And Still We Rise: The Trials and Triumphs of Twelve Gifted Inner-City Students

I purchased this book for a college class that takes you through a journey of self reflection and discovery. The book is written about twelve gifted youths who attended Crenshaw High and overcame various obstacles to succeed in an academic environment. These youths demonstrated perseverance, dedication, and a willingness to learn so that they could graduate to the next level and attend college.

The pages look good and the book isn’t damaged besides some weird coloring on the book inside cover and there’s a big stamp on it saying Kansas City library and inside it also says library in it. I don’t like that it has a huge library stamp but I need this book for Monday which is in 5 days and it took a week and a half to get here so I can’t return it. But thanks?

This gripping immersion into inner city school life makes the perfect companion read to Tracy Kidder's "Among Schoolchildren". From a nice, safe, concerned, caring enviornment, where the problems are understandable and manageable in "Among Schoolchildren"; to a place where success is measured not merely by acheivement but by the tremendous obstacles students must overcome merely to be in school, in this gripping, similarly styled work. The two books are a startling picture of the tremendous gulf of opportunity and enviornment at the spectrum ends of our society.I strongly recommend both books, to everyone; not just parents, teachers or those who are usually associated with "education" interests. "And Still We Rise.." is not merely a vision of a brutal social/educational reality that must be addressed, but a poignant drama, as well. The young people whose stories are followed are the heroes of the most brutal battles raging today; crime, drugs, racism, and a culture of despair and degradation. These are the best and the brightest ... they are forced to face obstacles that should be reserved only for those who have transgressed horribly against society.The incidental intrusion of the writer into this jouranlistic narrative is the only jarring note to be found in an otherwise seamless view. The unfortunate, even tragic circumstances that cause that intrusion, however, are understandable, from a human standpoint, even if they are inexcusable as viewed through the prism of journalistic purity.An emmimently readable, engaging work. Recommended.

I just about almost cried towards the end of the last chapter. I am sure if this was a movie I would cry watching it. The struggles these teenagers go through are what makes them want to strive in school. Some are in foster home to foster home and others were abused or in a deadly gang and changed to be a better person for his own life. I liked the character of Ms. Little as I read the second half of the book. She is a teacher who does care about her students being successful and preparing them to pass the Advanced Placement Exam at the end of the year. All-in-all, this book was a great read and I'm glad my teacher assigned it to me! Read it in 5 days with pauses in between to eat and shower and eat of course and going to my religious service.

I lived in Suburbia my whole life and I heard about these kinds of stories all throughout my life. Corwin did an amazing job illustrating every student's life. These students go through so much to get intellectually stimulated and to have an education with their peers. I enjoyed how he also dedicated some chapters to the administration and the teachers and all the things that surround the students and the teachers lives -- Affirmative Action, the school, the city, etc. It was a bit confusing since the chapters are named after a student but in between are the daily class stories so it can be a bit confusing. But this is a definite recommended read.

This book is actually quite amazing. Had to buy it for a class my senior year of high school and trust me the first day I opened the book I read 50 pages straight. The cover is so nice came right on time and the book on its own it so nice. Even after we finished high school without finishing the book I found my own time to actually read it and wow its so good.

I purchased this book simply because it was required for a School Social Work class I'm taking. I ended up finding it very interesting and highly recommend it. More people should educate themselves on the public education system in the United States!!

This book is very inspiring, and offers a great perspective for teachers and others who work with kids in inner city environments. Some chapters can be a little dense and a little political because it teaches a lot about affirmative action and other more political issues, but if you're reading this to learn, it's absolutely wonderful.