Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence in AmericaThrough shattering storytelling, Geoffrey Canada recreates his childhood world, one in which the "sidewalk" boys learned the codes of the block from their elders and were ranked - and to some degree protected - through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. He gives a cogent, chilling analysis of how, through an unforeseen chain of consequences set in motion in the 1960s by New York Governor Rockefeller's drug laws, everything changed on the streets. And there is a portrait of present reality - of drive-by shootings, of ever-younger, automatic weapon-toting drug runners, of gun manufacturers' cold-blooded marketing of guns to children - which follows logically from our nation's public stance on children and violence, and yet still, to this gifted writer and passionate child advocate, makes no sense at all. The author's vision for a changed future for these children, and so for our nation as a whole, is backed up by descriptions of Canada's acclaimed and innovative inner-city programs for children and their families - Peacemakers, Beacon Schools, and the Harlem Freedom Schools. His is a vision that includes governmental, community, and personal innovation and bravery and one that offers indelible stories of lives lost and of lives turned around. |
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LibraryThing Review
User Review - goosecap - LibraryThingI don’t think that Geoff’s book is really race relations, as though it were the lit memoir version of The Hate U Give—I mean, there’s very little difference really, between a novel and a lit memoir ... Read full review
LibraryThing Review
User Review - jrnewman - LibraryThingCanada gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a poor African American growing up in the inner city in the 60's and 70's. His experiences on Union Street shaped his life and his understanding of ... Read full review
Contents
Preface | |
Codes of Conduct | 1 |
Chapter One | 3 |
Chapter Two | 9 |
Chapter Three | 13 |
Chapter Four | 23 |
Chapter Five | 29 |
Chapter Six | 35 |
Chapter Thirteen | 89 |
Chapter Fourteen | 99 |
The Best Way We Know How | 105 |
Chapter Fifteen | 107 |
Chapter Sixteen | 117 |
Chapter Seventeen | 121 |
Chapter Eighteen | 127 |
Chapter Nineteen | 133 |
Chapter Seven | 45 |
Chapter Eight | 51 |
Chapter Nine | 57 |
A Matter of Time | 65 |
Chapter Ten | 67 |
Chapter Eleven | 77 |
Chapter Twelve | 83 |
Chapter Twenty | 137 |
Chapter TwentyOne | 143 |
Chapter TwentyTwo | 147 |
Chapter TwentyThree | 159 |
Chapter TwentyFour | 169 |
Chapter TwentyFive | 175 |
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Common terms and phrases
adults America asked ball beat became become began believe block Bronx brother building called child City clear coming communities corner crime dangerous dealers death decided didn't don't drug eyes face fear feel felt fight finger friends girls give gonna hand handguns happened head jacket keep Kevin kids killed knew knife later learned leave lived looked mean Mike mother moved neighborhood never night older boys once peace person play pointed police poor problem protection pulled realized Rheedlen Robert rules scared seemed shoot shot someone stopped street talk teaching tell thing thought told took tough tried trying turned Union Avenue violence wait walk wanted watch weapon week York young youth
Bibliographic information
| Title | Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America |
| Author | Geoffrey Canada |
| Publisher | Beacon Press, 1995 |
| ISBN | 0807004235, 9780807004234 |
| Length | 179 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |