In the Heart of the Valley of Love (California Fiction)2 reviews Cynthia Kadohata University of California Press, 1997 Only *realistic* futuristic novel I've read + Like Riddley Walker, this is a book for our century. Most sci-fi books seem to re-hash the same stuff that's been around since the 30s: robots, colonizing other planets, alien invaders, etc. Sometimes that can still make for a good book-- I liked most of Isaac Asimov's robot books for instance-- but usually they just end up resembling mediocre Star ...             Rosa Lee: A Mother and Her Family in Urban America25 reviews Leon Dash Plume, 1997 The Real hard times of a citizen growing up in The projects. + Another world + EXCELLENT in every way + Thought provoking             Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing103 reviews Ted Conover Vintage, 2001 An Engaging Narrative and a Classic on Our Failed Prison System + An eye opening, socially relevant work. + Conover's Best Awarded a 2001 National Book Award and selected as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, Newjack Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing has become a sociological classic, a gritty, eyewitness account of the escalating tragedy afflicting the American penal system. As a journalist-turned undercover prison guard, ...             American Project: The Rise and Fall of a Modern Ghetto7 reviews Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh Harvard University Press, 2002 A sociologist explores life in a public housing high-rise Venkatesh has done a superb job of describing the interrelationships between tenants, and the relationship between tenants and management, as well as chronicalling the changes in these relationships since Robert Taylor was constructed in the early 60's. Anyone who wants to move beyond the ...             The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood68 reviews David Simon, Edward Burns Broadway, 1998 The Corner, maybe the most relevant book on the topic + Like The Wire except with real people! + The Devastating Truth + Not for everyone but great for those seeking a different view             Children of the Mind (Ender, Book 4)204 reviews Orson Scott Card Tor Science Fiction, 1997 Only book that has made me cry This is the only book that has made me cry. I cried when Ender died, (although he didn't die his aiua passed on to Peter) the character of Ender died. Through the series I have gotten so attatched to his character unlike any other character in any series. Through his guilt of xenocide, and hard ...             All the Pretty Horses299 reviews Cormac Mccarthy Vintage, 1993 Definitely a Acquired Taste + A beautiful masterpiece of Western literature + a raw yet elegant coming of age story; hablas espagnol? + Breathtaking and... breathless             Grand Central Winter35 reviews Lee Stringer Washington Square Press, 1999 A Well Written Moving Account Of Homeles Life On The Streets + It's literary memoir, not social commentary + Harsh and Real This book is an autobiographical account of a time in the author's life, Lee Stringer. Mr.Stringer begins the book describing his life as a homeless, crack addict who finds a pencil he intends to use to clean his crack pipe with. Then he realizes that a pen can be a very powerful tool and he starts ...             The Mole People: Life in the Tunnels Beneath New York City112 reviews Jennifer Toth Chicago Review Press, 1995 The Mole People - Great Book! + "Mole People don't exist beneath the surface of NYC, but people do." + stays with you + love this book, my #1 recommendation for friends + wonderful book, fast shipping!!!             Ender's Game (Ender Quartet)2520 reviews Orson Scott Card Tor Books, 1992 Yay for Ender! + Not Your Typical Science Fiction + How did I overlook this series + My top favorite of all time! + Not a Sci-Fi Fan, but loved this book             Orphans of the Living: Stories of America's Children in Foster Care20 reviews Jennifer Toth Touchstone Press, 1998 Tug At Your Heart + Sad Stories - but Unfortunately - True + Good book + Interesting & thought provoking book             Speaker for the Dead (Ender, Book 2)410 reviews Orson Scott Card Tor Books, 1994 Great book + Speaker for the Dead I thought this book was a very good book, It included a good deal of exciting science. It was very well written also the text flowed and was very easy to read. Most of all it was intellectually stimulating as it discussed many complex societal issues and ethical issues with out destroying the ...             There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in The Other America92 reviews Alex Kotlowitz Anchor, 1992 The other America indeed + A World Not Seen By Many + There are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America + Incredible book to read depicting subsidized housing in Chgo + Riveting look at poverty             Somebody Else's Children: The Courts, The Kids, and The Struggle to Save America's Troubled Families9 reviews John Hubner AuthorHouse, 2003 An excellent book! + You Might Understand... + A Must Read + Fascinating and thoughtful look at a complex system + Compulsively Readable             Animal Factory: A Novel8 reviews Edward Bunker St. Martin's Minotaur, 2000 where they put the human waste + The Solzhenitsyn Thing Edward Bunker and I have a lot in common; we were both sent to prison for lengthy time periods for armed robbery. While in prison we both had our first books published.Since being released from prison we have remained free but have had to deal with the eternal stigma of having once been "guests of ...             Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago21 reviews Lealan Jones Pocket, 1998 Our America + Our America in the classroom + great book + This book is so sad. + South Side Chicago- Pocket Books-1997             Rolling Nowhere: Riding the Rails with America's Hoboes10 reviews Ted Conover Vintage, 2001 Livin' with Hobos, I liked it. + Outstanding Ethnographic Debut + An adventure on the rails + An eye-opener             Xenocide (Ender, Book 3)211 reviews Orson Scott Card Tor Books, 1992 An O.K. Book in the Ender Series by Orson Scott Card This is the third book in Card's "Ender" series. After finding it hard to put the first two down, the third is a disappointment. Xenocide tries to span the known universe - with plots and sub-plots taking place on several of the 'Hundred Worlds'. It drags in a lot of places and is just too long ...             Cold New World: Growing Up in a Harder Country (Modern Library Paperbacks)12 reviews William Finnegan Modern Library, 1999 Highly Recommended Sociological Study of the Real America + Would love to see an update for US status in 2008! + Exhilirating + Had to read this book for college + Down and Out in the U.S.A.             On the Road625 reviews Jack Kerouac Penguin (Non-Classics), 1976 My perspective + The Classic Outlaw I rather think On The Road is the kind of book that will either appeal to someone or it won't. I guess most books are that way. But I see so many disparaging reviews either here or in the discussion section that I wanted to start by acknowledging that point. Personally, I loved the book enough ...