Four Feet Under: Thirty Untold Stories of Homelessness in London

by Tamsen Courtenay

Tamsen Courtenay spent two months speaking to people who live on London’s streets, the homeless and the destitute – people who feel they are invisible. With a camera and a cheap audio recorder, she listened as they chronicled their extraordinary lives, now being lived four feet below most Londoners, and she set about documenting their stories, which are transcribed in this book along with intimate photographic portraits.

A builder, a soldier, a transgender woman, a child and an elderly couple are among those who describe the events that brought them to the lives they lead now. They speak of childhoods, careers and relationships; their strengths and weaknesses, dreams and regrets; all with humour and a startling honesty.

Tamsen’s observations and remarkable experiences are threaded throughout. The astonishing people she met changed her for ever, as they became her heroes, people she grew to respect. You don’t have to go far to find these homegrown exiles: they’re at the bottom of your road. Have you ever wondered how they got there?

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Dark, Mental Health, London

368 pages, Hardcover

Published November 27, 2018

About the author

I love music that makes me cry and people that make me laugh. I worry about the fate of the world, am very accident-prone and totally useless in the kitchen. I'm a magnet for sick animals.

I live most of the time in rural Italy with my husband where our region was struck by a long series of earthquakes - read about all that, here: bit.ly/Earthquake-Blog

Before beginning my new career as a 'Modern-Day Chronicler' I worked as an investigative journalist for prestigious television current affairs programs in Britain: BBC 'Panorama' and C4 'Dispatches'. It was here I became drawn to exploring the darker sides of life and those that are often hidden from view.

Reviews

[The Book Review Café · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably one of the most difficult books I’ve ever chosen to review, it’s definitely not one I would consider to be an enjoyable read, far from it, in fact It’s heartbreaking, shocking, and disturbing, as I turned each page I found myself grateful for the small things I take for granted, hot water, heating, clean clothes, the love of my family, the list is endless. Four Feet Under is a powerful and moving insight into the day-to-day lives of some the unfortunate people who through tragedy, misfortune and bad decisions have found themselves living on the streets of Britain, displaced, dispossessed and destitute. This book deals with complex issues such as drug use, prostitution, and mental health issues although very upsetting but it also gives an incredible insight into the homeless.

Four Feet Under a collection of stories told by the homeless, Tamsen Courtenay presents them in such a way the voices and personalities of the people she interviews shine through, they answer questions with honestly and despite their desperately sad stories and the circumstances they find themselves in, there are humorous moments amid the heart breaking ones. Some of the stories challenge our own assumptions, others show how easily homelessness can happen through bad luck, misfortune, or making a wrong decision. Harsh treatment by impoverished authorities is also a common theme, some of the homeless featured aren’t considered not to be “enough of a hardship case” to qualify for help, despite them having serious medical problems.

As I read Four Feet Under there were so many stories that deeply affected me Charisse, who walked out on an abusive relationship, Jane and Kenny, a couple in their 60s who sleep beneath the Waterloo Imax cinema, Jade born to a teenage mother and a father who’s a paedophile and a pimp, were just a few that broke me. Despite the hardship and the brutality many have suffered on the streets, their resilience is incredible and inspiring.

In the past I have given money to the homeless but is that enough? If anything, this book made me realise “yes” they need money to live day to day, but they also need a smile, a kind word, a cup of coffee, anything to make them feel less invisible than they already are. Tamsen Courtenay writes in a sympathetic and non judgemental way, she doesn’t sugar the atrocities of the people she has interviewed, it’s the harsh reality for the people who live “Four Feet Under”. Although this book will not bring about big changes, the author has given the homeless a voice, a chance to share their fears, dreams and more importantly their stories, something they miss living on the streets where conversation is limited. This book has left me with a massive book hangover, but for all the wrong reasons, I can’t help wondering what happened to the characters in the book, and I’ve a feeling their stories will stay will haunt me for a long time to come. Highly recommended.

