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Those Who Wander: America's Lost Street Kids
Award-winning journalist Vivian Ho exposes a shattering true-crime story, shedding light on America’s new lost generation.
In 2015, the senseless Bay Area murders of twenty-three-year-old Audrey Carey and sixty-seven-year-old Steve Carter were personal tragedies for the victims’ families. But they also shed light on a more complex issue. The killers were three drifters scrounging for a living among a burgeoning counterculture population. Soon this community of runaways and transients became vulnerable scapegoats of a modern witch hunt. The supposedly progressive residents of San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury, only two generations removed from the Summer of Love, now feared all of society’s outcasts as threats.
In Those Who Wander, Vivian Ho delves deep into a rising subculture that’s changing the very fabric of her city and all of urban America. Moving beyond the disheartening statistics, she gives voices to these young people—victims of abuse, failed foster care, mental illness, and drug addiction. She also doesn’t ignore the threat they pose to themselves and to others as a dangerous dark side emerges. With alarming urgency, she asks what can be done to save the next generation of America’s vagabond youth.
208 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 221 reviews
September 14, 2019
As the author admits, there's much "information" in this book that can never be verified. So let's start with what can be. In October, 2015, three young people murdered and robbed 23-year-old Audrey Carey In San Francisco. Then they moved north into Marin County. They were headed to Oregon, but first they needed to steal a car. For a victim, they chose 67-year-old Steve Carter, who was returning to his car after walking his dog. They shot and killed Carter and wounded his dog, then started north in his car.
Haze Lampley was 26, his girlfriend Lila Alligood was 18, and their recently acquired friend was 25-year-old Sean Angold. Lampley's family owned land in rural Oregon and he intended to settle down and grow pot, but they never got there. They stopped at a Catholic Church in Portland which runs a dining hall and showers for the homeless, the GPS on Steve Carter's car alerted police, and they were arrested and charged with murder.
As is the norm, each one claimed innocence and blamed the killings on the others. Angold turned state's evidence and received a reduced sentence for doing so. Lampley was sentenced to 100 years in prison and Alligood to 50. A new California law now allows for earlier parole hearings. Lampley could be released in his fifties; Alligood as early as 43.
The author was a young, naive reporter at the time of the murders. A product of a loving, stable home and a recent transplant from New England, she was intrigued by the "street people" culture of San Francisco and the conflicting emotions it arouses in those who live there. Some feel the presence of eccentrics and free spirits adds to the color and excitement of the city. Some pity those who deal daily with the danger and hardships of living on the street. Some see the homeless as lazy and dangerous, making the city a place they no longer want to live. And the majority swing from one feeling to the other, just as most of us do.
Caught up in the story of the murders, the young woman threw herself into researching the lives of Haze Lampley and Lila Alligood, trying to figure out what made them what they are. For some reason, she tells nothing about Sean Angold. He is despised by his friends and their families for being a "snitch." Does the author share that feeling or was there some other reason she didn't focus more on Angold? We never learn.
I was surprised that she uses the term "street kids" for all homeless people, regardless of age. She cites a study that shows 7,500 homeless people in San Francisco, with 1/3 under the age of 30 and 1/2 under the age of 40. That means that half of them are 40 or older, but in this book they're ALL "dirty kids" who live on the street. The managers of shelters and help centers she interviews vigorously deny that any of these people are homeless by choice. According to them, all homeless have fled abusive families and turned to drugs to deal with the pain of their childhoods. Ms. Ho accepts this mantra completely.
Lampley's story (early childhood with a drug-addicted mother, then a stint with an abusive father) seems to bear this out. But further investigation shows that his tales are as full of holes as Swiss cheese. On the other hand, Alligood was undeniably a child of privilege, attending a prestigious private school in Hawaii, from which she was expelled for selling drugs. When her mother tried to relocate the family to help her daughter, Lila ran away. She and others the author interviewed WERE on the street by choice.
