37 pages • 1 hour read •
Fire in the Ashes
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Book Brief
368
Book • Nonfiction
New York City • 1990s
2012
Crown
Adult
18+ years
Super Short Summary
Fire in the Ashes by Jonathan Kozol recounts 25 years chronicling the lives of poor children in NYC, beginning with the closure of the Martinique homeless shelter in the late 1980s and moving to their subsequent struggles and resilience. Sensitive topics include suicide, criminality, addiction, and illness. Ultimately, Kozol highlights stories of hope and success through community support and intervention.
Informative
Emotional
Challenging
Inspirational
Melancholic
Reviews & Readership
2,128 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Review Roundup
Fire in the Ashes by Jonathan Kozol is praised for its heartfelt narrative and insightful exploration of poverty, but some critics find its solutions overly simplistic. It powerfully chronicles the resilience of children in dire conditions, though occasionally it's criticized for being repetitive. Overall, it is a compassionate and eye-opening read.
Who Should Read Fire in the Ashes?
Readers passionate about social justice, education reform, and urban poverty will find Jonathan Kozol's Fire in the Ashes compelling. Fans of works like Evicted by Matthew Desmond or There Are No Children Here by Alex Kotlowitz will appreciate Kozol's powerful storytelling and deep empathy for marginalized communities.
2,128 ratings
Loved it
Mixed feelings
Not a fan
Vicky
Vicky
An emotionally vulnerable woman who navigates life in various shelters with her two children, displaying resilience in the face of personal and environmental challenges.
Pietro
Pietro
A father living in the Martinique and later the Bronx, striving to care for his family amidst personal tragedies and economic hardship.
Pineapple
Pineapple
A spirited kindergartener when first introduced, she benefits from educational opportunities with the help of Kozol and others and aspires to improve her skills and future.
Martha Overall
Martha Overall
A dedicated priest at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, who advocates for the families in the Bronx and plays an instrumental role in their lives through her support and interventions.
Jonathan Kozol's work in Fire in the Ashes builds upon nearly 25 years of interactions and follow-up with the children and families he first introduced in his earlier books.
The book delves into the lives of residents from the Martinique Hotel, a notoriously neglected welfare hotel in New York City, showcasing the long-term consequences of inadequate public policies.
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Kozol's narrative in Fire in the Ashes highlights not just the hardships but also the resilience and eventual successes of some individuals, providing a testament to human tenacity amidst urban poverty.
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368
Book • Nonfiction
New York City • 1990s
2012
Crown
Adult
18+ years
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