All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com

[John Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope this review is published - I pledged for the book before its publication - it won't be in the shops until August 23rd - but as a supporter I already got my copy and devoured it. I have to declare a bias. I am a market researcher by trade so I am used to interviewing and listening to people talking about their experience using their own words. And I have a real love of that kind of work. What the author has done is to exchange a curiosity about homeless people to a kind of raging representation of them and their issues as she interviews 30 of them sitting on the pavement next to them - hence the 4 foot under title - which is where the rest of us walk. Her interviews reveal the sheer diversity of people on London streets. Most haven't chosen to be there - but they can't find a way to get off the streets. As she gets to know each one the author can't be perceived as a neutral interviewer she gets indignant on their behalf and asks why more can't be done. The answers she receives reveal the dignity and hope of this very group who have nothing in common except that they haven't a roof over the heads. What they share is fear, sleeplessness, loss of language as a direct consequence of being homeless. And these people are for the most part tax payers and employees who are as entitled to state help and support as the rest of us. The book is illustrated with black and white photos which the author took with each interview. Its gruelling but ultimately it makes you want a solution to the problem of homelessness because it simply isn't acceptable to write them off. This isn't a manifesto even if it isn't entirely neutral - a housing minister would want to argue back. But the author never gets in the way of her interviewees so its a great way to let each oone of them speak

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a book that is very difficult to read; not because it is badly written, or because the subject matter is uninteresting, no far from it. It is full of human stories; stories that are so emotional, so raw and so downright unfair in this day and age. It's a book that took me a long time to read. I would read one chapter and then have to put it down, to go away, to think about what I'd read.

The book evoked those feelings in me every time I picked it up, but I also felt a sense of guilt and shame for feeling like that. Here are people who are living on the street, with no home, no warm and comfortable beds, sometimes no food for days. They are often the subject of violence and abuse ... from people like me .... people who are fortunate enough to be able to go home at the end of the night and climb into a clean, warm bed, in the knowledge that they will wake in the morning and be able to make themselves a cup of tea and a slice of toast.

Tamsen Courtney's stories do make me feel guilty. Even though I donate regularly to homeless charities, I give money to people sitting in doorways and often buy them food and a hot drink. I do my best to acknowledge them, to smile and show an interest, yet I still feel guilty .... I think that we should all feel a little shame that human beings are forced to sleep outside, in the coldest of winter nights and that they are not safe there.

I so admire this author. She got off her arse and she did something. She hasn't changed the lives of the people that she spoke to; they are still homeless, still hungry, still dirty. However, she gave them her time. She often put herself in danger whilst speaking with them. She treated them as equals, she gave them the opportunity to speak honestly about their situation. She never doubted them, or patronised them. She gave them their voice.

The common theme in all of these interviews is that becoming homeless could happen to any of us. You will hear from people who had responsible jobs, who were married, who owned houses; who were just like most of us. However, it doesn't take much for things to change and reading these narratives really does bring it home to the reader, just how simple it can be to go from being a home owner to being the owner of nothing except the clothes on your back and a sheet of cardboard.

There are desperately sad stories here, and sadly, the saddest stories were usually those told by women. Not only do they have to put up with the cold and the hunger and the dirt, but for most of them, they have to deal with predatory males; with sexual abuse, even rape. It's heartbreaking and disgusting.

This is one of the most powerful books that I've read for many years. The people featured really affected me. I felt humbled by their stories, and sad, and angry. I admire the author so much, she's put together a collection of human stories so very well. It's a testament to her writing and journalist skills.

[Amy W]

DNF @12%

I HATED the author's tone in this. She tried desperately to fit in with the homeless people she met, trying to dress like them and adopt a matey conversational style when talking with them, but underneath it all it was clear she believes herself a lot better than them. If anything I would have preferred if she'd been true to herself and stayed detatched like Trevor McDonald or Louis Theroux might have. Instead she came across dreadfully fake and patronising. I couldn't take it anymore. Whether this attitude improves as the book goes on and she learns more, I don't know. I can only hope so.

[Pinja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tärkeästä aiheesta kirjoitettu. Tykkäsin kuinka helppoon muotoon tämä oli kirjoitettu, paljon haastattelupätkiä.
Taas arvostan omaa elämääni vähän enemmän.

[Polly Stephens · Rating 1 out of 5]

I recently started working in the homelessness sector and a neighbour lent me this as a 'powerful insight' into the lives of the unhoused in our city. I thought this entire book was enormously unethical, paternalistic and completely self serving. It's almost the poverty porn bible. I persevered because I thought maybe the conclusion would offer a valid reflection on the causes of homelessness, hopefully see how she tangibly tried to support the vulnerable people she exploited for this book and offer ways for readers to join the fight to change the structural factors that create homelessness. I shouldn't have waited.