I was irritated by the constant use of "kids" (which implies no responsibility) but I have to admit that all of the people she interviewed (young and old) have one thing in common - they share the "teenager" mentality that all parents and teachers recognize. They feel invincible and pride themselves on taking risks. They resent rules and authority. They have unrealistic ideas about what they're entitled to and what's likely to be in their futures. They're reluctant to accept any responsibility for their actions and resentful when things go wrong for them. They're incapable of seeing very far ahead or of anticipating cause-and-effect. They trust only their peers; everyone else is the enemy. And they have no scruples about lying to or stealing from that enemy!
Most of us learn early that these attitudes don't lead to success and happiness. In other words, we grow up. The nation of restless wanderers this author describes never do. Some are caught in a cycle of bad decisions. Others simply opt out of "normal" life.
The author agonizes over the hardships of homelessness and searches for an answer. She quickly finds that there isn't one because homeless people are no more homogeneous than any other group. Some are rootless by choice. Some are mentally ill. Some have been abused as children. Some are simply misfits or people who were born in the wrong century.
So what's the answer? More treatment for mental health and/or addiction is needed, but most of us have seen loving families who've sacrificed to send a mentally ill or addicted loved one for expensive treatment with no improvement. Affordable housing is a huge need in this country, but a mentally ill or addicted or emotionally unstable person can seldom take advantage of even the most generous public benefit programs. Ask the people who run programs for the homeless all over the country and they'll tell you of successes and failures.
The author is a young (to me) woman from a privileged background whose guilt over the unfairness of life colors her thinking. I look at life from the viewpoint of seven decades of observation and experience. I live in a town with unusually extensive programs for homeless people, including transitional housing. I vacation in a coastal town with almost no help programs, but hundreds of homeless attracted by the warm weather and the beach life. I can say this for sure. There are NO easy answers to this problem. We have to try, but we should have reasonable expectations and we should avoid assigning wholesale blame to the families of the homeless.
This book is well-written and very readable. The young author opens up about her own struggles to deal with the murders and the people who committed them. She shares her frustration at the impossibility of learning the truth from people who are programmed to lie and cover up and blame others for their problems. She beautifully expresses the anger and sorrow and guilt that we ALL feel when we see someone who lacks the basics of life. She's written a book that makes the reader think. For that reason, it's a valuable effort.
Haze Lampley was 26, his girlfriend Lila Alligood was 18, and their recently acquired friend was 25-year-old Sean Angold. Lampley's family owned land in rural Oregon and he intended to settle down and grow pot, but they never got there. They stopped at a Catholic Church in Portland which runs a dining hall and showers for the homeless, the GPS on Steve Carter's car alerted police, and they were arrested and charged with murder.
As is the norm, each one claimed innocence and blamed the killings on the others. Angold turned state's evidence and received a reduced sentence for doing so. Lampley was sentenced to 100 years in prison and Alligood to 50. A new California law now allows for earlier parole hearings. Lampley could be released in his fifties; Alligood as early as 43.
The author was a young, naive reporter at the time of the murders. A product of a loving, stable home and a recent transplant from New England, she was intrigued by the "street people" culture of San Francisco and the conflicting emotions it arouses in those who live there. Some feel the presence of eccentrics and free spirits adds to the color and excitement of the city. Some pity those who deal daily with the danger and hardships of living on the street. Some see the homeless as lazy and dangerous, making the city a place they no longer want to live. And the majority swing from one feeling to the other, just as most of us do.
Caught up in the story of the murders, the young woman threw herself into researching the lives of Haze Lampley and Lila Alligood, trying to figure out what made them what they are. For some reason, she tells nothing about Sean Angold. He is despised by his friends and their families for being a "snitch." Does the author share that feeling or was there some other reason she didn't focus more on Angold? We never learn.
I was surprised that she uses the term "street kids" for all homeless people, regardless of age. She cites a study that shows 7,500 homeless people in San Francisco, with 1/3 under the age of 30 and 1/2 under the age of 40. That means that half of them are 40 or older, but in this book they're ALL "dirty kids" who live on the street. The managers of shelters and help centers she interviews vigorously deny that any of these people are homeless by choice. According to them, all homeless have fled abusive families and turned to drugs to deal with the pain of their childhoods. Ms. Ho accepts this mantra completely.
