Chicago has had a reputation for violence and crime since the rise of the mob in the early 20th century. Legendary figures like Al Capone shaped the way the world looks at the third largest city in the United States, and the violence that regularly occurs throughout the South and West sides of the city is used as political wedge and note of caution. But stories of gangs and menaces to society are rarely illuminating, drawing the people of Chicago in caricature instead of revealing their humanity.
Thankfully, there are writers like Alex Kotlowitz, who take up the mantle of telling real stories of the city. Since his groundbreaking book There Are No Children Here, Kotlowitz has immersed himself in the lives of people across Chicago, using his keen eye and deep empathy to portray a city of staggering complexity. An American Summer, a collection of vignettes all taking place during the summer of 2013, is another addition to his remarkable work charting the stories of the Windy City.
An American Summer's chapters drop in on people living and working in Chicago, including high school students, former gang leaders and U.S. congressmen. As Kotlowitz puts it, the book is a collection of "dispatches, sketches of those left standing, of those emerging from the rubble, of those trying to make sense of what they've left behind." Nearly every one of his subjects is either the victim or perpetrator of violence. Even some of the book's most high-profile figures, such as Congressman Bobby Rush, have been personally affected by the city's violence. (Rush's son was shot and killed in 1999.)
The sections are in chronological order, from the start of the summer of 2013 to its end, and most are self-contained. The notable exception is "The Tightrope: A Story in Four Parts" whose start and conclusion bookend the collection. "The Tightrope" follows a teenager named Marcelo who commits a series of robberies in early May. A successful student who had distanced himself from a previous gang affiliation, Marcelo's actions are a messy result of old loyalties, teenage decision-making and peer pressure. Kotlowitz, who met Marcelo during his sentencing, never makes excuses for the young man, but instead shows how one day of foolishness could easily destroy the years of hard work Marcelo has put in to build a bright future for himself. Readers who at the start of the book might be ready to write Marcelo off will find themselves rooting for him at An American Summer's close, knowing that his acts in early May 2013 aren't all there is to the young man.
Kotlowitz has an uncanny rapport with all his subjects, sitting down with them for months or years, learning about their struggles from friends and family and creating a compelling, incredibly readable depiction of their lives. There is pain, death and deep sadness throughout these pages, but also love, forgiveness and new beginnings. Kotlowitz presents life as it is for those living in Chicago: the chaos, tragedy and connections that give life meaning and hope. --Noah Cruickshank, director of communications, Forefront, Chicago, Ill.
Shelf Talker: Alex Kotlowitz's An American Summer is a tragic, affirming look at the lives of Chicagoans during the summer of 2013.