This could be the most perfect example of a white, overeducated privileged person, for no valid reason and with all the entitled arrogance in the world parachuting themselves into the lives of the most exposed and asking them to recount their trauma for their own personal gain. This kind of behaviour I have to deal with weekly from the public and the media, people don't want to really understand homelessness or help people experiencing it, they want to ogle the desperate, hear the worst things that ever happened to them and then go home to their warm safe homes with a sense of gratitude and pride that they 'did their bit'. Spare me. This book is gross and should only exist as a pitch perfect example of what NOT to do, think or feel when it comes to homelessness in London.

[Daniela · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories were compelling, but the whole book seemed like a lazy sociology project to me. Courtenay doesn't include any context to explain the stories she highlights, and her chapters that offer insights are pretty basic.

[Rachel Sargeant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here are thirty interviews with homeless people. We see common threads - often those interviewed became homeless: when their accommodation was attached to jobs which they lost; when they were in hospital; when a relationship broke down; when they left care; when living at home was a far worse hell than being on the streets. But it's clear that homelessness can happen to anyone at any time and very, very suddenly. Some of those interviewed are addicted to drink and drugs; some have mental health issues - but sometimes it's the homelessness that came first and the health and addiction problems followed.

At first I found the author's frequent intrusions irritating and I'd have rather just heard the voices of her interviewees, but it did become telling to see how her own health and well-being suffered as she spent more time on cold pavements, "four feet under" the heads of most Londoners. If her health could deteriorate so rapidly - even though she started off in good health and she could go home whenever she wanted for a sleep, shower and change of clothes - what chance does a homeless person have of retaining good physical and mental health?

[Maximilian Hawker · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is currently a lot of political and social interest in homelessness as an issue that demands greater attention in the UK, and so this book couldn't be more timely. In the media, we see pledges being made to eradicate homelessness as we speak and being able to hear the unaltered voice of homeless people is important, and something I've seldom witnessed, which is the obvious strength of Four Feet Under.

My biggest compliment for the book is this: I work in frontline children's social care and have supported young people who are homeless on multiple occasions - this book helped me grow as a professional and encouraged me to expand my understanding of homelessness as a wider issue. The narratives that affected me most were those told by people who had been Looked After and left a care system with such scant support that their lives spiralled into homelessness. But it is difficult not to be moved, at least on some level, by every person in this book.

I give Four Feet Under four and not five stars because a number of the narratives do eventually start to become quite similar to one another. Now, this has its importance in the fact that it serves to underscore some commonalities between those who are street homeless - mental health issues and drug use being chief among them - but homelessness has a broader definition, and I think it would have been interesting to have included the narratives of those who are homeless, but not street homeless. Perhaps a mother escaping DASV with her children in emergency accommodation, or maybe a person with no recourse to public funds evading Home Office enforcement agencies. But this is not to detract from the brilliant work and effort that has gone into reaching out to those who so often lack a voice and giving them space to express themselves.

I certainly hope Four Feet Under does not begin and end life as a simple work of non-fiction; it has the power to sway political discourse, alter lazy opinion and reshape a societal landscape that is littered with stigma, prejudice and closed-mindedness.

[Angela Petch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattering

I can't walk past a homeless person anymore after reading this raw work.
Tamsen doesn't claim to be an expert, but she gives a platform for thirty men and women to talk about their life on the streets. And the life is misery and the majority of us walk past these bundles of misery and ignore them. It could be any of us, most have had rotten childhoods, something went a little awry in a previous existence, quite a few are war veterans, not all are drug addicts or alcoholics and ... if they are? Who can blame them? I now feel ashamed of myself for being judgemental and I vow to do something to help. Please read this remarkably honest and heartbreaking book. Everybody... And let's think about what we can do. And then do it.

[Tara George · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartbreaking in places. Oddly I did actually enjoy this book, but more than that, I think this is an important book. And one that needs to be read

[Bee Whitaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tamsen is an investigative journalist who undertook this book as a personal project. She has previously worked on many pieces of work including blogs, reports and photographic collections. She travelled over from her home in Italy back to her hometown of London and spent two months sofa surfing whilst befriending, interviewing and understanding the people living on the streets on London. Armed with just a camera and a notebook she created an amazing account of who lives on the streets and why.

