Hobos, Hustlers, and Backsliders: Homeless in San Francisco

Hobos, Hustlers, and Backsliders is one of the more innovative ethnographies released recently. Whether you are reading for academic reasons or for fun, I highly recommend you read this book! Dr. Gowan conducts a discourse analysis to her rich ethnographic data--i.e. she reads actions as text--in a way that enables her to discuss being homeless from the broad systemic perspective of policy directed toward homelessness in addition to the individual level understandings and experiences of people who are homeless. She does so by demonstrating how homelessness is consistently expressed through three forms of talk: sin, system, and sick. Doing so enables her drastically reduce the use of jargon in the text while enabling her to smoothly transition back and forth between discussions of policy and presentations of detailed individual accounts. The result is a well-executed and written study providing a holistic understanding of homelessness that will change the way you view the politicians, social workers, and people living on the street. On all accounts, this book is a resounding success and I'm looking forward to reading it again.Additional comments to the casual reader: As mentioned, this book uses little jargon and is enjoyable to read. You will be able to move through the text without becoming bored or stuck on dry scholarly debates.Additional comments to other ethnographers and scholars studying culture: This book advances the discussion surrounding the culture of poverty anxiety generated by the Moynihan report. It also could be viewed as a methodological exemplar of how to use discourse analysis with ethnographic data. It is the first I've seen using this approach, but as any good approach, I'm sure it won't be the last.

This book, in the beginning pages, was like reading a presentation given by one professor to another. I could not keep up with the large words for a while. Then, it became very interesting when the chapters started to come down to my level of reading. Excellent explanation of the workings of the homeless mind(s).

Lots of "lived" detail, excellent sociological analysis and while sometimes a bit intrusive, the academic jargon is kept under control. Illuminating inquiry into homelessness, "canning," and other aspects of a growing segment of the underclass.

From what I read about this book I expected it to be about individuals and their personal stories and how and if our social systems helped them or not.What I got was a technacal account of what a lot of tecknacal jabber . I couldn't make head nor tails of and I still haven't learned more about the whos and whys of these people.

great book

A great book. Gives special insight for agencies and shelters that seek to serve people in the homeless community.

You want your soul crushed in 3 chapters or less? Here you go

Interesting book

This book is an eyeopener. The writer has researched her subject thoroughly and puts it across to the reader in a way which is easy to read and difficult to put down.