The Corner

A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood

By: David Simon, Edward Burns

Narrated by: Dion Graham, David Simon

The crime-infested intersection of West Fayette and Monroe Streets is well-known - and cautiously avoided - by most of Baltimore. But this notorious corner's 24-hour open-air drug market provides the economic fuel for a dying neighborhood. David Simon, an award-winning author and crime reporter, and Edward Burns, a 20-year veteran of the urban drug war, tell the chilling story of this desolate crossroad.

Through the eyes of one broken family - two drug-addicted adults and their smart, vulnerable 15-year-old son, DeAndre McCollough, Simon and Burns examine the sinister realities of inner cities across the country and unflinchingly assess why law-enforcement policies, moral crusades, and the welfare system have accomplished so little. This extraordinary book is a crucial look at the price of the drug culture and the poignant scenes of hope, caring, and love that astonishingly rise in the midst of a place America has abandoned.

©1998 David Simon and Edward Burns (P)2020 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"The Corner is an intimate, intense dispatch from the broken heart of urban America. It is impossible to read these pages and not feel stunned at the high price, in human potential, in thwarted aspirations, that simple survival on the streets of West Baltimore demands of its citizens. An important document, as devastating as it is lucid." (Richard Price, author of Clockers)

"The Corner is a remarkable book - very tough, very demanding, very rewarding. Some of it is brutal and all of it is heartbreaking. As a reporter, I can only stand back and admire David Simon and Edward Burns for an amazing piece of reportage. To be there for an entire year, to make sense of random events and a list of characters long enough to make Charles Dickens envious, and to write coherently - it's a breathtaking achievement. And they manage to make West Baltimore as much a character as any of the flesh-and-blood people in the book." (Glenn Frankel, author of Beyond the Promised Land)

"If you want to understand street-corner life in the inner city, you should read The Corner, an amazingly intimate, detailed work of reporting that makes human and vivid a world that outsiders ordinarily are forced to learn about through statistics, sound bites, and stereotypes." (Nicholas Lemann, author of The Promised Land)

Great read

Great read! Weaving the the characters into the story was masterfully done. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and have recommended it to others.

Profound

More than 20 years after writing this book remains a poignant view of American Cities

Nothing has changed

Although this book was written in the '90s, it seems very relevant to today. I find myself looking at my city, Atlanta, in a whole different light after listening. My only complaint is the narrator can be a bit hard to hear when he whispers. Look forward to reading "Homicide", the precursor, very soon.

The highest praise

Outstanding. Better than the best movie, I daresay even better than The Wire. Found myself wishing it was longer.

An amazing project

This book has made me feel incredibly moved and grateful for all people involved in its’ production. I say thank you

Captivating and well read

The story itself was very normal in the sense that it follows the life of select people around Mount and 'fayette streets in Baltimore, but the hardships and struggles of each of these real people to pull themselves out of the corner while put down by the failures of systems around them turns out to be very captivating. Carrying this book is the excellent narration, with unique voices and well-read lines (even using the unique sounding Baltimore accent) helping each of these real people come to life in your mind. Great read!

Show & book it about life

Book told more about these people life then the show but the show still great y’all need check the show out mostly when the end when Gary OD that fuck me up. But it told stories how all these people ending up there life was sad but it told how drug can tear a family apart how money can mess friendships turn childhood friends too rival like cmb all them nigga was too busy stealing from each other in getting high with it only dinky was caring about getting pay then getting high. Love the corner only I grew up in the hood also none of my friends even me never took drug in got in the drug game but very great show in great book sad tho very sad

Should be required reading

One of the most authentic depictions of Baltimore, and detailing of failed American drug policy.

Realistic

While listening to this book I kept thinking the author had the have experience with drug addiction, not knowing that he was following the characters around for the book. As someone who battled drug addiction and won by surrendering, this book really hit home with me. In my opinion, only someone who has been there could truly understand. Great book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Insightful. A Must Read For Suburban Americans.

Tells a lot of truths and offers insightful analysis that will be a hard challenge for most white Americana to accept about the drug wars. It barely touches on why it is that black Americans are the ones who face most poverty here in America, and while I feel the book could be improved by this inclusion, I also understand most suburban and rural white people's knee-jerk defensive reaction to any type of assertion, regardless of how factual, that they have had advantages that black people have not, and that those advantages are based in the institutions that control the power structure of this country. A hugely insightful read. Empathy is a powerful tool, and books like these can only help build bridges. Fear of empathy and fear of recognizing one's own shortcomings is the only reason I can see that would stop someone from reading this. It's worth the time and emotional energy.