"Geoffrey Canada was a small boy growing up scared on the mean streets of the South Bronx. His childhood world was one where “sidewalk boys” learned the codes of the block and were ranked through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. Then the streets changed, and the stakes got even higher. In his candid and riveting memoir, Canada relives a childhood in which violence stalked every street corner."
I thought this was a great book. Canada has a descriptive writing style that takes you into his world growing up in a dangerous neighborhood, so you get a very clear feel for the setting. But you also get a clear picture of the people he knew, and feel his connection to them. I appreciated that Canada doesn't spare the gritty details. However, there is always a sense of hope in this book --- it isn't just an exploration of his childhood and violence and a "poor me" feel to it. Instead, you get, yes, the realities of his childhood --- but there is also his strong sense of self and how his childhood shaped him and inspired him to do great things and give back to his community.
Definitely a good book to read in tandem with some of the others I have read this year, including There Are No Children Here.
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