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Down to This: Squalor and Splendour in a Big-City Shantytown
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496 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2004
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337 people want to read
About the author
Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall
4 books21 followersShaughnessy Bishop-Stall left Vancouver at seventeen to hitchhike to Costa Rica. After teaching English, painting houses, and picking olives in Mexico, Italy, and Spain, he worked as an actor and journalist and currently teaches writing at the University of Toronto. His book Down to This chronicles his year living with the homeless in the continents largest shantytown. He lives in Toronto."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
October 15, 2013
Down To This has become one of my all time favourite books. I thought it was well written, it was raw, it was honest, and it was eye opening. Maybe it’s because I know Toronto inside out, or I thought I did till I read this book. I know every city has it’s homeless population and community but I was unaware of the severity or just to blind to see it.
Tent City Toronto was located right on the water front; it was a place many called home for years. They had built their own sense of community where they felt safe. It was safer than the shelters and they had people they could rely on; each other. Tent City was well known to organizations and Universities from surrounding areas would stop by regularly to drop off blankets and food.
The people living at Tent City were just that---people. Human beings who’s stories differ, who laugh, who cry, who worry, who are depressed, anxious, scared, intoxicated, sick. Unfortunately they were living on land that was not theirs, which has been used to justify the rough manner in which they were evicted. If you have no where to live, little money, addictions, its not easy to just lose what little you have left and have no time to move.
Prior to the evictions of Tent City Shaughnessy Bishop Stall packed his belongings; his life in a bag along with a broken heart and sets out to spend a year in Tent City. He ends up finding a community like no other. A variety of people from all walks of life; addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, thieves, heroes. This book was at times sad and other times happy and inspiring. Bishop Stall does a good job bringing Tent City to life and I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
Tent City Toronto was located right on the water front; it was a place many called home for years. They had built their own sense of community where they felt safe. It was safer than the shelters and they had people they could rely on; each other. Tent City was well known to organizations and Universities from surrounding areas would stop by regularly to drop off blankets and food.
The people living at Tent City were just that---people. Human beings who’s stories differ, who laugh, who cry, who worry, who are depressed, anxious, scared, intoxicated, sick. Unfortunately they were living on land that was not theirs, which has been used to justify the rough manner in which they were evicted. If you have no where to live, little money, addictions, its not easy to just lose what little you have left and have no time to move.
Prior to the evictions of Tent City Shaughnessy Bishop Stall packed his belongings; his life in a bag along with a broken heart and sets out to spend a year in Tent City. He ends up finding a community like no other. A variety of people from all walks of life; addicts, alcoholics, prostitutes, thieves, heroes. This book was at times sad and other times happy and inspiring. Bishop Stall does a good job bringing Tent City to life and I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.
October 9, 2014
Now this is a memoir that will stay with me for awhile. I don't remember much of Tent City. I just remember reading things in the Sun. I'm not sure I was living in Toronto when it was shut down. I may have been. If I was, I was side-tracked and mesmerized by F-Face. He really turned me into a not very nice person who didn't give a shit about anyone else. Maybe I would have fit in well in Tent City back then. Except for the drugs. Maybe I would have just been an alcoholic.
These guys are scary. Very real and very frightening. Having a Tent City dweller as a friend would have been difficult. One accidental cut-eye and you could say goodbye to any number if things - your life, your pretty face as it got beat up and any number of belongings. Part of me admires Shaun and part of me thinks he was a total idiot for giving it all up. It's definitely not a life for me. I like my running water and in stolen Hydro. I like my bottled water and my car. I love my husband and my fur babies. Reading this book makes me appreciate even more every little thing I own. And I've never been much for material objects.
These guys are scary. Very real and very frightening. Having a Tent City dweller as a friend would have been difficult. One accidental cut-eye and you could say goodbye to any number if things - your life, your pretty face as it got beat up and any number of belongings. Part of me admires Shaun and part of me thinks he was a total idiot for giving it all up. It's definitely not a life for me. I like my running water and in stolen Hydro. I like my bottled water and my car. I love my husband and my fur babies. Reading this book makes me appreciate even more every little thing I own. And I've never been much for material objects.
