IN FACT (cover your ears, conservatives), I feel that Kozol drastically UNDERSTATED the problems portrayed in this book. In fact, I'm shocked he could even go to this neighborhood and write about all the awful things there.. surely he was afraid for his life, and surely he became very frustrated writing about things that could be changed if people (for example, politicians) actually care. (Should children have to live in rat-infested homes, go to [crummy] schools and hope they live to adulthood because their parents have a low-paying job? Hmmmm...)
Anyway, I read this book for a sociology class and it was a real page turner!! I read it all in about 4 days. As someone who's been below poverty level but never anywhere near an environment this bad, I found it very enlightening and moving. It's very fascinating to hear the views the people who live in Mott Haven hold.. one thing we talked about in our class is whether Americans hate children. We say no, but much evidence says otherwise. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in poverty and its causes, and social issues.