Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx
Oct 2012 · Simon and Schuster
4.6star
59 reviewsreport
Ebook
432
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About this ebook
Selected as One of the Best Books of the 21st Century by The New York Times
Set amid the havoc of the War on Drugs, this New York Times bestseller is an "astonishingly intimate" (New York magazine) chronicle of one family’s triumphs and trials in the South Bronx of the 1990s.
“Unmatched in depth and power and grace. A profound, achingly beautiful work of narrative nonfiction…The standard-bearer of embedded reportage.” —Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted
In her classic bestseller, journalist Adrian Nicole LeBlanc immerses readers in the world of one family with roots in the Bronx, New York. In 1989, LeBlanc approached Jessica, a young mother whose encounter with the carceral state is about to forever change the direction of her life. This meeting redirected LeBlanc’s reporting, taking her past the perennial stories of crime and violence into the community of women and children who bear the brunt of the insidious violence of poverty. Her book bears witness to the teetering highs and devastating lows in the daily lives of Jessica, her family, and her expanding circle of friends. Set at the height of the War on Drugs, Random Family is a love story—an ode to the families that form us and the families we create for ourselves.
Charting the tumultuous struggle of hope against deprivation over three generations, LeBlanc slips behind the statistics and comes back with a riveting, haunting, and distinctly American true story.
Set amid the havoc of the War on Drugs, this New York Times bestseller is an "astonishingly intimate" (New York magazine) chronicle of one family’s triumphs and trials in the South Bronx of the 1990s.
“Unmatched in depth and power and grace. A profound, achingly beautiful work of narrative nonfiction…The standard-bearer of embedded reportage.” —Matthew Desmond, author of Evicted
In her classic bestseller, journalist Adrian Nicole LeBlanc immerses readers in the world of one family with roots in the Bronx, New York. In 1989, LeBlanc approached Jessica, a young mother whose encounter with the carceral state is about to forever change the direction of her life. This meeting redirected LeBlanc’s reporting, taking her past the perennial stories of crime and violence into the community of women and children who bear the brunt of the insidious violence of poverty. Her book bears witness to the teetering highs and devastating lows in the daily lives of Jessica, her family, and her expanding circle of friends. Set at the height of the War on Drugs, Random Family is a love story—an ode to the families that form us and the families we create for ourselves.
Charting the tumultuous struggle of hope against deprivation over three generations, LeBlanc slips behind the statistics and comes back with a riveting, haunting, and distinctly American true story.
Ratings and reviews
4.6
59 reviews
A Google user
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May 22, 2016
My favorite book of all time. Everyone needs to read this, especially if you think you know what living in extreme poverty is like. You have no idea... Hopefully this book opens some eyes to what's going on in EVERY city of the USA.
4 people found this review helpful
M. Taylor
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October 5, 2013
A friend bought me this book as a bday gift. No exaggeration when I say it had all my attention. I could barely pay attention at work or home. Kust a few pages in & I was stuck like glue. I couldn't stop flipping through the pages w/ curiosity. I would love to see this as a movie or documentary. A must read ♥
1 person found this review helpful
Daisy v
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August 7, 2014
I had read previous reviews of how great this book was and I couldn't wait to start. Just like others I could not stop reading it and finished it within a couple of days. Turely made me feel as if I was right there living the experiences with Jessica and coco. Highly recommend it.
About the author
Adrian Nicole LeBlanc is the daughter of a union organizer and a bookkeeper. She is a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and other publications. She has also been the recipient of numerous awards, including a MacArthur Fellowship, a Bunting Fellowship from Radcliffe, and a MacDowell Colony residency. She lives in Manhattan.
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