ginbott's review
5.0
Alexander Masters is working as a fundraiser for Wintercomfort, a homeless centre in Cambridge. Not because of some overwhelming altruistic impulse, but mostly because the money is really good and if he stays upstairs he doesn't even have to see any homeless people through his entire shift.
Then two things happen:
Firstly, the two people running the charity are arrested and convicted to several years in prison because two homeless men have been dealing drugs on the premises
Secondly, Alexander meets Stuart Shorter - a man who has been homeless on several occasions and has been in and out of prison.
Bit of a moralistically preachy novel?
Actually, this is a true story and it's in no way out to get you to sell all your worldly possessions and start working for a charity. Masters decides to become Stuart's biographer and piece together the story of how a caring, smart, somewhat mischievous child turned into a violent, unpredictable homeless man. This isn't a story that explains neatly why people become homeless and how to get them off the streets. It's a story of two men becoming friends, set against the background of the campaign to liberate 'the Cambridge 2' - in which Stuart played a crucial role.
Because Stuart isn't just a chaotic homeless, he is a moral and intelligent guy, funny, with a tendency to yap on and on. On the other hand, he has committed violent crimes, been an addict, lived on the streets, been to prison and moved into flats at various stages in his live.
What the book does is shine a light on the people that have lost their humanity to the rest of the world, but also - to an extent - to themselves, the people that help them, their family, their backgrounds. It talks about reasons why people might become homeless, and reveals there are just as many different personalities, communities and rules among these people as we have with our colleagues and friends. It introduces you to flawed human beings in all areas of life. What the book doesn't do is generalise, offer swift solutions, place blame, or allow for round the campfire insights about changing the world together.
Stuart's life story, told backwards - at Stuart's suggestion - makes your jaw drop and is at different times gut wrenching, mortifying, funny and disturbing. Masters tone is spot on and he strikes a perfect balance between being, at times, exasperated with his friend, immensely proud, confused, humbled or terrified. He puts real originality and humour in his phrasing and it is a completely addictive read. Once you start you won’t want to put it down.
This is a beautiful, unique book about just some guy, who happens to have a rather amazing story to share.
Then two things happen:
Firstly, the two people running the charity are arrested and convicted to several years in prison because two homeless men have been dealing drugs on the premises
Secondly, Alexander meets Stuart Shorter - a man who has been homeless on several occasions and has been in and out of prison.
Bit of a moralistically preachy novel?
Actually, this is a true story and it's in no way out to get you to sell all your worldly possessions and start working for a charity. Masters decides to become Stuart's biographer and piece together the story of how a caring, smart, somewhat mischievous child turned into a violent, unpredictable homeless man. This isn't a story that explains neatly why people become homeless and how to get them off the streets. It's a story of two men becoming friends, set against the background of the campaign to liberate 'the Cambridge 2' - in which Stuart played a crucial role.
Because Stuart isn't just a chaotic homeless, he is a moral and intelligent guy, funny, with a tendency to yap on and on. On the other hand, he has committed violent crimes, been an addict, lived on the streets, been to prison and moved into flats at various stages in his live.
What the book does is shine a light on the people that have lost their humanity to the rest of the world, but also - to an extent - to themselves, the people that help them, their family, their backgrounds. It talks about reasons why people might become homeless, and reveals there are just as many different personalities, communities and rules among these people as we have with our colleagues and friends. It introduces you to flawed human beings in all areas of life. What the book doesn't do is generalise, offer swift solutions, place blame, or allow for round the campfire insights about changing the world together.
Stuart's life story, told backwards - at Stuart's suggestion - makes your jaw drop and is at different times gut wrenching, mortifying, funny and disturbing. Masters tone is spot on and he strikes a perfect balance between being, at times, exasperated with his friend, immensely proud, confused, humbled or terrified. He puts real originality and humour in his phrasing and it is a completely addictive read. Once you start you won’t want to put it down.
This is a beautiful, unique book about just some guy, who happens to have a rather amazing story to share.
hanne842's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
5.0
sadiereadsagain's review against another edition
3.0
This is the biography of a very disturbed homeless man the author met when they both got involved in a campaign to free two jailed charity workers. It sucked me right in, & taught me a lot about a section of society I knew nothing about. Not in a way that made me sympathetic, but it gave me a new level of understanding. I enjoyed the writing style a lot - the author got to know Stuart on a personal level more than a subject-author basis & so a lot of the reflections are so real, like the comments you may make about your own friends when they annoy you or show a sensitive side. As a result you as a reader don't just view Stuart as a subject or character, but as utterly real. His life is a very sad story, but the book doesn't milk that or play on that. It simply works backwards through time trying to find the one thing that turned Stuart into the mess he was as a grown man & finds a tangled ball of threads all equally weighted in making him who he was.
babydragonmom7314's review
2.0
i hated this book. i gave it TWO stars, because well, stuart and alexander shouldn't be punished because i work in the social services field w/ mentally ill chemically addicted offenders. it is a tough book to read - it is not funny (or, at least i didn't find it funny anywhere as other reviewers have), the lack of any british slang translation makes other things really difficult, and i mean come on, how much of a train wreck of a life can you read without getting really depressed?
i work with this population everyday so i think that is why different ppl. from different walks of my life recommended this book, but, ya know - i forced myself to finish it. i DO think that it is an excellent depiction of the life of the homeless, mentally ill, drug addicted, offender. i even kind of want some of the case managers that work for me to pick it up and read it. however, since i live this every day from 9 - 5, i just couldn't stomach anymore of it on the train to and from work.
ick.
on to bigger and better "forget about real life" book reading endeavors.
i work with this population everyday so i think that is why different ppl. from different walks of my life recommended this book, but, ya know - i forced myself to finish it. i DO think that it is an excellent depiction of the life of the homeless, mentally ill, drug addicted, offender. i even kind of want some of the case managers that work for me to pick it up and read it. however, since i live this every day from 9 - 5, i just couldn't stomach anymore of it on the train to and from work.
ick.
on to bigger and better "forget about real life" book reading endeavors.
misspalah's review against another edition
4.0
I shed my tears for this book. No children deserved to live the life of Stuart. I was appalled by his brother, baby sitter, and ever teachers whom for years sexually abused him and to the extend causing him to lose his mind completely. He was not crazy ( as completely crazy) but he is mentally unstable and prone to violence outbreak if certain situation renders him so. His life is full of pain and betrayals by people around him. This is one of the the most memorable book I've ever read. Alexander narrates the story with such simplicity and moderate pace following the Stuart's life chronology. The relationship developed between Alexander and Stuart portrayed in the book also genuine and not pretentious. Rather than between someone with home and homeless, it is between an individuals with 2 different backgrounds.
vr_alyssa's review against another edition
3.25
2018 review: Painful, funny, and painfully funny. I didn't expect to enjoy it so much. Definitely recommend reading this book.
simplyalaskax's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I’ve ever read. Knowing it’s a true story, makes it all the more powerful. Everybody should know about Stuart Shorter and his brave, tragic, resilient story.