This book offers an insight into the lives of people rough sleeping in London. Tamsen works tirelessly to get stories from people that are all too often ignored and she does so with so much sincerity. Having spoken to some of the people she interviewed myself, I can confirm that she treated them with upmost respect and they all loved having her around during her research. This book is incredibly important and has the power to change the perspectives of so many people.

One of the interesting things about this book is how much is said not through the words, but through the portraits that Tamsen takes. The images are all relatively close up and seem to be able to show each person’s personality in a way that the words cannot capture. When reading as adults, we often forget about the images that go alongside a book and the importance of this.

I believe that one of the most important aspects of Tamsen’s work in this book is her focus on who people were before their time on the streets. She talks to people about their childhoods, their jobs, their relationships and everything else that led them to where they are today. This is the groundbreaking journalism that changes perceptions because she proves that people aren’t just on the streets because of their own bad decisions, drug use and petty crime like many people believe, they are there because they have been failed. Some by the system, some by other people and some by their own health. The ability to understand this creates significantly more empathy from the reader.

Whilst this book is powerful, it is not suitable for school children until the upper years of secondary school as it discusses drug use, prostitution and other difficult topics in quite a lot of detail. However, it would be a great book to read as a teacher as it gives the teacher a great understanding of the issue of homelessness and would allow for some really interesting conversation starters to teach children about it.

Don't get me wrong, whilst this book is important, it is far from enjoyable. It challenges the reader to address their own prejudice, it addresses issues that many would prefer to be left unsaid and it confronts the actions that are going on behind closed doors (or in this case, in front of them). This book works to break down the reader and it is a must-read for everyone, a real game changer.

[Yu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finishing reading this book was a long drag. In the beginning, I read it fast, non-stopped, with passion and curiosity. It goes one story by another story, like building up a pyramid somehow. Gradually, I find it harder and harder to get by with all the stories, all the misfortunes for these homeless people in the book. Here is why:

The author started with her own misfortune, related to the selling of her childhood house, which made her thinking of the golden old days that would never come back. Is that what triggered her to write this book? Possibly. I find the "connection" a bit off or reluctant.

What made it worse was in the very end, when the author stated in a sort of summary about her own interviewing questions with such a self-satisfactory manner-

“And I wasn’t, for the most part, trying to challenge people’s views, so if someone said, ‘I have no money but I’m free, I can go where I want,’ I wouldn’t say, ‘But you’re not really free then, are you, because you can’t actually afford to go anywhere,’ because that might have made them feel stupid or belittled. ”

Excerpt From: Tamsen Courtenay. “Four Feet Under: Untold Stories of Homelessness in London”. Apple Books.

In my opinion, these should not be mentioned in such a manner. The author gave very good interviews and she is sympathetic as well, but mentioning this would be to superfluous, and even it looks like she is belittling them.

The non-fiction book itself is a good idea, especially it was crowdfunded, but it could be so much better when it is well connected to the author's own reason of writing it, at least not the reasons now in the book.

[Meep · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall this is an interesting book. The writer falls prey to some basic assumptions on various places, including the chapter with a trans woman (where the word ‘transsexual’ is spelt incorrectly throughout) and she begins the chapter by saying she would never have known the woman was trans if she hadn’t said, which is a horrendous generalisation.

Overall though, it gives an insight into the way while sections of society live whilst ‘we’ often barely even see them. It’s an education.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

You likely know exactly what to expect with this. But even if you do, the book will still shock and appall you.

This is not because the author’s intention is to shock or appall - the writing is not lurid or sensationalist, but measured, thoughtful and deeply humane. Courtenay never tells us more than we need to know. She intervenes in various places, sometimes to spare the reader and sometimes to protect her interviewees. Between each interview, she gives us brief scribbles on her experience of writing the book and what she learned in doing so. This is no fly-on-the-wall, silent observer and the book is better for it. The author’s sincere compassion and humanity is always somewhere close by - a safety railing to cling to.

What’s left are the stories of the homeless, told as they want to tell them. Not all of them come across as reliable, and some had a good deal more to say than others. But the recurring themes of abuse and abandonment come in again and again. It is extraordinary how often the homeless describe being tormented, assaulted, or abused (in every way possible) by members of the public - indeed, the author witnesses one such incident herself.

