Street Logic

by Steve Sundberg

"It was day two of the job and I already had doubts. I was wondering what the odds were that we could even help a guy like Tony Ruffo, or any of the other poor bastards out here..." Axel Hazzard's beat is the street. He works with the outcasts, who stake out their spots on sidewalks, in alleys, under bridges, for reasons only they know. As they hold on to what little dignity remains for them, Hazzard struggles to accept their free will, the daily risks they take, and his own limitations. Ultimately, his job comes down to the instinct and action. Street Logic is a call for that action.

277 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2010

Reviews

[Andrew Vachss · Rating 5 out of 5]

The (straight) answer to any fool who says you can't use "fiction" to tell the truth. Proof that before you can pass it on, you have to pass through it. A beautiful tightrope walk over a true hell on earth ... a tightrope you can't walk with your eyes closed.

[Lainy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Time Taken To Read - 1 day

Blurb From Goodreads

"It was day two of the job and I already had doubts. I was wondering what the odds were that we could even help a guy like Tony Ruffo, or any of the other poor bastards out here..."Axel Hazzard's beat is the street. He works with the outcasts, who stake out their spots on sidewalks, in alleys, under bridges, for reasons only they know. As they hold on to what little dignity remains for them, Hazzard struggles to accept their free will, the daily risks they take, and his own limitations. Ultimately, his job comes down to the basics: instinct and action. Street Logic is a call for that action.

My Review

The book spans over a year plus period on the streets of America and looks into what it is like for the homeless people and the workers trying to help them. It paints quite a picture following a few homeless individuals, how they engage with the team, their existence and how they survive. The outreach team have different opinions on how they think things should be done and how they get along with each other.

The entries are mostly on a monthly basis and almost read like a diary of events of that particular day. Whilst it follows a few individuals it doesn't have a set or regular pattern, your not sure how far into the next chapter before you hear about the previous entry's person.

It is easy to read and you can devour it in one sitting or dip in and out of it. It paints a pretty bleak picture for those living and helping those on the streets. Whilst it is a fiction story it has been written by someone who has worked the street for years so you know your getting an accurate idea of what it must be like. This is the first time I have read a book like this and it has left me with a lot to think about about, 3/5 for me.

Thanks so much to the author for introducing me to his work and opening my eyes to what it is like for the people who have no homes and trying to survive out there.

[A.C. Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel is a fascinating read, a look at the characters who live on the streets of Boston and their indefinable inabilities to accept help or choose another life - a life most of us regard as necessary and sane.

Sundberg's knowledge of street life and the personalities who abide there is clear, convincing and heart-rending. From the eyes of Axel Hazzard, a gentle and street smart character relying on instinct and compassion, we learn a little more about the problems of the homeless. And the stark solutions.

But even through the darkness of reality via fiction, Sundberg manages to give us light and hope and a dream of mitigating the homeless problem in Boston and America, as well as a better appreciation for the dedicated souls who reach out to those lost to homelessness and hopelessness.

The novel is more than a demonstration of what exists, but a call to action. By purchasing a copy you donate a portion of the sale to The Pine Street Inn, a homeless shelter in Boston MA, and a solution.

Paperbacks and Ebook are available through Sundeberg's website, where you can learn more about The Pine Street Inn, the people who are the outreach program, and the struggles of those who live on the streets.

http://stevesundberg.web.officelive.c...

[Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. It is not like any other novel you will read, i would say it is the literary equivalent of a fly on the wall documentary, a sort of reality literature, where empathy is achieved not through some trick or twist or melodrama but through painstaking attention to detail and brutal honesty.

It works very subtly, never giving you quite what you expect. it is through the wealth of detail and stories, the slow build up of characters and the terse truthful descriptions that it achieves its ends. It gradually seeped into my consciousness and i put the book down with a greater empathy and regard for the problem of homelessness.

The author is careful to avoid any preaching, he deliberately withholds any overt commentary until near the end, never telling you what to think and his prose style is perfectly suited to the subject matter. The main character is your self effacing gentle eye into the world of the homeless and thus i was able to see these men and women not as 'the other', but as me if something were to go wrong in my life and i was moved by their struggles with their demons but also the struggles of the outreach workers, shelter staff, nurses, doctors etc, trying to help them.

[Sharon Griffitts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the book is fiction, it reads like journal account of nonfiction. It is an eye opener to daily lives of street people and raises some questions about what is the best way to help people who can't always ask for help.

[Steve Sundberg]

Great Description of what's going on in america with the extreme homeless people! a must read!
more info www.streetlogic.org

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very realistic and descriptive!

[Aidana · Rating 5 out of 5]

a must read!