Living at the Edge of the World: How I Survived in the Tunnels of Grand Central Station [Paperback]

Tina S. (Author), Jamie Pastor Bolnick (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 12, 2001

In this powerful and inspiring true story, Tina S. tells of four years living in the train tunnels beneath Grand Central Station amidst the homeless and the drug addicted. What began as an adventure quickly turns into a nightmare as she describes daily life in a netherworld most people don't even know exists. With heartbreaking honesty Tina chronicles her descent into crack addition, her several arrests and jail terms, and her overwhelming grief and guilt over the death of April, her best friend and fellow runaway.

Finally faced with the reality that she might not make it through one more day, Tina begins the long struggle back to the world of the living. This is an unforgettable story of one young's woman's indomitable will to survive.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A shocking and sometimes mordantly funny narrative of struggle and survival . . . Tina's directness and honesty with hold readers tight."-Publishers Weekly

"Right off the bat this had everything I enjoy in a book; immediacy; honest; poignancy and, most importantly, an author not afraid to reveal herself. Tina S.'s words unveil a human story more than a homeless story. One which-unless is ice water in your veins-will crawl inside you and rouse those things inside which we have all made an industry of lulling into sleep."-Lee Stringer, author of Grand Central Winter

'Tina's chilling tale of survival tells not only of the young lives lost to the underground, but also of a teenager's struggle to reemerge in our world. Her courage and strength are an inspiration."-Jennifer Toth, author The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City

"A journey between darkness and light, life in the tunnels and repeated rehabs, Living at the Edge of the World is a powerful look at a teenager's struggles with homelessness and drug addiction. Tina S. survives because others, among them Jamie Pastor Bolnick, refuse to let her self-destruct."-Margaret Morton, author of The Tunnel: The Underground Homeless of New York City

"The book is written with chilling detail, and the story is told with candor and, at times, humor. It holds you spellbound."-New York Post

"Richly detailed, fast-paced, and moving coming-of-age tale."-Library Journal

About the Author

Tina S. currently works as a supervisor at Ready, Willing & Able, an organization that teaches job skills to the homeless. She lives in Brooklyn.

Jamie Pastor Bolnick is the author of Winnie: My Life in the Institution, which was made into an NBC-TV movie. Her work has also appeared in magazines and newspapers, including Redbook and Newsday. She lives in New York City with her family.

Product Details

• Paperback: 283 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (October 12, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312284071
• ISBN-13: 978-0312284077
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #848,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Eye-opening yet Hopeful, April 19, 2002

By 

Dana Yeager (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Living at the Edge of the World: How I Survived in the Tunnels of Grand Central Station (Paperback)

I just finished reading Living at the Edge of the World and now I'm getting all my friends to read it. This book was unforgetable. Tina is so honest about her fears and confusions, anyone can relate to her. The book is anything but depressing. After reading it you feel as if you know Tina and her friends. Now that I've started a new novel, I miss Tina! This a book for anyone who has ever felt hopeless or lonely, and for all us who continue to remember the homeless in our thoughts and prayers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book -- I couldn't put it down!, April 24, 2010

By 

Liz McEntee "perkykoala" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living at the Edge of the World: How I Survived in the Tunnels of Grand Central Station (Paperback)

I have to admit that if I didn't know Tina, I probably never would've gotten (or heard of) this book in the first place. I'm not a big reader (I'm lucky if I read a book a year), but I ordered the book, started reading it... and couldn't put it down!!

It was really interesting how it was written -- it was written in first-person, which isn't all that unusual, but it had two storylines going -- one that started at the beginning, and then one that started at when her life started to change. The book went back and forth between both storylines, so when you're done, the end of the "beginning" storyline is the beginning of the "life changing" storyline, and when I was finished, I went back and re-read the beginning of the book.

The book gave me so much insight into how it was to be in Tina's shoes -- how she got there, how she got by (and the culture that existed in Grand Central at the time), and how she changed things around. Due to my rave reviews, one of my co-workers got the book (and then loaned it to another co-worker who wanted to read it), and both of my GRANDMOTHERS ordered the book! I recommend the book to just about anyone -- it's definitely an eye-opener!

5.0 out of 5 stars Nancy Drew Reviews, March 5, 2010

By 

Nancy Drew "mystery lady" (CO) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Living at the Edge of the World: How I Survived in the Tunnels of Grand Central Station (Paperback)

This is one of the most insightful books I have ever read about tunnel living.I must admit that the book made me a bit depressed because Tina went from hell and back.At times I thought about putting it down because it was so emotional, but I had to read until the end to get some closure.This is a book I'll never forget.This woman is a true survivor.