But the most depressing thing of all is the wasted years since this book was published. Anyone who has lived in the UK capital since 2014 knows full well that the plight of the homeless has become considerably worse, and that the number of people experiencing it has increased enormously. Furthermore, we have occupied most of the time and energy since then with inflicting an unnecessary political crisis upon ourselves for utterly cynical reasons. The ruling party in Britain has if anything become less caring about the causes of homelessness since 2014 and has instead “banged on” about immigration and Europe, just as it promised not to do.

Reading ‘Four Feet Under’, it is difficult not to imagine what might have been if we had spent the last six years on something that actually mattered.

[Ian Plenderleith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of us barely even notice the homeless, let alone talk to them and help them. This book aims to alter that mindset. The author interviews men and women living on the streets of London with nothing more than the possessions in their bags. They all have stories to tell, none of which are sugar-coated, and many of which follow a similar pattern - misfortune, child abuse and addiction, followed by destitution. A malicious step-dad or partner, a lost job, a weakness for something that gives you the illusion of strength - that could be any one of us out there in the rain, getting kicked and pissed on by some laddish wankers on their way home from the pub after all our physical and mental structures have fallen away.

Sample quote (from the author's narrative): "We control our destinies. Maybe. But only up to a point. How many times have you made a rubbish choice or decision and seriously regretted it? [...] I've made several lousy decisions that have gone on, in one way or another, to colour the rest of my life. I've also not managed my life terribly well at times. But here's the thing - I was born bright, white, middle class, have supportive friends, a good education and was brought up to be confident. Periodically, I suffer from existential gloom but have no other mental health issues. I was able to more easily recover from my errors of judgment. So I asked myself - how hard and for how long are we going to punish the homeless for theirs?"

[Sam Dimond · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I was in first or second year at university (10 years ago), the student union put on an event to "raise awareness" for homelessness and I refused to participate as I could see what was going to happen coming a mile off. Hundreds of students in tents and sleeping bags all drinking, partying to DJs and people with speakers having the time of their life. They didn't care about homeless people, raise money or want to raise awareness, they wanted to get pissed in a tent outside the student union for a laugh.

It was hard for me to put into words back then how dirty the idea of what they were doing felt to me. All my mates going along with it, confused and likely judging me for not coming along to party but I knew then as I know now. Homelessness isn't something to glorify.

I wish this book existed back then so I could show my friends why it was so wrong. True, harrowing accounts from real people with real struggles. A great but difficult read that I would suggest to everyone to pick up.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have worked in housing advice for 20 years now and worked with a lot of homeless people and I learnt some insights from this such as the effects of living at ground level, the loneliness, the sleep issues and toilet issues etc.. . This collection of stories was brilliant as it really shows the human side and stories for how people ended up as they are. The stories are also very sad and there are a lot of people there who are entitled to help with the right support and advice but aren't getting it. I for one will never not acknowledge a street homeless person again after reading this. There should be more of this and more people (especially in the housing sector) should be reading this stuff.. Thank - you Tamsen for doing this. i've not come across anything like this before..

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great idea for a book and very well executed

The author does a superb job of helping the reader relate to the reasons why people end up on the streets and the trials and tribulations the face on a daily basis. Having work with the homeless I could relate to so much of what was said and testify that what the author is writing about really is happening today in the towns and cities where we live and work. And finally I have to praise the title. That was pure genius. If youve ever wondered about the guy in the sleeping back on your way to the office then read this book. It really does give you an insight that would otherwise necessitate several weeks four feet under.

[David Kirlew-Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. It's one which shows the true diversity of people who sleep on the streets. They're not all one type of person at all.

Simply put, rough sleeping can happen to anyone. All you need is for one bad thing to happen in your life and you could end up in the same position.

How would you like it if you were ignored, verbally abused, had your possessions taken or even raped?

These are people who are struggling to survive. They just need the support and kindness of others. Simple acknowledgement of their existence would beca start though.

I really do recommend you read this. It's informed my own writing on rough sleeping.

[Megan Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't even know where to start with why you should read this book.... We can and should do better to help those who live around us at ground level..... The people in this book are real people and have very much been failed at some point in their lives, they find themselvea stuck in a catch 22 situation making it incredibly difficult to change the life they have found themselves living as a result.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book Every homeless person is just that - a Person. The stories contained here illustrate that not all are drunks or druggies and the circumstances leading to the people becoming homeless are many and varied.We are all so close to being there ourselves. it could be us one day.

