Customer Reviews

Sidewalk

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

his is the best and most readable work of sociology I have ever encountered, a completely unromantic look at poverty. Most impressive to me as an attorney is the way that the author, while arguing that these men are trying to live with standards of moral worth, is willing to look carefully at the evidence which would contradict his claims. Most authors only present the evidence which supports their view. Duneier spends whole chapters looking at behaviors such as urinating in public, sleeping on the sidewalk, talking to passing pedestrians, and selling stolen goods. These chapters make for fascinating reading.

It is also great that this author gives so much space to the voices of residents of Greenwich Village. It is astounding to hear the people in positions of power who work for the business improvement disticts, and what they --especially the woman who runs the Village Alliance -- have to say about the homeless. I was shocked to hear her say that where she thinks there should be a change in the law is that the first amendment should not protext street people. Wow! These are the kinds of things that never get said publicly but which secretly motivate efforts to get marginal people off the streets.

The book ends with a brilliant afterward by Hakim Hasan, one of the vendors. This alone is worth the price of of an otherwise extraordinary book.

At a moment when crass pols like NY's Mayor Giuliani would demonize all homeless people with a broad brush, Dr. Duneier has given us a look at a group of street people that suggest the diversity, humanity, and worth of a segment of society heretofore misunderstood and neglected.

Spike is right--this is great sociology. And, for lay readers, a rare insight into a group of people we might walk by each day without any basis of understanding. Like the author's "Slim's Table", this is good reading and provocative scholarship.

This is an excellent book -- a page turner. Mitch Duneier allows us a look at the corporate structure of the street vending business through his living and working among the street vendors as well as taped coversations and quotes from the various vendors. We are allowed to meet the vendors and peek into some of the reasons they have become vendors. I have always seen street vendors -- but was unaware of the complexities of the business. The research for this book was thorough and complete. Mitch is an excellent researcher and writer. Ovie Carter brings us superior photos allowing us to see the vendors we have met through Mitch's words.

Having read "Slim's Table," Mitch Duneier and Ovie Carter's first venture, I can say that "Sidewalk" is equal in every way.

I look forward to a third book collaborating the talents of Mitch Duneier and Ovie Carter.

I've rarely read a "participant-observer's" book in which the observer, in this case an already-recognized scholar/sociologist is so manifestly a true participant, and in which the subjects being observed are so alive and active contributors to the book. Moreover, Duneier is a sociologist who can write, and the photographic illustrations not only works of art in themselves but truly illustrative of the community the author describes so comprehensively and positively. (It rings absolutely true to my sense of the street and its people in a neighborhood where I lived for 15 years, including the period covered).Book, I'm sure, will be controversial, but thew depth of concern, strength of research, and humanity make SIDEWALK an exceptional work even if one disagrees with its conclusions (although after having read it dispassionately, I can't imagine disagreeing in any significant way). NY Times called it "magnificent" and I concur.

I can't say that I've ever had an interest in sociology; I happened across this book via a link on the This American Life homepage while looking for something completely unrelated.

Wow, thank goodness for circumstance. This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in urban life. Everyone -- urban dwellers, suburbanites, country folk -- has their own preconceived notions about the unhoused. Mr. Duneier spends years (on and off) with the "written materials" vendors in Greenwich Village and exposes a wealth of information that the rest of us would otherwise never imagine.

Written in a style that's very readable considering its academic relevance, this is a book that can't be overlooked. Holiday shopping for your urban friends is complete; this book is it.

This book truly moved me! It has thoroughly made an impact since being faced with recent street problems here in Seattle. This book is a Sociological gem written by an articulate compassionate author. Sidewalk is a must read by ALL!

Sidewalk is a brutal look into the human condition that many would wish never existed. It's about The lives and times of a few homeless individuals, who are trying to make an honest living by recycling discarded books and magazines. The book is mostly centered on the social effect these Greenwich Village occupants have on the sidewalk life scene. I found their life stories to be significantly tragic and at times very funny. The stories within this book reach out to the reader for sympathy, but at the same time gives the reader a wholehearted lift. Sidewalk is a must read and should not be overlooked.

I was halfway through reading Sidewalk in April this year when I suddenly remembered that my friend was vacationing in New York. In a desperate and pathetic attempt to live vicariously through her, I suggested she take a stroll down the streets of New York which Mitchell Duneier had featured in his book, particularly at the intersection where Hasan Hakim held his table and forums. (She didn't by the way.)

While I was only a few pages into Sidewalk, I was touched by Duneier's deep sense of humanity and humility. He brought life to these people and showed us how, for many of them, living (and making a living) in the streets was a conscious decision, be it one which was made actively, or with resignation. He brought out their sense of self-worth in spite of living conditions which many would deem unliveable and intolerable. By the mere fact of their ability to make do with what they have, the sidewalk community have become much stronger and real than many of us, defined not by their material possessions but by their fighting spirit. Hasan Hakim embodies this virtue and more. He has made a meaningful life not only for himself and his fellow street dwellers, but also for the pedestrians who come into contact with him both intentionally and unintentionally.

Sidewalk isn't merely a book about the human condition and its resilience and complexities. It is also a tribute to a man's passion about his craft and his humility - and the man is Mitchell Duneier. He spent years researching this gem not just by interviews and distant observation; he immersed himself in the street lives of his subjects with the constant awareness that he could've been treated partially because of the colour of his skin and his educational background etc. Still, he tried. And I applaud him.

Every once in a while you read a book that changes the way you look at the world. Sidewalk is that kind of book. It has made me understand poverty, the humanity of people on the streets, and my own self as I look at these issues. This is not a romantic or bleeding heart book. It is brutally honest, but it helps you see the human beings behind behavior that get defined as so bad.

I highly recommend this unforgettable book to anyone who wants to understand how different classes of American society currently co-exist and influence one another. Sidewalk is a very powerful book that provides insight into the lives of people who society often ignores - steeet vendors. With its extraordinary text and the intimate, respectful photos by Ovie Carter, it is a book that should not be missed.