May 11, 2016
I don't know if this was really a 4 star book. The writing style wasn't the best, although since it was a diary style book, it's not really the author's fault that the book was choppy.
However, I found myself fascinated with this book on many levels. First of all, I could not imaging myself moving somewhere like tent city to write a book. Although the author painted the picture of a community, the amount of violence amongst the community members was incredible. It was also really interesting, yet sad to get a glimpse into how homeless people live and what motivates them. Reading about the cycle of drugs, booze and poverty was quite depressing, yet the book managed to maintain a hopeful attitude.
However, I found myself fascinated with this book on many levels. First of all, I could not imaging myself moving somewhere like tent city to write a book. Although the author painted the picture of a community, the amount of violence amongst the community members was incredible. It was also really interesting, yet sad to get a glimpse into how homeless people live and what motivates them. Reading about the cycle of drugs, booze and poverty was quite depressing, yet the book managed to maintain a hopeful attitude.
January 10, 2022
The homeless ... the invisible people who may pass you on the street have friendships, loves, losses and pain. Is it better that they remain invisible and we not get involved? Could you survive if you had nothing and no where to go? I'm not sure I could.
The Toronto Tent City was a vibrant community (to the residents) ... sometimes too vibrant. The scourge of crack taking root was the ugly part of this read. But you could find beauty in this book as well.
The Toronto Tent City was a vibrant community (to the residents) ... sometimes too vibrant. The scourge of crack taking root was the ugly part of this read. But you could find beauty in this book as well.
November 10, 2007
I really wanted to like this, but it was very much a recount and 'we did this and went here and they fought'. I found it all a bit repetitive and slow.
October 25, 2018
I greatly enjoyed reading about Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall's experience living in the former Tent City of Toronto. Attempting to escape his own demons Bishop-Stall provides an eye opening narrative of the violence, love, camaraderie and banality of living as a 'homeless person'. I was impressed with how he dives right into the camp without knowing anyone yet manages to survive and eventually thrive. The first couple months are some of the most engaging of the entire book as he navigates the different social cliques and builds his own shack.
He meets and generally befriends an electric cast of characters, most suffering from different levels of substance abuse, crack being the most predominant. Almost everyone has experienced different degrees of abuse that led them on a downward spiral which eventually resulted in their arrival at Tent City. It is truly saddening to know that the most common trauma is childhood sexual abuse.
Throughout the book I appreciated Bishop-Stalls focus on the day to day events of living. Often it involves drinking a lot of liquor. He provides scant details on his own background which allows the reader to focus directly on his experiences in Tent City. For good or bad I was never able to develop a great deal of sympathy for many of the residents, for many their demons have almost completely consumed them.
The book concludes with the rapid destruction of the camp and the relocation of its numerous citizens. The outlook appears bright for some but others have already fallen back into the abyss. I continue to struggle with the bleak existence of the homeless population and the limited options available to provide life changing solutions. Those suffering require a comprehensive drug, housing and education plan to ever regain their footing. Sadly that appears less and less of a possibility even in a nation such as Canada. Regardless I commend Bishop-Stall for his immersive journalism.
He meets and generally befriends an electric cast of characters, most suffering from different levels of substance abuse, crack being the most predominant. Almost everyone has experienced different degrees of abuse that led them on a downward spiral which eventually resulted in their arrival at Tent City. It is truly saddening to know that the most common trauma is childhood sexual abuse.
Throughout the book I appreciated Bishop-Stalls focus on the day to day events of living. Often it involves drinking a lot of liquor. He provides scant details on his own background which allows the reader to focus directly on his experiences in Tent City. For good or bad I was never able to develop a great deal of sympathy for many of the residents, for many their demons have almost completely consumed them.
