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Memoir or Novel for Inspiration (Research)

s.aalbar

New Member
Hi Guys,
I was wondering if anyone out there would be interested to help recommending a book for me to read? I'd very much appreciate it, because I am writing a screenplay based on this book called "Lives of Children" by George Dennison. (Amazon.com: The Lives of Children: The Story of the First Street School (Innovators in Education) (9780867094831): George Dennison: Books)

And I am doing a bit of research to understand better about life of people on the lower rung of America. The story I am writing takes place in 1960s, NY on the Lower East Side. It tells the true account about the First Street School that opened there, where a handful of teachers taught kids from low income families, and some of them emotionally disturbed.

The school had a mix of White, Blacks and Peurto Ricans... Here's an excerpt from the book:

"Among 23 children, under conditions of freedom and respect, there is a true abundance of experience. It is experience in depth, and it leads to change."

"The children had acquired allies and havens, and this is no small thing in the hostile streets of New York."


Are there any books, especially memoirs anyone can recommend which would be helpful for me to add to my library?

Here's some of the book I've used as part of my research:
"Once Upon a Time in a Village" (Memoir)
"In Pursuit of Happyness" (Memoir)
"Dead Man Walking" (Memoir)
"The Catcher in the Rye" (Novel)

Thank you! Any help would be appreciated!

Syed
 
The Short Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Juniot Diaz, perhaps.

Down These Mean Streets by Piri Thomas, a long long time ago.

Maybe some of the new genre "street novels," so called? Check Google/Amazon to see if they are for you.
 
In addition, reading about The Little Red Schoolhouse, a noted progressive school in Manhattan, might be of interest to you.
 
Niceeeeeeeee

Hi Peder,
Thanks! These are great! I also found a 'similar book' list on Amazon from the Piri Thomas book you recommended. "Manchild in the Promised Land" by Claude Brown.

Will look into the school you recommended as well...

Cheers man!
 
This one might make interesting reading, even if not necessarily relevant to your purpose.
Radosh, Ronald. Commies; A Journey through the Old Left, the New Left, and the Leftover Left, Encounter Books, 2001. Chapter 2, "The Little Red Schoolhouse," pages 25-48.​

From the Wiki article, and Radosh is a graduate.
 
Cool - I'll look into it.
What kind of books do you usually like to read btw?

I read whatever looks interesting, both fiction and non-fiction, and I try to at least sample all genres. I like to see what the world of literature has in it.

All of which makes more than I can possibly get around to. :D
 
I read whatever looks interesting, both fiction and non-fiction, and I try to at least sample all genres. I like to see what the world of literature has in it.

All of which makes more than I can possibly get around to. :D

Hey man, something out of topic - but I'm just curious, are there any good reads you'd recommend? Like lesser known titles?

Cheers!
 
Hey man, something out of topic - but I'm just curious, are there any good reads you'd recommend? Like lesser known titles?

Cheers!

Hi,
Thanks for asking.
But that would be very difficult for me to do without at least a hint of what you might find interesting; your profile page is rather blank on anything about you (unless that is a new style around here).

If you indicated potential areas of interest, Im sure a number of people here could offer helpful suggestions. Barring that, just browse the book-related threads and blogs around here (or elsewhere) and I'm sure you will find something that raises your curiosity.

It's that last word, curiosity, that will lead you along the path and produce results for you.

Lesser known titles? You will come across a bunch, and worth reading too.

Best wishes for the New Year
Peder
 
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