There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America

Written by:
Alex Kotlowitz
Narrated by:
Dion Graham

Unabridged Audiobook

Ratings
Book
16
Narrator
6
Release Date
April 2010
Duration
10 hours 42 minutes
Summary
This national bestseller chronicles the true story of two brothers coming of age in the Henry Horner public housing complex in Chicago. Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers are eleven and nine years old when the story begins in the summer of 1987. Living with their mother and six siblings, they struggle against grinding poverty, gun violence, gang influences, overzealous police officers, and overburdened and neglectful bureaucracies.

Immersed in their lives for two years, Kotlowitz brings us this classic rendering of growing up poor in America’s cities. There Are No Children Here was selected by the New York Public Library as one of the 150 most important books of the twentieth century. It was later made into a television movie for ABC, produced by and starring Oprah Winfrey.
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Latoya L.

read Alex Kotlowitz book An American Summer in grad school because it was part of the curriculum. However, when I read this book jacket, I was intrigued. I was hesitant at first because, like American Summer, I had reservations on a white writer writing or talking about the Black experience cause how sway. With this book, Kotlowitz let the characters speak for themselves, which made me love the book so much more. Just as the book title highlights "the story of two boys growing up in the other America", it shines the light on how Black children or Black people in general are treated in the same America that "treats everyone equally".The things that were discussed and painted throughout his writing are what most Black people have to endure. Lafayette and Pharaoh tore at my heart strings. I hate how the world sees little Black boys...it's like after 3-5 years old, they aren't considered boys and are charged as such. It hits home because I, too, have 2 boys... (deep negro spiritual sigh). This world shows us time and time again, that they don't care about little Black boys. And I hate it. While I loved the book, I hate that even with exposure, Lafayette and Pharaoh's lives didn't change for the better. This book highlighted living in Chicago's Henry Horner Public housing, single-parenting, pushing your kids to do better despite their circumstances and environment, crimes, neglect, gangs, knowing your worth, peer pressure, and overall being poor and Black in America. The way Alex cared for the boys was something else that I revered. One of them ended up being a part of his wedding. I highly recommend this book. I wish this book was recommended over American Summer. I will go on to read the rest of his works because he embodies great journalism and authorship. #Book12of2023 #Bookworm #Whatsnext

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Miracle J

So good I get to read what ever I want when I want for how long I want and it doesn't start the book over

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