“The Savage City” by T.J. English
By the end, I felt a true appreciation of the current incarnation of New York City, apparently “the safest big city in the America,” because it was forged in blood and violence. English does an excellent job of intricately weaving together the stories of 3 men (a wrongfully convicted kid from the streets, the leader of the New York Black Panthers, and a corrupt cop on the take) to tell the story of a pivotal time in New York City’s history (1963-1973). Frequently reminded me of The Wire in that it paints a complete portrait of a city in chaos and tells the story of a system that is hopelessly corrupt and stacked against the underclass.
Beginning with the nonviolent civil rights movement, through the Black Panther Party, and all the way to the Black Liberation Army, you can see the oppression of too many years first smoldering and then violently striking back. It’s also heartbreaking to see the story of George Whitmore, who was beaten non-stop into confessing for multiple crimes, and who finally breaks free after almost a decade of fighting the legal justice system.
Worthy reading for any New Yorker.
