Part of the transformative power of literature is the ability for a work to cause a person to empathize with another with whom they would normally not interact. A new perspective is gained; another person, different from the reader, is seen as equally human. This book does that. Through the diligent reporting of an established journalist and a former detective, now public school teacher, The Corner immerses its readers in a world often dismissed. Rather than seeing a man as a junkie or a thief, we see him as a person like ourselves, with hopes and ambitions that are thwarted by his own demons.

Not only that, but the reader is given political yet non-partisan explanations of the factors that contribute to the creation of such a place as the Corner. What causes someone to lose themselves in drug addiction? Why do young girls choose to have and raise children instead of having abortions or giving their babies up for adoption? What happens to the nuclear family, to the extended family, to the neighborhood-as-family when faced with a degraded environment? Something like answers lie in this text, though the responses aren't what you'd expect.

I was as impressed with this book as I was with Homicide. Two men inserted themselves into an environment and created a work of journalism about people who are often criminalized and dismissed without being first given a voice. These stories broke my heart, made me laugh, and introduced me to people like Ella who continue to fight for a decent community. Another reviewer included the link to this spoiler of a news story that offers a testament to the rewards that lie at the end of a long struggle: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/fashion/weddings/19VOWS.html

Also, if you like strong female characters, this book is full of them. Truly, a great read.