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All Souls: A Family Story from Southie

by Michael Patrick MacDonald (Goodreads Author)

4.07 of 5 stars 4.07 · rating details · 4,987 ratings · 486 reviews

Michael Patrick MacDonald grew up in "the best place in the world"--the Old Colony projects of South Boston--where 85% of the residents collect welfare in an area with the highest concentration of impoverished whites in the U.S. In All Souls, MacDonald takes us deep into the secret heart of Southie. With radiant insight, he opens up a contradictory world, where residents a...more

Paperback, 263 pages

Published October 3rd 2000 by Ballantine Books (first published 1999)

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Aug 09, 2007 Tasha rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: everyone

So many people told me I was going to love this book. Most of them were amazed that I had never read it, having taught at Boston Collegiate Charter School, which was founded in the late 90's as a response to the alarming death rate among Southie teens. Most of my Collegiate students were from Southie, and they had Southie pride, through and through. I think that, in many ways, we misunderstood each other -- and I did most of the misunderstanding. I had only an inkling of an idea why my students...more

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May 11, 2008 Teagan rated it 4 of 5 stars

It actually took me quite awhile to finish this book. Not because it was bad, but because the stark reality of it was something that I found so emotional that I found myself feeling a bit lost. He wrote so emotionally about his family, giving the reader a glimpse into a world that most of us have could never imagine. But I found that I was relating my own life to those events that Mr. MacDonald experienced. I remember the busing problems in South Boston and the evolution of our generation. The f...more

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May 14, 2007 Joy rated it 5 of 5 stars

a sad, yet engrossing, memoir of a guy who grew up in southie (the poor irish neighborhood in south boston) during the busing riots of the 1970's. i've lived in the boston area for most of the past 6 1/2 years, but i really didn't know much about southie other than that it was poor, white, and not the best place to be after dark. one of the things i loved about this book was that it showed the community that exists behind and beyond that stereotype.

what this book really showed me was how a well-...more

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Jun 06, 2007 Yaovi added it

If you are a person that lives in an area like Jamaica plain, Southie, Dorchester or hyde park, this is a good book for you to read. This book is about how life was around those places a while ago. At first when you look at the books cover, you will think you will not like it because it as pictures of little kids and you might think its about the life of some little kids. But once you read it, you will like it because its about how life was in those places before before and if you lie reading...more

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Jan 21, 2008 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

From the busing riots, to the exploits of Whitey Bulger, to the every day scene of poverty and drugs, my eyes were opened to what life was really like in South Boston in the 60's,70's and 80's. The powerful influence of the Catholic Church and the Irish mob is chronicled along with the damaging effects of the "no snitch" culture of Southie. Although this story is filled with unbelievable tragedy, the author highlights joyful moments and in the end is hopeful for change. This is a great read for...more

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Dec 04, 2008 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

In the memoir All Souls A Family Story from Southie by Michael Patrick MacDonald is a story about a family that has seen and been through it all. The author inspires a message of hope and faith.

Michael and his family grew up in what they called “The best place in the world”, the Old Colony projects in South Boston. The author lets us in on all the things that not only happened to him, but also his family. Causing him and the family pain and suffer. Southie was an area where the people collect...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Natalie Iacovelli rated it 5 of 5 stars

Michael Patrick MacDonald: All Souls: A Family Story from Southie Ballantine Books, Copyright 1999, 263 Pages, Memoir

All Souls by Michael Patrick MacDonald is a haunting story about a family who lived in Southie, Boston during the nineteen eighties. The story goes into detail about the racism and violence that occurred in Boston’s housing projects throughout that time period. The idea that where a person is from can determine how others treat them is a common theme throughout as characters are...more
Michael Patrick MacDonald: All Souls: A Family Story from Southie Ballantine Books, Copyright 1999, 263 Pages, Memoir

All Souls by Michael Patrick MacDonald is a haunting story about a family who lived in Southie, Boston during the nineteen eighties. The story goes into detail about the racism and violence that occurred in Boston’s housing projects throughout that time period. The idea that where a person is from can determine how others treat them is a common theme throughout as characters are treated unfairly for being from Southie. Gang violence is also highlighted in the book and how the violence was widespread throughout the neighborhoods. The author, Michael, takes the reader through his life in a large family of eight siblings and a single, Irish mother. He has a lot of Irish influence from his mother and his grandparents that live nearby. The American Dream is also brought up throughout, but is never quite achieved. Even those who everyone thinks will make it out of the projects, always fail right before reaching their dreams.
All Souls was a story I will never forget. It was very interesting to have a first hand look at the projects of Boston during a radical time in the city’s history. Many people did not know about the enormous amount of violence that was going on in Southie at that time and MacDonald refers to this during the story. He spends a lot of time talking about the code of secrecy that everyone in Southie shared, which I thought was very interesting. Though it was sometimes hard to keep track of the characters, All Souls was relatively easy to read and is definitely a page turner. The story was captivating and I was attached to many of the characters by the end of the novel. I also enjoyed how the story is told from the author’s point of view looking back at his past. The way MacDonald shared his story really shows just how different it was living in Boston in the eighties than today. From gangs to drugs, fights to deaths, MacDonald paints a horrific picture of violence in Southie, and that really resonates with the reader throughout the book. He truly gets his message across that Southie was not the best place to live during that time period. I do not believe this book has any weaknesses, only strengths. I think its strengths are the first person point of view on the story and also just the fascinating story itself. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading autobiographies, who live near Boston and know the area and also just anyone who enjoys a great story. I truly enjoyed this book.

