Customer Reviews

Natalie on the Street

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Ann Nietzke provides a portrait of homeless life on the street through her direct experience with a woman named Natalie. Nietzke creates a relationship with Natalie, who has a mental illness, most likely schizophrena. Through Nietzke's daily journal accounts, readers see the stark realities of homelessness: the struggle for food, clothing, retaining possessions, and the struggle for personl safety. In Natalie's case and many others like her's, the life struggle includes her gender, her age, and the distortion of delusions and hallucinations from her untreated mental illness.

This book is disturbing at times, which is where its value lies. Homelessness is ugly. This book lets us who always have had a place to live inside, sheltered,know what is involved in the struggle for the homeless individual. After reading this book, it is clear that the answer is not simple, particularly when mental illness is part of the picture.

This was required reading for a BSN program. I was engaged in Natalie's story and wanted to see how the book ended. It was an easy read and I would recomend it to anyone. I had no idea about some of the issues the homeless face everyday, and I think we all need to be more aware.

I was touched by this book. If there were more Ann Nietzkes in the world, the world would definately be a better place. It is always so easy to look the other way, Ann didn't. To the author, thank you for sharing your experience with us.