Lampley's story (early childhood with a drug-addicted mother, then a stint with an abusive father) seems to bear this out. But further investigation shows that his tales are as full of holes as Swiss cheese. On the other hand, Alligood was undeniably a child of privilege, attending a prestigious private school in Hawaii, from which she was expelled for selling drugs. When her mother tried to relocate the family to help her daughter, Lila ran away. She and others the author interviewed WERE on the street by choice.
I was irritated by the constant use of "kids" (which implies no responsibility) but I have to admit that all of the people she interviewed (young and old) have one thing in common - they share the "teenager" mentality that all parents and teachers recognize. They feel invincible and pride themselves on taking risks. They resent rules and authority. They have unrealistic ideas about what they're entitled to and what's likely to be in their futures. They're reluctant to accept any responsibility for their actions and resentful when things go wrong for them. They're incapable of seeing very far ahead or of anticipating cause-and-effect. They trust only their peers; everyone else is the enemy. And they have no scruples about lying to or stealing from that enemy!
Most of us learn early that these attitudes don't lead to success and happiness. In other words, we grow up. The nation of restless wanderers this author describes never do. Some are caught in a cycle of bad decisions. Others simply opt out of "normal" life.
The author agonizes over the hardships of homelessness and searches for an answer. She quickly finds that there isn't one because homeless people are no more homogeneous than any other group. Some are rootless by choice. Some are mentally ill. Some have been abused as children. Some are simply misfits or people who were born in the wrong century.
So what's the answer? More treatment for mental health and/or addiction is needed, but most of us have seen loving families who've sacrificed to send a mentally ill or addicted loved one for expensive treatment with no improvement. Affordable housing is a huge need in this country, but a mentally ill or addicted or emotionally unstable person can seldom take advantage of even the most generous public benefit programs. Ask the people who run programs for the homeless all over the country and they'll tell you of successes and failures.
The author is a young (to me) woman from a privileged background whose guilt over the unfairness of life colors her thinking. I look at life from the viewpoint of seven decades of observation and experience. I live in a town with unusually extensive programs for homeless people, including transitional housing. I vacation in a coastal town with almost no help programs, but hundreds of homeless attracted by the warm weather and the beach life. I can say this for sure. There are NO easy answers to this problem. We have to try, but we should have reasonable expectations and we should avoid assigning wholesale blame to the families of the homeless.
This book is well-written and very readable. The young author opens up about her own struggles to deal with the murders and the people who committed them. She shares her frustration at the impossibility of learning the truth from people who are programmed to lie and cover up and blame others for their problems. She beautifully expresses the anger and sorrow and guilt that we ALL feel when we see someone who lacks the basics of life. She's written a book that makes the reader think. For that reason, it's a valuable effort.
August 1, 2019
Although the book relates the stories of Lila Scott Alligood, Morrison Haze Lampley, and Sean Michael Angold, author Vivian Ho uses their experiences as a jumping-off point to offer a look at a serious problem: homelessness, and primarily for those who are not yet considered adults. Alligood, Lampley, and Angold are all serving time for the murders of Audrey Carey and Steve Carter. Ms. Ho doesn’t excuse their crimes. Rather, she delves into the myriad causes, how all the smaller instances can lead up to actions most people find difficult to comprehend. During the journey, the author ventures into a different world, that of the homeless children (sometimes referred to as “dirty kids”). She presents the material as facts, never writing to pull at the reader’s heartstrings; instead, the author presents her findings and allows us to determine our own final thoughts.
Ms. Ho’s writing is descriptive and to the point. At times the book reads like a novel, as the author offers a range of details to help us understand. For instance, we learn about “Haze” Lampley’s childhood from both his mother and mother-in-law (Lampley lived with his father from age 7 to 12). The stories conflict, both blaming the other for Lampley’s behavior and at times it is difficult for the parties to agree even on the simplest of events. To her credit, Ms. Ho presents each side and ultimately allows the reader to filter through the stories and come up with their own conclusions.
The author was not content to fill up her book with background details from newspapers, magazines, and other books. To her credit, she “got her hands dirty” by meeting face-to-face with homeless youths and those who work with them, conducting these visits in the subjects’ own environments. This allowed a realistic picture to be drawn from Ms. Ho’s own experiences, injecting the book with a subtle power that resonates throughout the chapters. She allows herself to be a conduit for the people who have experienced homelessness, both those who have found their way to a safer place and for those who still call the streets their home. An enlightening, sobering read. Recommended. Five stars.
