The Corner by David Simon and Ed Burns

After his first book, Homicide, a Year on the Killing Streets looked at the lives of a squad of detectives in Baltimore, David Simon chose to take a different perspective on the same town as a follow up. Working with former detective Ed Burns, he looked at a year on the streets of one of Baltimore's toughest areas. This book may alienate some readers for the same reasons that Simon and Burns’ TV show The Wire was said to. For example, the authors don’t go out of their way to explain street slang, because that would be condescending to the reader – and you’ll pick it up. There are a lot of characters to keep track of – and you’ll learn to. The larger story of how all of the scenes and people we read about here only gradually starts to appear – and if you take the time to tune in to that, you’ll be absolutely hooked. It’s a harsh story, but it doesn’t strain to achieve a front of false harshness – it’s that way because of Simon and Burns’ commitment to the truth of the story. Don’t expect a happy ending. Do expect an outstanding book. [Ryan Agee]