The book concludes with the rapid destruction of the camp and the relocation of its numerous citizens. The outlook appears bright for some but others have already fallen back into the abyss. I continue to struggle with the bleak existence of the homeless population and the limited options available to provide life changing solutions. Those suffering require a comprehensive drug, housing and education plan to ever regain their footing. Sadly that appears less and less of a possibility even in a nation such as Canada. Regardless I commend Bishop-Stall for his immersive journalism.
November 10, 2014
I reserved this book at the public library, largely because I was curious about Tent City, and it was mentioned on the wikipedia page. I didn't have much hope for it...I was fully prepared for it to be one of this twee stunt journalism kinds of books. I was prepared for it to boil down to "homeless people...AREN'T THEY WHACKY?!?!" . The fact that it was described as being a personal adventure kind of book, akin to trying to scale Everest solo. A quest, with rules such as "no access to money", suggesting to me that for the author, he was having a grand lark surrounded by those whacky, whacky homeless. So I didn't have a lot of hope....I might even have been gearing up for a book I was going to really look down on.
That isn't what I got. Yes, Shaugnessy Bishop-Stall went and lived in Tent City for the best part of a year. Yes, he wrote a book about it. But if he did it as some kind of rich kid on a lark quest, he conceals it damn well. In his narration he comes across as damaged, flawed, and frankly kind of fucked up. He panhandles because he needs money. he builds a shanty because he needs shelter, and he learns pretty quickly that Tent City is a misnomer. He drinks way too much, and he doesn't come across as being there as an observer, but rather as part of the community.
Speaking of the community...they are human. And I know that doesn't sound extraordinary, but it is so easy to overlook marginal communities. Panhandlers, homeless people...they can become part of the landscape. Overlooked or ignored. But not in this book. Bishop-Stall makes friends. he forms relationships, some of them pretty close, almost familial. He makes enemies. And at no time does gloss over their flaws or focus purely on them. Reading this has definitely changed my perspective on homelessness, so even if it weren't a very well written and engaging book, it would be worthwhile just for that.
If this sort of subject matter interests you, or you are curious about the kind of community that forms in a tent city, then I can't recommend this enough.
That isn't what I got. Yes, Shaugnessy Bishop-Stall went and lived in Tent City for the best part of a year. Yes, he wrote a book about it. But if he did it as some kind of rich kid on a lark quest, he conceals it damn well. In his narration he comes across as damaged, flawed, and frankly kind of fucked up. He panhandles because he needs money. he builds a shanty because he needs shelter, and he learns pretty quickly that Tent City is a misnomer. He drinks way too much, and he doesn't come across as being there as an observer, but rather as part of the community.
Speaking of the community...they are human. And I know that doesn't sound extraordinary, but it is so easy to overlook marginal communities. Panhandlers, homeless people...they can become part of the landscape. Overlooked or ignored. But not in this book. Bishop-Stall makes friends. he forms relationships, some of them pretty close, almost familial. He makes enemies. And at no time does gloss over their flaws or focus purely on them. Reading this has definitely changed my perspective on homelessness, so even if it weren't a very well written and engaging book, it would be worthwhile just for that.
If this sort of subject matter interests you, or you are curious about the kind of community that forms in a tent city, then I can't recommend this enough.
August 4, 2011
I have never read something that was so influential to me before. Bishop-Stall's diary during his year living in Tent City has given me more to think about than most works that I've picked up. From how to treat the homeless, to finding an ethical solution to the drug epidemic, to simply finding one's own way through the clutter of modern life.
Shaun sets out like a destitute Thoreau, setting up camp among the squalor of Toronto. Through the course of the book, we learn to care for not only his safety, but the lives around him as well. I realize that we can't all just be Tom Cruises anymore ... the same way that they can't all be Homeless Daves.
One of the most powerful sections invovles a member of Tent City that Shaun did not focus on for the great majority of the book. Times like that are juxtaposed with the happier times of Tent City, reminding us that not all is lost for the homeless.
