Firstly, this book is about a Christian "experiment": two Christian young men head out to live on the streets as homeless people in order to... (well, not sure what the overall point was - they don't try to change anyone and afterwards they are not shown "ministering" with this new knowledge). So... it would be kinda of pointless to complain that this book has a Christian tone to it - i.e. each section ends with a Bible verse.

It's somewhat enlightening to read about their experiences as homeless people, but you have to keep in mind that the authors "sanitized" the experience (they admit they've left out the foul language) and that neither of these two men suffer from the "real" reason why people are homeless: addiction and mental illness. So how "true" is an experience if you only live a portion of the reality?

The authors tried to present the story as an insight into the hypocrisy of many people/religious groups: individual Christians (not that they met many of them on their journey) would/might help them, but often when they turned to a church, they were treated as less than deserving, and yet (according to the authors) the churches are supposed to welcome such homeless people. Of course, we have to keep in mind that while these 2 men were pretending to be homeless, they do not represent the addict or the mentally ill - people who would not be able to be helped by these churches - and we are never told of any churches' previous experiences with "helping" a truly homeless person. Should we expect a church to have the ability to deal with a raving schizophrenic, or someone high on PCP? Or even to have the ability to tell the difference?

Over all, it is an interesting look at homelessness even though the purpose/usefulness of such an investigation remains unclear. ( )

It's been a while since I have read this book, but I remember enjoying the stories. I didn't find the writing to be deep or impressive, but the concept was interesting. ( )

I read this book because someone suggested it as a good source of information on homelessness in the US. It is less that than a memoir of a religious experiment. Mike, a Christian college student in theological studies, decides to spend five months homeless as a part of a spiritual quest. He prepares for some time, gathering a group of senior advisers to help him plot his course, and connecting with another young Christian, Sam, who chooses to take the foray with him. At first, the naiveté of their decision and the references to the will of God and Christ’s call put me off; I am not comfortable with this sort of clubby, fundamentalist Christianity. However, as Mike grows and changes, I do, too. His willingness to reach out to others who are suffering, to care for them even though they do not accept his beliefs, and to let the experience teach him, speaks well for the quality of his faith. His honesty in the face of disappointment with his own Christian brothers, who are often selfish and dismissive of those who suffer on the streets, as well as his commitment to his mission on the darker days of a difficult journey, are worthy of respect, and by the end he has won mine. ( )

This is a compelling book however I was a bit disappointed to see the heavy religious ties throughout. Interesting to read about how someone would go to this extent to ultimately find themselves and find their faith. I wouldn't recommend it for in school reading because of course you would not want to offend any of your students of other religious backgrounds. ( )

Yankoski has written a powerful narrative about living on the streets in four US cities and leaving college to do so. I think the guy has guts. This is a great read and gives a compelling case for more attention to the needs of the poor. This book made a difference for me. If you like books that widen your horizons and give a call to action, this is worth the time. ( )