Ms. Ho’s writing is descriptive and to the point. At times the book reads like a novel, as the author offers a range of details to help us understand. For instance, we learn about “Haze” Lampley’s childhood from both his mother and mother-in-law (Lampley lived with his father from age 7 to 12). The stories conflict, both blaming the other for Lampley’s behavior and at times it is difficult for the parties to agree even on the simplest of events. To her credit, Ms. Ho presents each side and ultimately allows the reader to filter through the stories and come up with their own conclusions.
The author was not content to fill up her book with background details from newspapers, magazines, and other books. To her credit, she “got her hands dirty” by meeting face-to-face with homeless youths and those who work with them, conducting these visits in the subjects’ own environments. This allowed a realistic picture to be drawn from Ms. Ho’s own experiences, injecting the book with a subtle power that resonates throughout the chapters. She allows herself to be a conduit for the people who have experienced homelessness, both those who have found their way to a safer place and for those who still call the streets their home. An enlightening, sobering read. Recommended. Five stars.
September 19, 2019
Just ok. Expected more
For 200 pages there wasn't enough 'meat' to this book. What I found most annoying was that it was so repetitive. Ho mentions the same facts and details over and over again as if the reader is incapable of remembering them from one chapter to the next.
For 200 pages there wasn't enough 'meat' to this book. What I found most annoying was that it was so repetitive. Ho mentions the same facts and details over and over again as if the reader is incapable of remembering them from one chapter to the next.
August 19, 2019
Part true crime, part exploration of homelessness. Vivian Ho documents the murders of Audrey Carey and Steve Carter at the hands of three "street kids" in San Francisco. Remove references and the extra sections of this book and the bulk of the content clocks in at under 200 pages. It should have been shorter. The unnecessary repetition of events and phrases brought me back to my school days of adding extra fluff for the purpose of hitting a specified page limit.
There wasn't enough depth to the reporting on either the murders or homelessness, but the latter lacked more overall and most affected my rating. I would have enjoyed reading about more meaningful conversations between the author and her contacts for a deeper insight into their lives and what makes them click. That said, as someone ignorant towards the extent of this issue in the Bay Area, the book served as a solid introductory course. I also found the discussions with the main culprit, Morrison Haze Lampley, to be interesting. Overall it's a thought-provoking piece, but unable to offer solutions (as stated in the beginning) or achieve the author's primary intent (finding remorse from the killer).
There wasn't enough depth to the reporting on either the murders or homelessness, but the latter lacked more overall and most affected my rating. I would have enjoyed reading about more meaningful conversations between the author and her contacts for a deeper insight into their lives and what makes them click. That said, as someone ignorant towards the extent of this issue in the Bay Area, the book served as a solid introductory course. I also found the discussions with the main culprit, Morrison Haze Lampley, to be interesting. Overall it's a thought-provoking piece, but unable to offer solutions (as stated in the beginning) or achieve the author's primary intent (finding remorse from the killer).
August 2, 2019
I read this in an afternoon. Absolutely incredible. The writing and reporting are excellent, and the stories are haunting. Highly recommended to foster parents, social workers, teachers, or anyone who wants children to have true childhoods.
August 22, 2019
A well done book on a very important subject. If this human tragedy touches you and you are able to help, check out covenanthouse.org in the US, Canada or Latin America, to help save the ones we can🙏
August 7, 2024
The author set out to learn about and shed light on America's street kids, the homeless young people who are seemingly cast about on the streets of many major cities. She uses the framework of what is happening in her own backyard, San Francisco, and quickly uncovers the story of three very troubled youth who end up killing two people. The example of these three committing murder may be extreme, but the circumstances of their homelesssness and their experiences living on the streets in many ways exemplifies the variables that lead so many other kids on the street. An inept foster care system that kicks kids to the curb with nothing, abusive parents, mental health, drug addiction, and straight up running away from some kind of trauma. Are there successful strategies for dealing with this? Clear from the many stories she uncovered that there cannot be a one size fits all approach either to prevention or resolution. What she does put forward in this book is a very difficult problem told with compassion, understanding, and a big dose of reality.