The was a great, great book, and is one of the few that I truly believe that everyone needs to read.
Shaun sets out like a destitute Thoreau, setting up camp among the squalor of Toronto. Through the course of the book, we learn to care for not only his safety, but the lives around him as well. I realize that we can't all just be Tom Cruises anymore ... the same way that they can't all be Homeless Daves.
One of the most powerful sections invovles a member of Tent City that Shaun did not focus on for the great majority of the book. Times like that are juxtaposed with the happier times of Tent City, reminding us that not all is lost for the homeless.
The was a great, great book, and is one of the few that I truly believe that everyone needs to read.
November 18, 2010
Toronto's tent city was infamous, a little bit of wild west in the tall grass and scrub trees of a slated-for-development chunk of TO real estate. Homelessness in big cities is always an issue, what was so interesting about the tent city was that a group of individuals were making themselves a village, settling the territory, and Mr Bishop-Stall managed to be there for the best part of the final year. That violence was the rule of law was not surprising, nor that they were out of their heads via drugs and/or alcohol most of the time. What was touching was the sense of community that they created amongst each other, notwithstanding the lack of ethics, lack of boundaries in relation to the larger society.
January 6, 2011
Down to This is a human, compassionate, and gritty, true-to-life glimpse of life as a homeless squatter. It is exceptionally well written, I couldn't put it down.
It's so easy to de-personalize the homeless men and women we encounter in passing. This book makes them human again. For all their challenges and frailties, they are people we might very well be, if the right perfect storm of life's pain were to hit at just the right moment. Though we might never have the equivalent courage to keep trying, keep living, keep believing that a better day may come, despite evidence around us to the contrary.
Before you spout off any more opinions about what the problem is and how to solve it, have a read and see a different, non-political side to the story.
It's so easy to de-personalize the homeless men and women we encounter in passing. This book makes them human again. For all their challenges and frailties, they are people we might very well be, if the right perfect storm of life's pain were to hit at just the right moment. Though we might never have the equivalent courage to keep trying, keep living, keep believing that a better day may come, despite evidence around us to the contrary.
Before you spout off any more opinions about what the problem is and how to solve it, have a read and see a different, non-political side to the story.
March 17, 2012
4.5 stars. I don't normally read books about addiction and homelessness, but this one was really refreshing. The author, Shaun is seriously messed up after a nasty break-up that was all his fault, and he decides to recover by living in Toronto's 'Tent City' for a year, while writing about it.
What is most striking about this book is how he humanizes all of the people he meets, without making you sympathize with them much or love them. You get the impression that while it was a horrible and drastic way to live for him, it also greatly impacted the rest of his life.
Ultimately this book is informative, hopeful, and sometimes dreary. I'll definitely never take having a roof over my head for granted again after reading this. Highly recommended.
What is most striking about this book is how he humanizes all of the people he meets, without making you sympathize with them much or love them. You get the impression that while it was a horrible and drastic way to live for him, it also greatly impacted the rest of his life.
Ultimately this book is informative, hopeful, and sometimes dreary. I'll definitely never take having a roof over my head for granted again after reading this. Highly recommended.
February 18, 2010
This book was so completely not what I expected, yet I learned so much.
It was heartbreaking yet hopeful, poignant and humorous. It was an inside view of homelessness from a man who, by his own description, grew up in a comfortable and happy upper middle class home. It was a story of addiction, despair, crime, violence and hopelessness; it was a story of happiness, loyalty and "community" in the least likely of places.
Be warned that this book is graphic at times in descriptions of violence and drug use and uses very coarse language. The story, however, is eye-opening and well worth reading.
It was heartbreaking yet hopeful, poignant and humorous. It was an inside view of homelessness from a man who, by his own description, grew up in a comfortable and happy upper middle class home. It was a story of addiction, despair, crime, violence and hopelessness; it was a story of happiness, loyalty and "community" in the least likely of places.
