There Are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in The Other America
by: Alex Kotlowitz
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Amazon.com Review:
There Are No Children Here, the true story of brothers Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers, ages 11 and 9at the start, brings home the horror of trying to make it in a violence-ridden public housingproject. The boys live in a gang-plagued war zone on Chicago's West Side, literally learninghow to dodge bullets the way kids in the suburbs learn to chase baseballs. "If I grow up, I'dlike to be a bus driver," says Lafeyette at one point. That's if, notwhen--spoken with the complete innocence of a child. The book's title comes from acomment made by the brothers' mother as she and author Alex Kotlowitz contemplate the challenges ofliving in such a hostile environment: "There are no children here," she says. "They've seen too much to be children." This book humanizes the problem of inner-city pathology, makesreaders care about Lafeyette and Pharoah more than they may expect to, and offers a sliver ofhope buried deep within a world of chaos.
Product Description:
A touching, meticulous portrait of two boys growing up in a Chicago housing project reveals how they help each other maintain a shred of innocence among street gangs, gunfire, violence, and drugs. Reprint. NYT.
There Are No Children Here, the true story of brothers Lafeyette and Pharoah Rivers, ages 11 and 9at the start, brings home the horror of trying to make it in a violence-ridden public housingproject. The boys live in a gang-plagued war zone on Chicago's West Side, literally learninghow to dodge bullets the way kids in the suburbs learn to chase baseballs. "If I grow up, I'dlike to be a bus driver," says Lafeyette at one point. That's if, notwhen--spoken with the complete innocence of a child. The book's title comes from acomment made by the brothers' mother as she and author Alex Kotlowitz contemplate the challenges ofliving in such a hostile environment: "There are no children here," she says. "They've seen too much to be children." This book humanizes the problem of inner-city pathology, makesreaders care about Lafeyette and Pharoah more than they may expect to, and offers a sliver ofhope buried deep within a world of chaos.
Product Description:
A touching, meticulous portrait of two boys growing up in a Chicago housing project reveals how they help each other maintain a shred of innocence among street gangs, gunfire, violence, and drugs. Reprint. NYT.
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Compelling and Disturbing
I cannot think of a better narrative of what life is like in the urban ghettos than "There Are No Children Here." The title comes from what an interviewee told the author- "you know, there are no children here, they've seen too much to be children."
Alex Kotlowitz followed two young brothers, Lafayette and Pharaoh Rivers, who live in the Horner Housing Project in Chicago, in the late 1980s. They struggle just to stay alive in the extremely violent projects, and to find a way to brake ... Read More
Rating: - Living at Henry Horner
This book is about a family living in the Henry Horner housing project in Chicago during a couple years in the 80's, primarily dealing with two boys, Lafayette, who's 11 at the beginning of the book and his younger brother Pharoah, who's 9. They live with their mother LaJoe, their siblings and various relatives who come and go, sometimes including their father.
It's a rough neighborhood and they have to contend with drug dealers, over crowded schools, random gunfire, poor housing, hostility ... Read More
Rating: 
- A World Not Seen By Many
"There Are No Children Here" is an extraordinary book about living in the projects of chicago.This book is dated since this project got knocked down years ago, but it does not make the story any less relevant.It's about two boys, Lafeyette and Pharoah, and their families living day to day just trying to survive.You get into this story quick and stay there.It's a good read.I recommend it.
Rating: - There are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other America
I found this book both rewarding and disturbing at the same time but appreciated that it took me out of my middle class comfort zone and reminded me that there are social and cultural inequities that continue to cry out urgently for solutions.
Mr Kotlowitz has the ability to describe the lives of two young gentle souls who are raised as best their mother can against a system that tolerates, shamefully, physical surrounds and economic deprivations that most of us can only guess at.
The author narrates ... Read More
Rating: - Incredible book to read depicting subsidized housing in Chgo
Incredible book and this is a strong and valid depiction of life in the Chgo Housing Projects as seen through the eyes of 2 young boys and their family members.The uphill battles and huge struggles are incomprehensible. You don't have to be from Chgo to appreciate this.
- Compelling and DisturbingI cannot think of a better narrative of what life is like in the urban ghettos than "There Are No Children Here." The title comes from what an interviewee told the author- "you know, there are no children here, they've seen too much to be children."
Alex Kotlowitz followed two young brothers, Lafayette and Pharaoh Rivers, who live in the Horner Housing Project in Chicago, in the late 1980s. They struggle just to stay alive in the extremely violent projects, and to find a way to brake ... Read More
- Living at Henry HornerThis book is about a family living in the Henry Horner housing project in Chicago during a couple years in the 80's, primarily dealing with two boys, Lafayette, who's 11 at the beginning of the book and his younger brother Pharoah, who's 9. They live with their mother LaJoe, their siblings and various relatives who come and go, sometimes including their father.
It's a rough neighborhood and they have to contend with drug dealers, over crowded schools, random gunfire, poor housing, hostility ... Read More
- A World Not Seen By Many"There Are No Children Here" is an extraordinary book about living in the projects of chicago.This book is dated since this project got knocked down years ago, but it does not make the story any less relevant.It's about two boys, Lafeyette and Pharoah, and their families living day to day just trying to survive.You get into this story quick and stay there.It's a good read.I recommend it.
- There are No Children Here: The Story of Two Boys Growing Up in the Other AmericaI found this book both rewarding and disturbing at the same time but appreciated that it took me out of my middle class comfort zone and reminded me that there are social and cultural inequities that continue to cry out urgently for solutions.
Mr Kotlowitz has the ability to describe the lives of two young gentle souls who are raised as best their mother can against a system that tolerates, shamefully, physical surrounds and economic deprivations that most of us can only guess at.
The author narrates ... Read More
- Incredible book to read depicting subsidized housing in ChgoIncredible book and this is a strong and valid depiction of life in the Chgo Housing Projects as seen through the eyes of 2 young boys and their family members.The uphill battles and huge struggles are incomprehensible. You don't have to be from Chgo to appreciate this.
