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Long before the avalanche of praise for his work from Oprah Winfrey, from President Bill Clinton, from President Barack Obama long before he became known for his talk show appearances, Members Project spots, and documentaries like Waiting for “Superman“, Geoffrey Canada was a small boy growing up scared on the mean streets of the South Bronx. His childhood world was one where “sidewalk boys” learned the codes of the block and were ranked through the rituals of fist, stick, and knife. Then the streets changed, and the stakes got even higher. In his candid and riveting memoir, Canada relives a childhood in which violence stalked every street corner.
“Geoffrey Canada is one of this country’s genuine heroes. His personal meditation on America’s culture of violence is a beacon of hope for our humanity.”
—Charles Johnson, author of Middle Passage
“Canada has never lost touch with the child within himself or with the fears of the children around him struggling to reach adulthood in the violent streets of America.”
—Marian Wright Edelman, author of The Measure of Our Success
“Canada takes us on a powerful journey. . . . He is a man of hope and a wonderful storyteller.”
—Henry Hampton, executive producer, Eyes on the Prize