pt. 1. The shadow of the past : The journey begins ; Eric and his sister ; Pietro and his children ; Silvio: invincible ; Alice Washington: the details of life -- pt. 2. A bright shining light : Survivors ; The boy who ate a giant bag of cookies while he walked me all around the neighborhood, and his very interesting mom ; Pineapple comes of age (part one) ; Pineapple in all her glory (and still bossing me around) ; A life of the mind (Jeremy, part one) ; No easy victories (Jeremy, part two) ; The killing fields ; Number our days -- Pineapple has a few more things to say.
Summary:
In this powerful and culminating work about a group of inner-city children he has known for many years, Jonathan Kozol returns to the scene of his previous prize-winning books, and to the children he has vividly portrayed, to share with us their fascinating journeys and unexpected victories as they grow into adulthood. For nearly fifty years, Jonathan has pricked the conscience of his readers by laying bare the savage inequalities inflicted upon children for no reason but the accident of being born to poverty within a wealthy nation. But never has his intimate acquaintance with his subjects been more apparent, or more stirring, than in Fire in the Ashes, as Jonathan tells the stories of young men and women who have come of age in one of the most destitute communities of the United States. Some of them never do recover from the battering they undergo in their early years, but many more battle back with fierce and often jubilant determination to overcome the formidable obstacles they face. As we watch these glorious children grow into the fullness of a healthy and contributive maturity, they ignite a flame of hope, not only for themselves but also for our society. -- publisher; back cover
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.