March 31, 2020
This book will make you sad for the senseless violence, the senseless lack of social services for the homeless, and the system in place to keep the cycle going. There are no answers and the author doesn't pretend to know them, but she gives a real, gritty insight into the dirty kids who live in their own world, slightly adjacent to you and I. Sobering stories and shows these are people and not just statistics.
September 15, 2019
Not about what it says
This book is almost solely focused on a murder. It then makes attempts to connect the fact that the murderers where street kids to make a statement about street kids for about three chapters. I was anticipating investigative journalism and possible social commentary and got a true crime book. Not happy!
This book is almost solely focused on a murder. It then makes attempts to connect the fact that the murderers where street kids to make a statement about street kids for about three chapters. I was anticipating investigative journalism and possible social commentary and got a true crime book. Not happy!
August 8, 2020
I experienced this book in the audible format while following along with the Kindle edition. The topic of this book is something with which I have a small amount of familiarity and experience with although it is somewhat dated at this point. I lived and worked in Ann Arbor Michigan in the 1970s and among other things was a child protective service worker. At that time Ann Arbor was a runaway focal point in the area, famous for its five dollar marijuana fine.
I had some high expectations for this book since it is very current and I thought it would touch on the subject in a very today kind of way. But regrettably I found the book almost useless and helping me understand even what the author thought about this issue. Well it seems like she possibly talked with quite a few active runaways or voyageurs over a pretty wide age range, she did not give any sense of valid generalizations or statistical resources. She seem to think that her personal experience with a relatively small number gave her a legitimate overview of the problem.
The fact that her major personalities were three people who were involved together in tumors over a brief period of time should scream out to us. These people can surely not be assumed to be typical can they? The author does not seem to try to address that concern. And even with all the focus on these three people the certainty of who actually shot the gun that killed the people is not clearly shown.
The author is supposedly a journalist but she gives only limited evidence of a journalistic writing skill. There are potentially A number of interesting newspaper articles in this book but not close to an interesting book with a valuable Takeaway about what the author would like us to believe is a critical social issue.
I had some high expectations for this book since it is very current and I thought it would touch on the subject in a very today kind of way. But regrettably I found the book almost useless and helping me understand even what the author thought about this issue. Well it seems like she possibly talked with quite a few active runaways or voyageurs over a pretty wide age range, she did not give any sense of valid generalizations or statistical resources. She seem to think that her personal experience with a relatively small number gave her a legitimate overview of the problem.
The fact that her major personalities were three people who were involved together in tumors over a brief period of time should scream out to us. These people can surely not be assumed to be typical can they? The author does not seem to try to address that concern. And even with all the focus on these three people the certainty of who actually shot the gun that killed the people is not clearly shown.
The author is supposedly a journalist but she gives only limited evidence of a journalistic writing skill. There are potentially A number of interesting newspaper articles in this book but not close to an interesting book with a valuable Takeaway about what the author would like us to believe is a critical social issue.
September 5, 2019
It's a tragic story: three troubled homeless kids find each other and then, fueled by drugs, commit two murders together. I thought this was both overwritten, especially in the first half, and underinvestigated. The author is a journalist, and this reads like a collection of articles about the case that needed to be connected to make a book. I wish that had been done by looking more deeply into the lives of the kids, or into the many social issues involved, than by editorializing.
November 29, 2019
I followed this author on Twitter for the lighthearted doggo- and food-related content, so this thoughtful book was an added bonus.
August 10, 2019
As a former street kid myself, I expected a lot more.
This was a great concept, but sadly the book reads like outlining notes. Lacking in depth and truly genuine contacts, the authors brief encounters with various street kids read like blurbs, not the true, in-depth meaningful insights into their reality that the book aimed for. The entire book seems like an introduction. It kept me reading in hopes of the stories fleshing out and actually giving intimate glimpses into life on the streets. But it just never happened.
This was a great concept, but sadly the book reads like outlining notes. Lacking in depth and truly genuine contacts, the authors brief encounters with various street kids read like blurbs, not the true, in-depth meaningful insights into their reality that the book aimed for. The entire book seems like an introduction. It kept me reading in hopes of the stories fleshing out and actually giving intimate glimpses into life on the streets. But it just never happened.
dnf
August 22, 2019DNF at ~15%. Not interested in feeling empathy for murderers.
