Gang Leader for a Day

Gang Leader for a Day by Sudhir Venkatesh

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I'll admit, I love the History Channel series "Gangland," and that interest is what drew me to this book. While the tv series can tend toward the melodramatic and at times glamorizes the gang life, this book shows the grim underside to the money, cars, and status: the harsh realities of life in Chicago public housing. Venkatesh's entry into this world is remarkable--he simply showed up one day bearing surveys and was eventually invited back by one of the local gang leaders. Over the course of nearly a decade, he forms a relationship with the people of the Robert Taylor Homes (gang members and non-members) and gains information on gangs and urban poverty from the inside, a rare feat in sociology. Over the years, he is forced to confront his own assumptions about poverty, gang life, the drug trade, the role of law enforcement, and so on. He also has to wrestle with serious moral issues as he moves from observer to participant in the life of the community. This is a great read that will likely make you reconsider how you think about impoverished communities.


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