This book, “At Home On The Street” and accompanying film “American Refugees” are an exquisite study of homelessness in Birmingham. Rather than citing facts and figures from other studies, the authors (Jason Wasserman & Jeffrey Clair) spent an enormous amount of time with the homeless; they stayed out on catchout corner, spent a night in the shelter, hung out in urban camps. By doing so they were able to form real friendships with several homeless men, and the book and film show a unique perspective on homelessness.
I first became aware of the project when Jason stopped by Food Not Bombs, an “organization” (I use the term loosely) of folks who believe that food is a right, not a privilege. FNB has provided a free “picnic” to anyone who would like to eat in Birmingham’s southside since 2005…no preaching, no donation necessary, no separation of “giver vs taker” – FNB folks eat the food side by side with anyone else who shows up. FNB is in the book (and the film) but had no direct influence on either.
The book and the film both stand alone, but the film is meant to be a companion to the book. If you get a chance to watch the film, try to read the book first.
Highly recommended.
252 pages
