Gang Leader for a Day

Title

Gang Leader for a Day

Author

Sudhir Venkatesh

Type

Biography

Call Number

English HIL

ISBN

1594201501

The story of a young sociologist who embedded himself in a Chicago crack dealing gang, first told in Freakonomics, captured the world’s attention. Gang Leader For A Day is the fascinating full story of how Sudhir Venkatesh gained entry into the gang and went on to witness-and sometimes participate in-the sort of events that have rarely been described in print.

Review

Beneath the murky façade of the housing projects in Chicago, lies the hierarchical, organised structure of a crack dealing gang. A gang that is run like a modern day business and is the social icon of the community.

Through ten years of moonlighting as a gang member with the Black Kings, Sudhir not only experiences the gritty life of the poor and the violent first hand; he also makes many interesting findings that dispel society’s and sociologists’ perceptions of the impact of gangs on the community.

This book is a riveting adventure as Sudhir takes you into the underbelly of the activities of a crack dealing gang and brings to light the stories and the reality of life in the housing projects and the street gangs. A must read for those in search of a real life adventure.

Check if this title is available at Public Libraries via the online catalogue on the National Library Board’s website.

Recommended by Chen Wanying, NLB librarian