Jay MacLeod

This was a gloomy, depressing book all about how poor kids in bad schools are screwed from the very beginning, and how the system is set up to keep them poor and unsuccessful because of the way discipline, rewards and expectations are structured in our schools, and because of the lack of support from outside school that prevents kids from having much chance at doing well in school or after they leave school.

Three windows in time with two groups growing up in the same project complex, the Hallway Hangers and the Brothers. The Hallway Hangers, largely white, are full of despair and cope with drugs and alcohol. The Brothers have hopes and aspirations, and try to steer clear of trouble. The book communicates how difficult it is to overcome class barriers to success. The introduction and literature review is a strikingly succinct summary and characterization of Bourdieu, Giroux, WIllis and others.