Sidewalk

I had to read this book as part of a sociology course. I'm glad I read it. It gives magnificent insight to the urban unhoused community. They aren't simply dirty, scummy people who are an eyesore. Most of them are trying to work in their own way, their subculture is quite organized, and they respect those who have the privilege of going to a home every evening. I am a better person for having read this book, and I can better interact with others because of this book. You won't be sorry you read this book!

Sidewalk takes you on an interesting adventure to a darker part of New York. Maybe not so dark if you visit, but the homeless there have another story to tell. Mitchell Duneier takes a trip to New York's Greenwich Village and dives into the lives of those less fortunate. Many of these men browsing the streets for items to sell at their tables gave up or even made the choice to be homeless. Check this book out and see for yourself what kind of society lives and breathes on the streets of this little part of town.

This was a very interesting book. I purchased it for a Community Studies class at my college. Honestly I was not expecting anything interesting and was prepared to bear my way though it for the sake of the class and my grade. I was very pleasantly surprised about how interesting this book actually is. It is written in a way that is very conversational, almost story teller like, yet it is still packed with interesting information. This book shows aspects and connections within society that most people will never see or understand. It is a window into a society within our society. You become attached to people this book writes about, you want to read more so you can find out what choice they made, and why. Duneier is an outsider submerging himself into a society unlike anything he has known for the sake of information and exploration and there is something fascinating about how he perceives the people he encounters and their lifestyles. I feel like I learned a lot from this book and have really changed my perspective on things I would have never before considered. I am really glad my teacher chose this book out of all the books that could have worked because I really leaned some valuable things through reading it. It was both captivating and informative. The book came very quickly, within a few days of purchase so that was great. Also this book was very reasonably priced for how good of a read it was.

I love Duneier's work, going back to "Slim's Table." But this book captures something else; embedded within the text is Duneier's compassion for those he's working with, and who he is writing about. Almost like Vankatesh's accounts of the underground economy and Chicago gangs, this work explores how life on the streets, mostly through "legitimate" book selling, is just that: legitimate. Yet, Duneier delves into the complex nature of sponsorship and kinship in this work; how the men of the streets in Greenwich Village look out for one another and lead lives as meaningful as anyone with a "nine-to-five" job. Ethnographic accounts should always be approached with caution, in that they serve a purpose, usually the author's thesis or hypothesis. Duneier, however, really cares about the people with whom he works and is looking for change. His supplemental DVD with a lecture and video on this book really captures that. A must read for sociology students.

I can't say that I've ever had an interest in sociology; I happened across this book via a link on the This American Life homepage while looking for something completely unrelated. Wow, thank goodness for circumstance. This is a fantastic book for anyone interested in urban life. Everyone -- urban dwellers, suburbanites, country folk -- has their own preconceived notions about the unhoused. Mr. Duneier spends years (on and off) with the "written materials" vendors in Greenwich Village and exposes a wealth of information that the rest of us would otherwise never imagine. Written in a style that's very readable considering its academic relevance, this is a book that can't be overlooked. Holiday shopping for your urban friends is complete; this book is it.

This is a book with fine photography by Ovie Carter. However the impression given by the author Mitchell Duneier is the New York City sidewalk vendors are only poor African Americans. Granted he focuses on one specific group and location in Greenwich Village. The book is well written as a study of that vending. He describes that particular group in great detail. It would have been good if he had shown or emphasized something about the street vendors who are not necessarily poor in a thriving Harlem. In addition there is a potpourri of nationalities of street vendors throughout New York City including Asian, South Asian, African, Hispanic and white Americans. Without this kind of framework Duneier reinforces a negative stereotype of African Americans in New York City.

This is not only a great read...like you're sitting there in a casual conversation with the author...but it is a great "text book" of sorts for students who are studying Social Institutions of poverty, race, class, education, etc. It is one of my favorite books I've ever had to purchase for a class...and one of verrrrrry few that I've actually kept and enjoy returning to from time to time. But then again, I love Sociology.

This is among the best ethnographies I have ever read. Duneier's work will open your eyes to life on the sidewalk and make you feel as though you have actually encountered the people of whom he writes. You will never think about homelessness the same way again. Very well done.

This is one of the best books on homeless people and I love the way it is written. amazing book

This is brilliantly and skilfully written. The ethnographic observations of the social worlds of the homeless men are seemingly sensitively and honestly written, in fully informed and enthusiastic consent of the participants. The way in which history and sociological theory is interwoven into the narrative of the ethnography is superb and makes the book informative and readable.

This book has photos to enhance the ethnology experience. Sidewalk is a great ethnology of Greenwich Village homeless community life

I had to buy this as part of my reading list but was pleasantly surprised by the way it was written.