August 26, 2019
The hard and painful truth of youth homelessness
Ho portrayed first-hand, raw experiences with west coast homeless youths and the entire counterculture around "houselessness". It's not only heartbreaking but scary how much of an epidemic it has become with no real possibility of a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
Ho portrayed first-hand, raw experiences with west coast homeless youths and the entire counterculture around "houselessness". It's not only heartbreaking but scary how much of an epidemic it has become with no real possibility of a light at the end of a very dark tunnel.
August 5, 2019
Totally absorbing and impossible to put down!
Fast-paced, intriguing and captivating! I enjoyed reading about the lives of street kids and all of their hardships and tribulations. The author has done an amazing job presenting all of the research in a beautiful narrative that I couldn’t stop reading. You don’t want to miss this!
Fast-paced, intriguing and captivating! I enjoyed reading about the lives of street kids and all of their hardships and tribulations. The author has done an amazing job presenting all of the research in a beautiful narrative that I couldn’t stop reading. You don’t want to miss this!
August 7, 2019
Impossible to put down. An absolutely riveting, heartbreaking look at homeless kids in America, and their lives, told through the story of three young people and their crimes. The author is an immensely talented reporter and writer, who clearly went to great lengths to tell this story. She presents this powerful story in such a compelling way, it reads like a novel. A must read.
October 4, 2019
The repetition is so annoying. I read it for a book club and that is the only reason I finished it. It had interesting things in it, but those were hidden amidst "fluff" that was unnecessary.
August 22, 2019
A lot of the reviews say it doesn't dive deep enough into the murders that the three main subjects committed. But that's not the point of this book. This book aims to understand how the culture of street kids was created and is maintained, what the foundation of many of these kids is based on, and their perspectives on living -- which is just that -- living, rather than thriving. It's not a book on murder. It's not a study on the murder cases. It's not even necessarily about the three murderers who committed the crimes as the center of this book. It's about understanding (and after reading this book, it's given me more of that for this demographic).
Others have said it leaves no answers. "And then what?" This isn't a textbook. The answers aren't supposed to be handed to us in everything we read. Some books are meant to open our eyes and see things differently or discover something entirely new, and do with that what we will. Maybe it will spark action in someone who will find the answers. Maybe it will just show us another side to our perspectives.
This book is well-written and shows humanity where it is often overlooked.
Others have said it leaves no answers. "And then what?" This isn't a textbook. The answers aren't supposed to be handed to us in everything we read. Some books are meant to open our eyes and see things differently or discover something entirely new, and do with that what we will. Maybe it will spark action in someone who will find the answers. Maybe it will just show us another side to our perspectives.
This book is well-written and shows humanity where it is often overlooked.
May 20, 2020
An engaging, informative read about a subculture that most of us, if we're being completely honest, would prefer to ignore
Former San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vivian Ho began writing about the community's homeless population in 2011; two highly publicized murders in the Bay Area turned her attention specifically to youth homelessness in 2015.
Providing housing is one step to ending youth homelessness, she writes, but "How do we keep kids from homelessness in the first place?" Holding that question as a mantra, she sets out to interview street kids, social workers, psychologists, and housing advocates. She finds no clear-cut answers but instead "unique and oftentimes heartbreaking stories—if only someone were to listen."
In Those Who Wander, Ho invites all of us to listen.
Former San Francisco Chronicle reporter Vivian Ho began writing about the community's homeless population in 2011; two highly publicized murders in the Bay Area turned her attention specifically to youth homelessness in 2015.
Providing housing is one step to ending youth homelessness, she writes, but "How do we keep kids from homelessness in the first place?" Holding that question as a mantra, she sets out to interview street kids, social workers, psychologists, and housing advocates. She finds no clear-cut answers but instead "unique and oftentimes heartbreaking stories—if only someone were to listen."
In Those Who Wander, Ho invites all of us to listen.
August 24, 2019
This was very well researched, and very well written. The author developed a great understanding of homelessness on the West Coast, and makes many excellent and true points.
