Rosa Lee: A Mother and Her Family in Urban America

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Summary: Your Tax Dollars At Work
Review: This book made me incredibly angry. In a nutshell, it is the horrifying story of one woman's life and legacy of ignorance, immorality, illegality, and vice. It's a very compelling read and well-written in terms of the subject matter, but there is a consistent theme throughout the book of "failure of the system," which I found insulting considering Rosa Lee and her family's grave manipulation, exploitation, and abuse of every helping hand extended.

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Summary: Probably the best look at intergenerational urban poverty
Review: What makes this book superb is how it examines how what our ancestors did affect our lives. It demonstrated that those trapped in poverty remain in poverty because of a cycle of misfortune caused by the environment and the urban subculture of poverty itself. Professor Dash created such a strong bond with Rosa Lee and her family that he was allowed a real inside look at how the family dealt with their day to day situation, immersed in a world of drugs, prostitution and urban isolation. I had the pleasure of having Prof. Dash in a U of I journalism class, and he truly cares about his subject, and it comes through in this writing. A must read for any student of journalism to learn the immersion journalism technique that made this book a success.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing
Review: WOW what a look at this disfunctionally African=American family. Are we a shaped by our enviorment? As you read about Rosa Lee and her family you are sure to get he answer. KUDOS to Mr. Dash for a job well done.