Review of 9th Street Chronicles
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[i][Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "9th Street Chronicles" by W. E. Self.][/i] [rwc=id96277-125]3 out of 4 stars.[/rwc]“Junction City is not unlike other cities in that it has vice. In Junction City, however, vice is concentrated on East 9th Street.” From the 1940s until the early 1970s, this infamous street “was distinctly separate from the White world, much in the way that Harlem is a microcosm of New York City.” Criminal enterprises made big money there, and pimps and prostitutes were central figures. Kansas was a dry state, bootlegging was rampant, and there was a large influx of soldiers and college students looking for a good time.
All this is in William E. Self’s book, 9th Street Chronicles, written using the first person. Based on true events, the author, born and raised in a religious African American family, recounts the stories of people he knew, most of which hung out on 9th Street.
The book, of course, goes far beyond the street itself, unavoidably so when dealing with racial issues. Although the author states that he didn’t experience any type of blatant racism, his discussion of the theme constitutes the framing narrative of the book. In a particularly jarring episode that took place when the author was 17 years old, he witnessed his father, who worked as a janitor, get harassed by a white man about the disappearance of a mysterious bag.
What I enjoyed the most was the author’s vivid portrayal of 9th Street, ranging from its historical and cultural background to the tiniest details of everyday life. I felt transported back to the 1960s: Highway 61 (Bob Dylan’s album) had sold out; Martin Luther King’s sound bites were televised live; hippie culture, feminism, and civil rights sprouted wings. Self uses this rich atmosphere as background interestingly. He masterfully describes what 9th Street was like during this golden period and how he enjoyed being in the company of pimps, who were notorious members of the community.
The author did thorough research and interviewed several members of the community – pimps, prostitutes, and law enforcement officials. There’s a nice mix of memories, history, interviews, and personal accounts from the characters, which I found was a noteworthy positive point. However, as is often the case with autobiographical titles, the author sometimes loses sight of the wider panorama of events in an avalanche of mundane detail. With a lot of explanation about who each person was, the narrative is rather patchy. Also, I had mixed feelings about the portrayal of the pimps and prostitutes. I felt that the author tended to glamorize crime and violence, and it bothered me a little. Similarly, some cliché-ridden statements about prostitution didn’t sit well with me.
Lastly, the book is full of profanities and racial slurs, but they seemed part of the context. Unfortunately, I found a fair share of editing mishaps. For this, and also the negatives previously mentioned, I’m subtracting a star from the rating. Thus, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. It is an interesting read overall, and I recommend it to those who enjoy memoirs set in the 1960s. If you’re interested in racially charged discussions, you should take a look at this book. Due to its mature themes and profane language, I wouldn’t recommend it to younger audiences. ****** [i]9th Street Chronicles [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=96277]on Bookshelves[/url]
All this is in William E. Self’s book, 9th Street Chronicles, written using the first person. Based on true events, the author, born and raised in a religious African American family, recounts the stories of people he knew, most of which hung out on 9th Street.
The book, of course, goes far beyond the street itself, unavoidably so when dealing with racial issues. Although the author states that he didn’t experience any type of blatant racism, his discussion of the theme constitutes the framing narrative of the book. In a particularly jarring episode that took place when the author was 17 years old, he witnessed his father, who worked as a janitor, get harassed by a white man about the disappearance of a mysterious bag.
What I enjoyed the most was the author’s vivid portrayal of 9th Street, ranging from its historical and cultural background to the tiniest details of everyday life. I felt transported back to the 1960s: Highway 61 (Bob Dylan’s album) had sold out; Martin Luther King’s sound bites were televised live; hippie culture, feminism, and civil rights sprouted wings. Self uses this rich atmosphere as background interestingly. He masterfully describes what 9th Street was like during this golden period and how he enjoyed being in the company of pimps, who were notorious members of the community.
The author did thorough research and interviewed several members of the community – pimps, prostitutes, and law enforcement officials. There’s a nice mix of memories, history, interviews, and personal accounts from the characters, which I found was a noteworthy positive point. However, as is often the case with autobiographical titles, the author sometimes loses sight of the wider panorama of events in an avalanche of mundane detail. With a lot of explanation about who each person was, the narrative is rather patchy. Also, I had mixed feelings about the portrayal of the pimps and prostitutes. I felt that the author tended to glamorize crime and violence, and it bothered me a little. Similarly, some cliché-ridden statements about prostitution didn’t sit well with me.
Lastly, the book is full of profanities and racial slurs, but they seemed part of the context. Unfortunately, I found a fair share of editing mishaps. For this, and also the negatives previously mentioned, I’m subtracting a star from the rating. Thus, I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars. It is an interesting read overall, and I recommend it to those who enjoy memoirs set in the 1960s. If you’re interested in racially charged discussions, you should take a look at this book. Due to its mature themes and profane language, I wouldn’t recommend it to younger audiences. ****** [i]9th Street Chronicles [/i] View: [url=http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelves/book.php?id=96277]on Bookshelves[/url]
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