Gillian Evans (2)
Author of Educational Failure and Working Class White Children in Britain
For other authors named Gillian Evans, see the disambiguation page.
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I was expecting much more from this book - from the title at least I would have expected a much more thorough analysis of the status of the working class white children in Britain, more along the lines of the in depth analyis a la [a:Charles Murray|44279|Charles Murray|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1314507470p2/44279.jpg]'s [b:Coming Apart: The State Of White America, 1960-2010|12031563|Coming Apart The State Of White America, 1960-2010|Charles show more Murray|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1333576558s/12031563.jpg|16997889]. As it is, this is instead more of a case study. It focuses on Bermondsey, an area of south east London, where the author lives, and specifically on a handful of individuals whose lives the author studies in more detail. But then, even if we accept the (unproven) implicit statement that these are representative of the lives of the working classes in Bermondsey, it is not at all clear whether Bermondsey is in any way representative of other inner city areas of London or the UK.
One other very annoying feature is that the case studies too often become intertwined with the personal development of the author herself: so we discover that in an effort to get closer to her "subjects"
or while trying to get closer to children she observes at school:
and so on - these frequent forays into the difficulties that the self-defined middle class author has in blending with her working class surrouinding are distracting, irrelevant and really make you wonder whether this is a self analysis book or an academic contribution to the study of the working classes in modern Britain. So though the author does provide some interesting insights, these are too sparse and far between to justify reading this book. show less
One other very annoying feature is that the case studies too often become intertwined with the personal development of the author herself: so we discover that in an effort to get closer to her "subjects"
I am coming out of myself; I’m becoming someone whom I don’t even recognise in myself; a woman whom my partner is beginning to be revolted by. The more common I become the less he desires me.
or while trying to get closer to children she observes at school:
At home, meanwhile, I learn with my daughters how to play the Nintendo Pokemon Game Boy games. This is essential because otherwise I cannot take effective part in the dialogues which boys are constantly having at school about their relative progress and strategy in the games. ... Much to my partner’s dismay, I am happy to devote hours at a time to competing against myself to try and complete the challenge which the game sets.
and so on - these frequent forays into the difficulties that the self-defined middle class author has in blending with her working class surrouinding are distracting, irrelevant and really make you wonder whether this is a self analysis book or an academic contribution to the study of the working classes in modern Britain. So though the author does provide some interesting insights, these are too sparse and far between to justify reading this book. show less
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