Be warned that this book is graphic at times in descriptions of violence and drug use and uses very coarse language. The story, however, is eye-opening and well worth reading.
July 25, 2011
If you're looking for truly progressive, insightful solutions to homelessness and such, this isn't it. The author admits that he didn't go into Tent City with questions, but the plus side is that there's no preaching. There's plenty of opportunities to read between the lines though, and the extent to which the author immerses himself into Tent City goes beyond scholarly intrigue. This book has it all. It's well-written and funny, and never drags its heels. It's written in diary format, but it's always first person real time, so it doesn't feel like simply recapping each day. This is a very important and unique book and I'd highly recommend it.
February 3, 2017
Raw, visceral, saddening, and often funny, this book was an eye-opening peek into the world of Toronto's tent city. I remember reading about this shantytown in the paper, but I had completely forgotten about its existence by the time I got around to reading this book. Bishop-Stall's honesty was refreshing. He did not pretend to know all the answers nor did he seem to be trying to paint himself in a brighter light. There is no preaching or morals given. Instead, we get the raw story of the author's brutal experiences in tent city, the tragic characters within, and the struggles of addiction and homelessness.
September 12, 2016
I read Down to This for an ethnography class back in college, and it changed my life. Before this book, I never really saw much gained from a journal or diary framework, but Bishop-Stall kept me engrossed from cover to cover.
I also learned so much about the homeless plight that is affecting modern culture. From the complex society they build themselves to the dismissal from the "Tom Cruises" of the better-off. Bishop-Stall paints so much culture here that it is fantastic.
This book remains one of my all-time favorite novels, and I recommend it to everyone that I can!
I also learned so much about the homeless plight that is affecting modern culture. From the complex society they build themselves to the dismissal from the "Tom Cruises" of the better-off. Bishop-Stall paints so much culture here that it is fantastic.
This book remains one of my all-time favorite novels, and I recommend it to everyone that I can!
December 30, 2010
Great book - very real but lyrical, the sort of book which makes you rethink your prejudices, makes you look at the world slightly differently after you've read it. The characters are brilliantly drawn, partly because they're real people, partly through the skill of the author. The images this book leaves in your memory are very vivid, like you were there. A brilliant read.
February 22, 2010
I absolutely loved this book. It was eye-opening, informative, and gave me some insight into the lives and realities of one of the main communities I work with - the urban homeless and addicted. A must read for anybody who is not afraid to know what's really out there.
May 28, 2012
Loved this. SBS is a really great writer. The diary style is fantastic. One chapter is literally just "No", then three days later SBS gives us a run-down of his most epic of drinking binges.
It's all-around fantastic.
It's all-around fantastic.
November 26, 2017
A friend lent me this book to read, and I’m glad she did. It was a great read and an in-depth look into homelessness on a day to day basis. It was told with an incredible amount of humour which balanced out the tragedy of life.
I recommend you read this!
I recommend you read this!
September 11, 2011
Won't forget this book for a long time.
February 4, 2012
Truly amazing... Every bit is a picture of the Tent city. Shaughnessy takes you with him through the giant world of homelessness, drugs, and wood scraps.
January 5, 2014
Absolutely love love LOVED this book!! Read it years ago and planning to read it again.
October 3, 2019
You have no idea how happy I am that this book is done! I have had a difficult time getting into it and was distracted by many other books that seemed to cross my path.
The story is about the author's journey into a homeless camp called Tent City. He had been having difficulties in his life with a break up, drugs and just generally living life. He was able to integrate himself into the community of Tent City and began to build relationships with the people there. While living there he was writing a book about his experiences. Which is all fine and dandy but in the end he states he had a 1000 written pages and he cut out many parts of a few interviews he did and still ended up with almost a 500 page book and that is where I got bogged down. It felt way to long and I felt that there were many parts that could have easily been left out to keep the book flowing. The book is written by month and then broken down into days. Thank goodness every day wasn't accounted for.