I don't think it should be subtitled "America's" Lost... though. It is very specifically about the west coast homeless, which is understandable as that is where the author lives and works, but it misses some aspects of homelessness in other parts of the country (and the country as a whole).
A couple of these:
Detroit perspective: (1) homeless kids here are born to homeless parents. They have never known a home, and it is most definitely not a choice. Sure there are runaways (primarily from foster care), and definitely drugs and violence, but not the hippie/vagabond feel of the west coast. Here, there are homeless families. Most of the "kids" in this book were not minors, but the problem of homeless minors, and their families is worth exploring.
(2) In addition to this, across the U.S. there are "hidden homeless" -- people who are out there couch surfing and unsure where the next meal will come from. These people don't live in close to areas with services, and are often too ashamed to let others know of the situation. Of course people like this are also more difficult for an author/researcher to find!
Just thoughts on issues to include in research about homelessness across the U.S. Overall, very enjoyable and interesting.
I don't think it should be subtitled "America's" Lost... though. It is very specifically about the west coast homeless, which is understandable as that is where the author lives and works, but it misses some aspects of homelessness in other parts of the country (and the country as a whole).
A couple of these:
Detroit perspective: (1) homeless kids here are born to homeless parents. They have never known a home, and it is most definitely not a choice. Sure there are runaways (primarily from foster care), and definitely drugs and violence, but not the hippie/vagabond feel of the west coast. Here, there are homeless families. Most of the "kids" in this book were not minors, but the problem of homeless minors, and their families is worth exploring.
(2) In addition to this, across the U.S. there are "hidden homeless" -- people who are out there couch surfing and unsure where the next meal will come from. These people don't live in close to areas with services, and are often too ashamed to let others know of the situation. Of course people like this are also more difficult for an author/researcher to find!
Just thoughts on issues to include in research about homelessness across the U.S. Overall, very enjoyable and interesting.
March 2, 2020
Vivian Ho, while working as a crime beat reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle first encounters “The Drifters” ; Morrison Haze, Lila Scott & Sean Angold when they were arrested for the murder of 2 innocent victims.
The trio was living in Haight-Ashbury, part of the “street kid” culture, who during a drug induced bender shot, robbed & killed Audrey Carey & a day later Steve Carter, for his car.
Drawn to understand what drives kids to choose this lifestyle she traces the lives of the trio and others living outdoors on streets and parks.
Very grim, sad & sobering. Seems for most of these “kids” it’s a viscous cycle of poverty, abuse, drug addiction, neglect and horrific trauma. Listened on audio.
The trio was living in Haight-Ashbury, part of the “street kid” culture, who during a drug induced bender shot, robbed & killed Audrey Carey & a day later Steve Carter, for his car.
Drawn to understand what drives kids to choose this lifestyle she traces the lives of the trio and others living outdoors on streets and parks.
Very grim, sad & sobering. Seems for most of these “kids” it’s a viscous cycle of poverty, abuse, drug addiction, neglect and horrific trauma. Listened on audio.
November 15, 2020
2.5⭐️
I remember going to San Fransisco and being shocked at the homeless population there. My eyes were truly opened driving through Skid Row and seeing tent after tent on the sidewalks. I really wanted this book to dig deep into the widespread problem of homelessness and what we can do to prevent it and/or help those faced with it. Unfortunately, this book was not that and it was so repetitive. So much so that I bumped it down a full star. I don’t know if the author didn’t have enough meat for a book or if she thought that the reader wouldn’t be able to remember any of the stories she told and felt a need to repeat the same facts/opinions over and over again...? But it didn’t work for me. It was really tragic to read about these kids’ home lives and what led them to be “dirty kids”, but I felt this might have served better as a longer, journalistic essay instead of a book.
I remember going to San Fransisco and being shocked at the homeless population there. My eyes were truly opened driving through Skid Row and seeing tent after tent on the sidewalks. I really wanted this book to dig deep into the widespread problem of homelessness and what we can do to prevent it and/or help those faced with it. Unfortunately, this book was not that and it was so repetitive. So much so that I bumped it down a full star. I don’t know if the author didn’t have enough meat for a book or if she thought that the reader wouldn’t be able to remember any of the stories she told and felt a need to repeat the same facts/opinions over and over again...? But it didn’t work for me. It was really tragic to read about these kids’ home lives and what led them to be “dirty kids”, but I felt this might have served better as a longer, journalistic essay instead of a book.
