Roofless

by Stuart Harvey

Roofless is the new non-fiction book by Stewart Harvey, and is a series of reallife accounts and interviews given by people who have faced the brutal realities of homelessness at some point in their lives. Compiled by the charity First Stop Darlington, the true identities of the protagonists are kept secret, but their stories always make for difficult and bleak reading. Documenting both the successes and failures of people who attempt to make a life for themselves while battling homelessness, Roofless is a disturbing reality check for people who may often turn a blind eye to this ever-increasing issue. “…Harrowing and calling out for change, Roofless serves as a reminder that anyone can be homeless, especially in times of economic uncertainty and welfare cut-backs…

60 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2019

Reviews

[Matisse Lefebvre · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Roofless, Stuart Harvey and the First Stop Darlington charity gathered seven testimonies from people who have experienced homelessness. Laura Mochrie’s illustration of the book cover plunges the reader into a clair-obscure atmosphere, however more obscure than clair. A huge and bright full moon fills half of the cover page and reveals the book’s title, while the rest of the cover is mostly dark. Some nuances of dark blue and grey can be found on the rooves of aligned buildings that stand beneath the moon. Small lit windows illuminate these buildings, but an additional ray of light indicates the shadow of a small human figure cowered on the ground between two buildings. The director of the charity - John Kilgour - provides a clear foreword: in only sixty pages or so, the book aims at changing our perception of homelessness while admitting that, to “fully understand homelessness you would need to hear the story of every homeless individual” (Harvey, 2017: 6). Indeed, here we are, immersed in fragments of Clive, Justin, Paula, Martin, Gina, Ronnie and Emma’s life stories.


The short stories follow the same format of an opening quote and a “Present” section, which allows us to know the current situation of each individual. While some of the quotes stick to the description of miserable material conditions, such as Martin’s (“I was eating pizza off pavements”), others try to convey how these people actually felt about the lives that they were living (Harvey, 2017: 30). Clive affirms that “It seemed that everyone had a place in life except for me” and Paula recalls being hosted by her ex-boyfriend’s family as a “glimpse of normality. Proper family life for the first time ever.” (Harvey, 2017: 9 & 22). The idea of “normality” raised by Paula is something that seems to follow the reader throughout every testimony. Just as if we were reading a Charles Dickens’ novel, we find ourselves awaiting a happy-ending in “The Present” section. But this is no Hollywood movie and social misery is not romantic. We are told a person’s biggest life struggle in a maximum of ten pages. The reader is simply confronted with the narrative of sadly ordinary lives. There are recurring themes throughout the recollections, among which, violent childhood, unexpected pregnancies, addiction to drugs and/or alcohol, endless relapses, misery and, evidently, homelessness. Soon enough, we are brought to the realization that our perception of normality does not necessarily fit the norm and we eventually start considering it as a luxury... A blinding luxury which keeps us from realizing the privilege of our routines while putting social pressure and guilt on people who failed to fit in. As highlighted in the back cover, despite Great Britain being the 27th richest country in the world, “the number of homeless people has not gone down from the tens of thousands” (Harvey, 2017).


But again, the book leaves very little space for pathos. The basic rubbery fabric of the cover can be seen as a reminder of simple material reality. This seems to be echoed within the grim nature of “The Present” sections. We hoped for Clive to finally get over his drug addiction, however we discover that two weeks after his rehab, he died from a drug overdose at only 30 years of age (Harvey, 2017: 16). In that sense, Roofless is an honest introduction to realistic social literature.

[Emma Stent · Rating 4 out of 5]

How often have you walked past a homeless person and looked the other way? Or given them a quick, acknowledging nod before thinking no more about it?
‘Roofless’ forces you to take off your rose-tinted glasses and pay attention to the problems within our society by looking directly at the members of this society who are ignored far too often. Stuart Harvey and First Stop Darlington provide an insight into the lives of seven people who have encountered homelessness. Each account gives the ‘Story’ behind the person followed by a short section titled ‘The Present’ informing the reader of the person’s current situation. As noted in the Prologue, this book encourages the reader to develop a deeper understanding of homelessness and how vulnerable people end up on the streets.
The writing style of 'Roofless' is simplistic, perhaps too simplistic at times. Yet, the refusal to shroud the seven stories in flowery language allows the messages to be conveyed in an easily accessible manner.
What is striking throughout the accounts is how ordinary each person is. The result of this is a feeling that homelessness could, and does, happen to anyone. All you need is a handful of unfortunate and uncontrollable circumstances before your life takes a very different turn. Each person deals with their own set of circumstances, but the recurring consequences of these circumstances seem to be addiction, abusive relationships, crime, and mental health problems.
'Roofless' denies the reader a tidy, happy ending to each account. Instead, the book details the harsh reality that comes with having experienced an unstable life. 'Roofless' is not an easy read but, it will leave you with a greater awareness of the people around you. It is with this awareness that change will gradually happen.

[Maia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Roofless, by Stuart Harvey is a collection of seven people’s stories of homelessness and the events leading up to this. It is a stirring insight into the causes and effects of homelessness and the issues that we associate with it.

The stories follow the lives of these seven men and women from childhood, where many of their problems began, through the course of their lives since, and conclude with a reflection on the individual’s situation in the present day. Although many of the stories have similar themes, unhappy family relationships, drug use and both physical and sexual abuse among them, it is essential that we recognize that these are the accounts of specific peoples struggles and not simply statistics; each individual responds to pressures imposed upon them in unique and separate ways.

I felt especially moved by Gina, in the fifth story, both by her continued attempts to get help throughout the many difficult times in her life and by her relentless efforts to be reunited with her children.

The purpose of this book is to raise awareness and understanding of the complexities of these situations and I think an important conclusion to draw from it is that no one of these situations was caused by a single event or trauma; each has an intricate array of troubles and difficulties at its root.

[Lulu · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Roofless” immerses us in the harsh reality of life on the streets, through testimonies of people who experienced it, and shared their issues and feelings with the charity First Stop Darlington.

Throughout our reading, our view and our feelings about homelessness are nourished by the voices of Clive, Justin, Paula, Martin, Gina, Ronnie and Emma, who agreed to tell their life stories, with a brave honesty.

The reading is hard and moving, but so interesting that you are gripped from the first to the last page. We sometimes recognize our own weaknesses, in the face of addictions, in the difficulty of integrating into society, but we quickly understand how a lack of affection and stability, often present from childhood can deprive you of the basic codes of independence and self-care.

A great book, wich allows us to realize the daily, long and uncertain struggle of homeless people and associations against fate and preconceived ideas.

[Elika · Rating 5 out of 5]

A collection of harrowing experiences lived through by people who have been homeless, it is an eyeopening account and very tragic. My heart goes out to these people, but also to those working in First Stop and similar services who do their best to offer support these people really need and lack.

[Matthew Mclane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know what was more harrowing - the case studies or the apparent lack of proofreading.