When I finally buckled down to read it to get this book finished I got into it a bit more and found more interest in it. It was especially sad when the city became involved and the people lost their homes because I am aware of how these places become full blown communities of people and even though the relationships may become crazy dysfunctional people still have a love for each other. One of the other things that felt unfinished after all the detail was wondering if him and his girlfriend were able to make it in 'real' life. It was left unfinished. All else was concluded but not this aspect and to me that made the book after reading all those pages, incomplete.
I would say read it but be aware that it can be long and a bit drawn out. Others may not find that to be the truth.
The story is about the author's journey into a homeless camp called Tent City. He had been having difficulties in his life with a break up, drugs and just generally living life. He was able to integrate himself into the community of Tent City and began to build relationships with the people there. While living there he was writing a book about his experiences. Which is all fine and dandy but in the end he states he had a 1000 written pages and he cut out many parts of a few interviews he did and still ended up with almost a 500 page book and that is where I got bogged down. It felt way to long and I felt that there were many parts that could have easily been left out to keep the book flowing. The book is written by month and then broken down into days. Thank goodness every day wasn't accounted for.
When I finally buckled down to read it to get this book finished I got into it a bit more and found more interest in it. It was especially sad when the city became involved and the people lost their homes because I am aware of how these places become full blown communities of people and even though the relationships may become crazy dysfunctional people still have a love for each other. One of the other things that felt unfinished after all the detail was wondering if him and his girlfriend were able to make it in 'real' life. It was left unfinished. All else was concluded but not this aspect and to me that made the book after reading all those pages, incomplete.
I would say read it but be aware that it can be long and a bit drawn out. Others may not find that to be the truth.
January 20, 2024
It's fascinating initially when the guy moves into the Tent City - getting to know his eccentric neighbours and how things ride in the 'hood and fixing up his new 'home' etc. But I got bored with it a third of the way through (after 150 pages) and quit. It's just too much of the same thing over and over again. Loads of characters have various issues and we go through the issues constantly and people drunk and wasted continually etc. It needed just a change of location or pace, I suppose. Or maybe more focus on just a couple of people rather than lots of people. I got really excited at one point when he went to a laundrette and saw a non-Tent City person, even though nothing much happened. That shows how desperate I was for something of a different colour/pattern to emerge in the narrative. Maybe it needed more of him powerfully recalling what brought him to this place initially. That might have worked. Basically what I mean is if it was more literary rather than journalisty. Because it's basically a journalist's diary of his time in this place. I am a bit disappointed I had to quit but man, it's a long book, and I couldn't take another 300 pages after the first 150!
September 19, 2020
I’m not really sure what to say about this book. I think I will have a book hangover for a few days. It is heavy and confronting and so honest that the words hurt. One man among many in such a terrible and beautiful place. An inside look at homeless culture in Toronto that shows the good, the bad and the ugly in complete honesty! All the hard and sad truths and the happy moments that all seem tinged with sadness. Not an easy read but totally worth it.
October 22, 2023
I do not have any idea how to rate this book. One star because it is repetitive, the writing is “meh” and, I believe, far, far longer than it needed to be. If I hadn't been reading it for a group discussion, I probably would not have finished it. However, it also deserves 5 stars because it is an eye-opening story. Regardless of my criticisms it is a story that needs to be heard by those of us with the good luck to have a roof over our heads, heat in our homes and food in our stomachs.
October 5, 2025
Writers lives twice, and maybe three times when the writer plots his life in tent city as a homeless person without a pen… I devoured the book after I read about the pet raccoon on a stolen motorbike bumping into police who was buying donuts on Queen… eye opening and raw
January 26, 2022
This book has left me filled with and empty from so many emotions and thoughts, and I don't know if I can find the words to express them. You have to experience it for yourself.
July 28, 2022
Rating: 10/10
An inside look at a homeless community in Toronto written by a person who was homeless at the time.
An inside look at a homeless community in Toronto written by a person who was homeless at the time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews