Here is a searing account-probably the best yet published-of life in the underclass and why it persists as it does. Theodore Dalrymple; a British psychiatrist who treats the poor in a slum hospital and a prison in England; has seemingly seen it all. Yet in listening to and observing his patients; he is continually astonished by the latest twist of depravity that exceeds even his own considerable experience. Dalrymple's key insight in Life at the Bottom is that long-term poverty is caused not by economics but by a dysfunctional set of values; one that is continually reinforced by an elite culture searching for victims. This culture persuades those at the bottom that they have no responsibility for their actions and are not the molders of their own lives. Drawn from the pages of the cutting-edge political and cultural quarterly City Journal; Dalrymple's book draws upon scores of eye-opening; true-life vignettes that are by turns hilariously funny; chillingly horrifying; and all too revealing-sometimes all at once. And Dalrymple writes in prose that transcends journalism and achieves the quality of literature.
#168544 in Books Algonquin Books 2009-10-13 2009-10-13Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.19 x 1.00 x 5.50l; .80 #File Name: 1565129334345 pagesGreat product!
Review
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The Past; Present; and Pluperfect in one book.By Sgt FletcherThis is one of the great first persons accounts with the correct amount of mix of history; linguistics; and colorful reporting all melted into a great book for those interested in linguistics; history; or just simple family relationships. There is a lot of meat here in an easy-to-read complex history of a language and how it evolves and the people who spoke it. This is really a 6 Star book; but 5 stars is all I could give it. The reader will not have wasted his money.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. from Kurdistan to Los Angeles and backBy AgrippasSabar's description of his father's history may appeal to only a restricted audience; but I found it fascinating. Sabar is an journalist and tells of his father's origins in a millennia-old Jewish community in Kurdistan; his immigration with his family at age 13 to Israel; their trials as new immigrants at the bottom of the social heap; and his eventual recruitment by a US university as a world-class expert linguist in his native language; Aramaic. But the book doesn't end there; the author is not only chronicler of his father's life; as an investigative reporter he senses a great story in an attempt to locate an older sister lost or kidnapped as an infant. The effort is in the end futile and the author is more interested in it than his father in the attempt.Sabar comes across as an honest reporter; even to the extent of sometimes presenting himself in a less than flattering light. I assume this is not unintentional which is a tribute to his honesty.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A LOVELY READBy Judith MI was so happy to have found this book. It was poignant and heartfelt and gave a personal and deeply moving dimension to a slice of history that I knew in more general terms. I was particularly ignorant of Jewish life and history in Kurdistan. It is important to remember all those communities of Jews and the individual and unique qualities of their communities. Their existence and stories add much to the dynamism and colorful history of the Jewish people. I was particularly taken by the story of Aramaic and the race to save the language in a time of homogenization of cultures and the loss of languages. Finally; I appreciated the coming of age nature of the author's journey as he learned to appreciate his father and his father's mission.