September 11, 2019
3.5
At first I found this book offensive. I felt bad for the relatives of the victims for knowing that someone was defending the actions of the killers because they had a horrible childhood. It's true. And we know that 'hurt people hurt people'. And I can't imagine growing up like these kids, but cold murders? No remorse. She goes on to explain that we as a nation have to stop turning a blind eye to homeless children growing up in the streets. Yes. That. She redeemed herself a little at the end. But I'm still feeling some kind of way about it.
At first I found this book offensive. I felt bad for the relatives of the victims for knowing that someone was defending the actions of the killers because they had a horrible childhood. It's true. And we know that 'hurt people hurt people'. And I can't imagine growing up like these kids, but cold murders? No remorse. She goes on to explain that we as a nation have to stop turning a blind eye to homeless children growing up in the streets. Yes. That. She redeemed herself a little at the end. But I'm still feeling some kind of way about it.
November 20, 2019
An interesting mix of true crime and immersive journalism. The author makes connections with some of the street kids of California, learning about their reasons for living on the streets. I don't believe the three who committed murder should be excused for their actions, and I don't believe the author does, either. However, homelessness is a serious problem, and it's even more heartbreaking when children are involved.
July 3, 2020
Eye opening
We all “know” about the problem of homelessness, but do we really? I, for one, knew nothing about the subject of this book - Street Kids. These people face so many challenges that society seems to have no answer for. The saddest part of the whole book is that there is no mention of the true help that can make a lasting difference in the lives of all who are in distress - Jesus.
Read with caution, as the violence mentioned and language used is graphic in small amounts.
We all “know” about the problem of homelessness, but do we really? I, for one, knew nothing about the subject of this book - Street Kids. These people face so many challenges that society seems to have no answer for. The saddest part of the whole book is that there is no mention of the true help that can make a lasting difference in the lives of all who are in distress - Jesus.
Read with caution, as the violence mentioned and language used is graphic in small amounts.
Want to read
August 12, 2019Kindle First Reads - August 2019
August 21, 2023
I think I wanted this book to be so much more than it was. Although it had really strong and interesting moments, overall I felt the book just grazed the surface of the topic of “street kids”. A lot of the book was focused around the murders committed by three house-less teens, and during these passages a lot of information felt repetitive.
I gave this book 3 stars because I felt like it was too short to really cover this topic well.
I gave this book 3 stars because I felt like it was too short to really cover this topic well.
November 9, 2024
Eye-opening and heartbreaking journalism, trying to get into the minds of street kids in San Francisco and figure out how to break cycle of abuse, drug abuse, and homelessness
August 6, 2019
Not all wanderers are lost, but they are all searching for something.
I just really can’t put into words, how deeply I was touched by this book.I come from an abusive childhood and a drug addicted twenties.Wanted to live in the streets when I was 14 to run away from an adopted home. Got caught by police. Never imagine what life has in store at that age, you just want to leave. I’m so grateful I did. There is hope and there are people who care for awhile at least, at least back then. Now after 13 years sober and finally with open eyes I’m grateful for all I went through because as Momo says No one else could have, it would have destroyed most women and men. Thank you for this. I often wonder what would have happened if I would’ve never gotten away from my dad at age 11. Then the adopted home at 14. Would I have been in your book or dead? Thank God for second and third chances and rock bottom.
I just really can’t put into words, how deeply I was touched by this book.I come from an abusive childhood and a drug addicted twenties.Wanted to live in the streets when I was 14 to run away from an adopted home. Got caught by police. Never imagine what life has in store at that age, you just want to leave. I’m so grateful I did. There is hope and there are people who care for awhile at least, at least back then. Now after 13 years sober and finally with open eyes I’m grateful for all I went through because as Momo says No one else could have, it would have destroyed most women and men. Thank you for this. I often wonder what would have happened if I would’ve never gotten away from my dad at age 11. Then the adopted home at 14. Would I have been in your book or dead? Thank God for second and third chances and rock bottom.
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