mediterranean thugs

[jae_w]

I was off work for two days and back in Jersey for some family stuff, and I feel like I'm playing a lot of catchup now that I'm back. At home, too -- or more specifically with TV. It seems like there's a bunch of really good stuff on right now -- and there are so many season finales I'm excited for. I'm looking forward to the summer to give me a

Comments

[wearemany]

just to say thanks for the recap on the Kozol, which i've been meaning to pick up. i remember taking ed policy classes and realizing, with a very sinking kind of understanding, that all the case studies we read were for schools in our backyard. kozol was a great guest lecturer in a number of classes and i've enjoyed his other works -- is it -- which is the one w/ the kids who grow up across the river from each other in (i want to say) east st. louis & the one across, well, the river?

OK, in more coherent commentary, YAY for the wire. i really want to rewatch that this summer.

[jae_w]

the one w/ the kids who grow up across the river from each other in (i want to say) east st. louis & the one across, well, the river?

Is this Savage Inequalities? I'm not sure, he's written a lot.

And the Wire is OUTSTANDING. I'm only in Season 1 still but I can't wait for my next delivery from Netflix.

[wearemany]

luckily, Amazon is a lot smarter than I am. the book I was thinking of is by Alex Kotlowitz (who, OK, kind of IS like Kozol's sibling in this kind of writing):

The Other Side of the River : A Story of Two Towns, a Death, and America's Dilemma: The author of There Are No Children Here follows up that magnificent effort with the gripping story of a mysterious death in southwest Michigan. A black teenager surfaces in the St. Joseph River, drowned. How did he get there? The towns of Benton Harbor and St. Joseph, divided by both race and the river, grapple with the possibilities in this maddeningly difficult case. Alex Kotlowitz puts his sharp reporting skills to good work here, describing in detail everything that is known about Eric McGinnis's short life and untimely death. But the book is best at plumbing the racial psychology of these mutually suspicious communities. The Other Side of the River has that can't-put-it-down quality found in the best narrative nonfiction, and it speaks to issues affecting all of America.

[wearemany]

You know, I actually thought you might be thinking of Alex Kotlowitz, but the only thing by him I've read is his Chicago book, There are No Children Here, and I didn't know he had one about East. St. Lou.

[withdiamonds]

Yes, the best way to deal with slashfic25 is one story at a time, and never think of the whole thing in its entirety. That way lies madness. And that particular bit of advice from Dear Abby is always helpful.

[jae_w]

Yes, one story at a time, I bet that's the key.

Re: *izded*

[jae_w]

Dude, I'm going to do it, even though nobody but me and you will probably want to read it. Maybe not for the next story, but I'm totally going to do it.

[vaudevilles]

Um... hi!

I fell. Um... was pushed? Have plummeted? Am spiraling downwards faster than one of those fairground rides that leaves you without a stomach for a few minutes? Yes.

Um. Sorry.

What I'm trying to say is that I'm a hyped up over sugared bouncy freak who, um... floated delicately into popslash a few months ago. I've been voraciously reading all the good stuff I can find. And you? You're the good stuff. The really good stuff.

My favourites are 'Coldhearted' (which I know is like *everyone's* favourite but I'm not a writer so I don't have to be original), 'Whisper' (oh, I love the relationship Chris has with the entire group in this and "No," Chris said. "I was just ... I was just making some noise. I don't want to talk." is possibly my favourite description of how Chris works ever), and 'onetwothree' (which I'm not going to talk about because it will involve far too much info for someone you've never met ;o).

So thank you for giving a newbie such wonderful material to suck me in to my doom this fantastic madcap bonkers

[jae_w]

Oh, hey, thanks so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying the stories. And it must be so much fun to be just starting to read popslash -- there's such a mountain of great stuff to work your way through!