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hcrowley99's review against another edition
3.0
Was kinda eh. Interesting but didn’t get much out of it I’m regards to his research.
carapal's review against another edition
3.0
this was a book that was on my tbr for a LONG time! i’m so glad i finally got around to it; however, as i wrapped up the book, i’m unsure with what i’ve gotten out of it as a whole. it’s a good preview into what life in the projects is like, the complications and inter-workings of running a gang, the logistics of running a drug trade, and much more. however, it’s just a preview. as i was reading, i found myself wishing this whole project was just written differently, and just better might i add, to really highlight the emotional complexity and diverseness of all the people sudhir developed relationships with. he has great ideas and i truly think a lot of this work is groundbreaking within the realms of “sociology academia”. sudhir was in a really unique position, being on the streets of chicago learning what encompasses gang life, all while being enrolled in a graduate program at a prestigious university. so much of academia is so far removed from society at large. people who claim to be researching poverty, for example, don’t even get into contact with actual impoverished communities, and the solutions they suggest feel idealistic, out of touch, and unrealistic at best. it’s cool to see some actual field work be done in the areas all this research is about. while this book feels surface level in ways, it’s still really important to the overall discourse on inner-city gangs and it’s a step forward.
this book really stuck a chord with me though since i’m from chicago. learning more about my city’s rough and often hidden history is an endeavor i’ve begun in recent years. it’s heartbreaking to see the ways communities are being ripped apart. it’s the fruition of deeply racist city-planning strategies implemented decades ago that we’re continuing to enable today. this book just shows a glimpse of this, and the ways these processes are complicated by adding the complex dynamics of gang life and their agendas. i feel that i have a better understanding of my city now, and it’s sparked ideas for how i can play a role in bringing our city together.
this book really stuck a chord with me though since i’m from chicago. learning more about my city’s rough and often hidden history is an endeavor i’ve begun in recent years. it’s heartbreaking to see the ways communities are being ripped apart. it’s the fruition of deeply racist city-planning strategies implemented decades ago that we’re continuing to enable today. this book just shows a glimpse of this, and the ways these processes are complicated by adding the complex dynamics of gang life and their agendas. i feel that i have a better understanding of my city now, and it’s sparked ideas for how i can play a role in bringing our city together.
tophat8855's review against another edition
3.0
Shaking my head at how naive Venkatesh was at points.
It was by pure chance that I listened to this right after finishing Freakonomics (I use a random number generator to pick my next books).
It was interesting. I listened via Hoopla and they had an interview afterwards with Venkatesh and that was good, too.
It was by pure chance that I listened to this right after finishing Freakonomics (I use a random number generator to pick my next books).
It was interesting. I listened via Hoopla and they had an interview afterwards with Venkatesh and that was good, too.
ballista_2003's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This book was just as good if not better on the re-read! I can’t wait to read everything else Venkatesh publishes!
yarafadel's review against another edition
4.0
This was a great book. The author had the courage to do exactly what curious people must do - in my opinion. He went to the places he was told not to go, presented himself and took full responsibility for his actions. I do not think this was supposed to be a sociological book; rather it was probably everything he wanted to say in his dissertation but could not. It is his diary of those 5 years of his life. I love the fact that the author does not identify as the same race group as those he lived with in the projects. He went in knowing nothing, and came out with a book that spoke about the gang taboos we do not want to talk about or admit they exist. This book was about the author’s experience and what he saw first hand, and I am very glad people are writing such personal books that actually teach you something.
maiello13's review against another edition
4.0
Great read, but very unethical and there were some inconsistencies that bothered me. However I believe that he did give a true view of life in a gang in the early 90s.