[Reece Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tamsen Courtenay gives an empathetic insight into the relentless and heartbreaking world of homelessness through the eyes of those who endure it day and night. Written with care and consideration, it leaves the reader with their eyes wide open. These stories had a profound effect on me and will stay with me for life.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have found this an interesting read which has given me a new perspective on the subject. For some it is very hard to trust and accept help for others it s a difficult but chosen way. Good on Tamsen for tackling the topic is such an empathetic way.

[CA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Undecided

There are Parts of the book I really enjoyed but some areas I hesitate over and this would include some of the questions . However, Any book that brings homelessness up for discussion is a positive.

[Teagan-jayde · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 I used to volunteer with a homeless shelter and I think this book really educates us on how not everyone is homeless for the same stereotypical reasons. Everyone has there issues, bumps in the road that has spiralled and caused there current situation

[Chris sturgess]

A must read book

Forget any preconceptions you may have about homeless people and read this book. Eye wateringly honest and grips the reader to the end..Well done Tamsen,thank you for sharing your experiences with us.

[mrs c a flaskett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book . Loved every minute. Easy to read . Highly recommended

[Josephine · Rating 4 out of 5]

heartbreaking

[Martin Peel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had a safe brush with Homelessness this year when volunteering to help feed the Lancaster homeless once a week. I had my first meetings with the real people that are homeless who face that situation every minute of every day. This was different to seeing a person in need on the street when you are faced with a set of reactions policed by your own subconcious prejudices which are largely determined by media impressions that you have picked up.

What Four Feet Under does admirably is take you to the streets. You meet the homeless, you interact with them through the real situations that are conveyed to you by Tamsen Courtenay. I found myself coming away from the book, like I did last year on a Tuesday night in Lancaster, feeling a profound mix of emotions: relieved that you are not there, anger at the scale of the tragedy before you, and compassion for the human beings you have met who have to face the indifference, cold, boredom, and threat that can constitute the normality of a homeless life.

The central metaphor of the book's title is an appropriate one. I read it in a watery way when I ordered the book, thinking along the lines of 'not waving but drowning', but that was not Courtenay's full intention. To her mind the homeless are invisible, they live at street level, below the gaze of most of us: unseen is unheard and unrecognized. Courtenay tries to bring the lives she encounters up to eye level, to be witnessed. In order to do this Courtenay seeks to tell their stories by letting their voices do the work, many of the chapters are told only using the words of the homeless people themselves. Their voices are unedited as we encounter them. The veracity of this enhances the power of the reading experience. We feel the loneliness of Charise, on the streets to get away from the violence of her partner; we feel the despair of the young mother turned drug addict who has turned to prostitution to buy the drugs she needs to fund her habit; we feel the proximity of death in Beth, in her 20s but losing her teeth, prostituting herself to fund her addiction; we feel the companionship of the several pairs brought together to face off the world in a partnership rather than on their own; we see the warmth of the relationship with a pet, another living thing. Above all we hear the stories. The man with a degree living in a tent in one of London's parks; the mentally ill who have not been able to cope with normal life and have ended up on the streets; the young people pushed out of families by abuse and neglect; we feel the community of the street where the homeless protect each other from the random violence meted out to them by the drunk, the vicious, and the cruel.

The book is great at taking you there, meeting the 'real' homeless, chronicling their lives and honouring them as human beings. If you want a way in to the issue, if you want to discover what it may be like on the streets then this book will take you there. It is a different experience to meeting the homeless face to face but it is just as enlightening.

Read this book. In the 21st century in a so called developed country you get an insight into the fixable but complex issues behind the homeless faces you see in any city or town. Bringing the stories to our sightline can only help us find the solutions to the issues. There are solutions but as Courtenay points out until the solutions start to come from the homeless themselves, rather than be enforced by other agencies, the problem is not going to go away.

As she says:

"If I went back next year or the year after, would those optimistic people like Brad and Charise still be living on the street ? How many would still be alive ? ...Doors are always slamming shut. And when a door does open, it's never wide enough to really get in. Someone's got their foot against it, on the other side That's just the way it is. At least for them. ....I went home. "

I found this an essential read.