voice.
This book is incredible. That's all there is to it. It is not a book to be devoured in a weekend - even if you could, there is no point, because you need to allow the book to seep into you. You need to allow time for the people to become a part of you in order to fully be able to comprehend the triumphs and the downfalls.
Months later, I finally decided to take on the 600+ page brick. I had always wanted to read more about the people that were the inspiration for The Wire. I can safely say that this is one of the most incredible books I've ever read. Set in 1993, the book is divided into the four seasons and focuses on one broken family, the McCullough's in West Baltimore and their friends, family, enemies and acquaintances along the notorious open air drug market surrounding Fayette Street.
The form of the book is very difficult to describe. Some of the time, it reads like a novel; the intricacy and depth in which the characters are explored and their incredible stories sometimes seem like they could only come from someones imagination. Couple this with the fact that their stores are told is what has been termed 'non-fiction prose' and it almost seems like it is just an intricately woven plot. But, in fact, through not-so-conventional journalistic methods, like integrating themselves into the lives and daily routines of drug addicts, fiends, touts and school children on the edge of the chasm of manhood, the result is a beautifully written account of the hardship where everyday surrounds the needle. Whether or not that person is or isn't a drug addict, everyone is somehow affected by it - drug users whose days revolve around finding enough money to keep the pain of withdrawal at bay, teenage boys selling on the corner to save enough for Nike's with the constant knowledge that a stray bullet could end their short lives, or the upstanding, blue-collar citizens of the area being subjected to an open air drug market on their front porches, or drug addict sons blasting in their basement. They are all affected.
Though all its 628 pages, you may laugh at the capers, or you may cry at the pain and injustice these people suffer but there is always a profound sense of sadness. It prevails in this book because sometimes you forget that it isn't a novel - it is real life, it is fact and these are peoples lives being described. One of the best aspects of the book is the authors' wonderful writing and at times, their seemingly lyrical descriptions of life on the corner, history as it was and what has happened since the publication. Some have fallen, some have moved on, some have stayed and managed to climb out of the depths of addition and reliance on drugs.
But ever present is 'the corner'. The corner, it becomes clear, is a character, in much the same way as Tyreeka, DeAndre, Fran or Gary. It is tangible, always there, lurking with a stranglehold on each and every one of the residents of West Baltimore. And it doesn't care whether they live or die, stay or go - it will always be there, consuming and feeding off the vulnerability of these people. What Burns and Simon have produced is a voice for these people, those who perhaps would never get a chance to be heard or would otherwise be misunderstood. They explain clearly how things have reached this point, why current strategies do not work and freely admit that no-one from the upper echelons of society will be able to understand, and therefore solve the problem. They do this by stating facts, weaving in personal stories and never condescend or write with a patronising voice.
This book is incredible. That's all there is to it. It is not a book to be devoured in a weekend - even if you could, there is no point, because you need to allow the book to seep into you. You need to allow time for the people to become a part of you in order to fully be able to comprehend the triumphs and the downfalls.
sternjon's review against another edition
5.0
The most astonishing piece of journalism I’ve ever encountered. A miracle of a book.
srash's review against another edition
5.0
This is an excellent but heartbreaking book. Sort of like the emotional equivalent of being punched in the face over and over again.
Simon's book Homicide follows Baltimore murder police for a year, whereas this book follows the life and times of the residents of one of West Baltimore's worst drug corners for a year.
The book's main focus is the McCullough family. Gary used to own his own business and read voraciously about philosophy and investing, but his addiction has left him relying on stealing scrap metal. Still, there remains a gentleness and philosophical side to him that makes him spectacularly ill-suited to the street. His former wife Fran is far more street-savvy and made of sterner stuff and has a much more long-standing addiction to drugs. Their teenaged son DeAndre is bright and at times significantly more mature than either parent but already succumbing to the lures of easy money dealing drugs on the corner.
Beyond the McCullough family, the book also profiles the efforts of Ella, a rec center director, to keep as many of the local kids off the corner through her afternoon sessions. It's a losing battle but one she sincerely fights daily. There's also Fat Curt, Rita, and the other residents of Blue's local shooting gallery. Blue's a talented artist whom Ella continually invites to lead art programs, but he's lost in a drug haze, and his addict friends have completely stripped the home he inherited from his mother of anything of value. Curt and Rita are both so physically debilitated from their years of shooting up heroin that the local cops find them too repulsive to arrest.
At various points, all of them vow to quit and some even make significant progress on the road to recovery (something that is oddly cheered on even by the local dealers), but the conventional wisdom on the street that you have to leave West Baltimore to stay clean is proven true over and over again.
Simon's book Homicide follows Baltimore murder police for a year, whereas this book follows the life and times of the residents of one of West Baltimore's worst drug corners for a year.
The book's main focus is the McCullough family. Gary used to own his own business and read voraciously about philosophy and investing, but his addiction has left him relying on stealing scrap metal. Still, there remains a gentleness and philosophical side to him that makes him spectacularly ill-suited to the street. His former wife Fran is far more street-savvy and made of sterner stuff and has a much more long-standing addiction to drugs. Their teenaged son DeAndre is bright and at times significantly more mature than either parent but already succumbing to the lures of easy money dealing drugs on the corner.
Beyond the McCullough family, the book also profiles the efforts of Ella, a rec center director, to keep as many of the local kids off the corner through her afternoon sessions. It's a losing battle but one she sincerely fights daily. There's also Fat Curt, Rita, and the other residents of Blue's local shooting gallery. Blue's a talented artist whom Ella continually invites to lead art programs, but he's lost in a drug haze, and his addict friends have completely stripped the home he inherited from his mother of anything of value. Curt and Rita are both so physically debilitated from their years of shooting up heroin that the local cops find them too repulsive to arrest.
At various points, all of them vow to quit and some even make significant progress on the road to recovery (something that is oddly cheered on even by the local dealers), but the conventional wisdom on the street that you have to leave West Baltimore to stay clean is proven true over and over again.
sherif's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.75
It’s difficult to believe how much effort Simon and Burns put into this work of journalism. The book is almost 26 years old at this point, and I wonder how much it can still describe the world of drug addiction and abuse today. My guess is that it does to some extent; some of the societal faults and our contributions to them are still the same. But it must also be outdated to a significant degree since it knows nothing of opioid crises and knows nothing about fentanyl.
It’s risky to base your knowledge of something as big and complicated as drug addiction on any one source. If I were to build a collection of courses for building understanding of drug addiction, I would add this book to the set including Dopesick and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts.
It’s risky to base your knowledge of something as big and complicated as drug addiction on any one source. If I were to build a collection of courses for building understanding of drug addiction, I would add this book to the set including Dopesick and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse and Drug use