Gang Leader for a Day

I enjoyed this book quite a lot. The first chapter provides a good introduction to the book and captures the reader's attention very well. The author's portrayal of the characters makes it easy to keep in mind the fact that they represent real people. Chapter two chronicles the early days of his study. Reading the author's accounts of the projects contradicted a lot of what I previously assumed was true and supplied one revelation after another. The incident with C-Note was a sobering moment and a good reminder of the reality and consequences of the study. Chapter 3 provided insights into the roles of other community members and marked a shift in the focus of the study. Previously Sudhir focused almost exclusively on the Black Kings and their leader. Chapter 3 also introduced the idea that there might be something more to gang life than simple drug dealing by focusing on the Black King's and Lenny's voting movement. Chapter 4 was very enlightening, as it should be given that it became the book's namesake. A day in the life of a gang leader is a very interesting topic in its own right and I found this chapter incredibly interesting. Chapter 5's shift to Ms. Bailey was fascinating. The constant struggle for power between Bailey and JT was an entertaining read and was very thought provoking. Chapter 6 really drove in the fact that Sudhir's involvement has had consequences for not only himself  but many of the people in Robert Taylor. This chapter was another sobering moment and one of the defining features of the book.  I found chapter 7 distressing. Like Sudhir, growing up the way I did gave me a romanticized notion of police. This chapter was a very disenchanting experience. The last chapter was pretty dull. It read like an epilogue and was pretty anticlimactic, but I suppose that is the nature of research.