The corner

a year in the life of an inner-city neighborhood

by Simon, David

543 pages

English language

Published April 27, 1998 by Broadway Books.

ISBN:: 978-0-7679-0031-7
OCLC Number:: 39195593

(11 reviews)

The notorious corner of West Fayette and Monroe Streets in Baltimore is a 24-hour open-air drug market that provides the economic fuel for a dying neighbourhood. Through the eyes of one broken family – two drug-addicted adults and their smart, vulnerable 15-year-old son, DeAndre McCollough – Simon and Burns examine the sinister realities of inner cities across the USA and unflinchingly assess why law enforcement policies, moral crusades and the welfare system have accomplished so little.

3 editions

mothlight reviewed The corner by Simon, David

Review of 'The corner' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Wow, no wonder the Wire was so good, having been originally based on this work. A year getting to know some of the people in West Baltimore who struggle with addiction and suffer under our current poverty system. A crushing incitement of the disastrous 'war on drugs', sadly the lessons of this book still haven't gotten through, as we head into the fifth decade of this 'war' with no chance of victory (whatever that means) or reconsideration of the methods. All of our politicians should be forced to read this.

This one took me a while to get through. It was hard to live in this world for more than a few pages at a time.