This book is a series of first-person accounts of living in the different iconic Chicago public housing projects, including the Robert Taylor Homes, Cabrini-Green and Stateway Gardens. The Executive Editor's note in the book explains that the narratives are the result of extensive oral history interviews with 26 men and women from Chicago over the course of 2 1/2 years.
I found this book to be a very interesting read, as I am from the Chicago area and lived in different neighborhoods in Chicago, including one near the Jane Addams Homes. I have read other books about Chicago's public housing so it nice to get the viewpoints through these narratives. While many people associate "public housing" with words like "awful" and "horrifying," when many of these buildings were built, they weren't that bad. And while conditions did deteriorate and the gang activity increased over the years, these buildings were still where a lot of people found homes and formed communities. These narratives underscore all of that, which I feel is important.
This book has a foreword, introduction and the Executive Editor's note, as well as appendices about the timeline of housing and civil rights in Chicago, as well as a glossary, information on high rise architecture, and more.
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