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Jan 25, 2012 Captainhoward73 rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. All Souls is a wonderful story about a man named Michael Patrick MacDonald and his struggles in life growing up in South Boston. Michael Patrick MacDonald is the author and is story is very emotional and insane. His family grew up in the projects made up of mostly African Americans. They ended up moving three different times until they got into the good projects. Four of his brothers died, and one of his sisters suffered from perminant brain damage after getting thrown off a roof for drugs. Mac...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Haley Malm rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book was a strange roller coaster. The first chapter had me riveted, then I slogged through subsequent chapters like a kid taking bitter medicine. I knew it was good for me but my soul felt like it had cramps. I learned a ton from this book about the complexities of the Southie identity, and the history of the busing movement in Boston, and the book's ending was fascinating (and redeeming). I cannot imagine having such a story to tell, and I appreciate that it has been told.

However, having...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Bianca Nargi rated it 5 of 5 stars

All Souls written by, Michael Patrick MacDonald, is an autobiography about his life and the many experiences he had living in South Boston. It begins with MacDonald giving a tour to a reporter. He brought him to all of the famous corner stores, bars, and hangouts. He described specific events that occurred there, like suicides, robberies, and murders. Everything that was described to the reporter seemed normal to MacDonald because they were part of his life style, but the reporter was astonished...more All Souls written by, Michael Patrick MacDonald, is an autobiography about his life and the many experiences he had living in South Boston. It begins with MacDonald giving a tour to a reporter. He brought him to all of the famous corner stores, bars, and hangouts. He described specific events that occurred there, like suicides, robberies, and murders. Everything that was described to the reporter seemed normal to MacDonald because they were part of his life style, but the reporter was astonished. A major focus in All Souls was the moods and personalities of the families that lived in South Boston. The moods and personalities were backed up by personal experiences which I found interesting and helpful. By MacDonald including actual experiences gave an explanation for why people living in South Boston feel and act the way they do. Most of the stories were about drugs, drinking, or violence. These things were very common. Even though they brought hardships, no one did anything about this behavior because everyone has become so accustomed to it.

One major event that MacDonald included was the integration of Roxbury and South Boston Schools. The people of South Boston considered this as a major crisis and did everything they could to make it stop because they thought only more violence would be brought to South Boston. They thought the solution to all of this was to boycott school, protest, and be violent towards the children coming from Roxbury. But some of the children did not even bother going back to school. Most of them dropped out and became even more involved with drugs and drinking which only hurt South Boston. MacDonald also talked about poverty and lack of father figures in most of the homes. I think this played a major role in South Boston’s personality. All of these small factors or experiences explained were very much necessary because if set the mood for the entire book. Some of them may not seem like a big deal, but when they are brought together it forms the culture that was originated in South Boston. MacDonald described every detail, down to what the person was wearing and made it feel like you were there. He was also there during everything, and did not get his information from outsiders. He lived in these conditions, and through these experiences which was beneficial to me because you knew exactly what.

MacDonald did not want to make South Boston sound like a bad place, but he did not make it sound like a good place either. That did not mean he did not love it there because he did, he said it was "the best place in the world". At many points it sounded like MacDonald was trying to give South Boston a bad name, but that is the exact opposite of what he wanted to do. He told things how they were, and did not sugarcoat them. He felt like the truth was necessary and the best way to tell the story.

All Souls taught me about many things living in South Boston in the 1960’s-1980’s. The only thing I knew about South Boston was that there was a great number of Irish people living there. I did not realize the drugs, violence, and conditions many families lived in. Life was extremely difficult and the people during that time period did anything they could to survive, if they wanted too. There were people frequently committing suicide, because they could not take the environment, and that only made it worse. It hurt families, ruined relationships and home life. Children would run away, or turn to drugs, alcohol and violence. This gave a bad reputation for South Boston, and the people that lived there. Many stereotypes were given to the people from South Boston. It came to the point were they had to lie about where they lived, which was hard for them to do because they loved it there.

This book gives a great understanding of not only American history, but Irish history, and African American history as well, and how everything is connected. One event that happens in the past can affect everything, and All Souls showed many examples of them. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. It may seem graphic and depressing at times but the stories behind the people of South Boston were interesting, and most importantly they were real. I enjoy books like this especially if they come from someone who has gone through the experiences. Luckily I have not had hardships like many of the people of South Boston have gone through, but after reading All Souls it helps me understand what it feels like and gives me an insight on different perspectives. I am always interested in learning about other people's backgrounds and try to relate them with my own. All Souls provided detailed stories that I found enjoyable.
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Jan 03, 2010 Christine Henry rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a gripping portrayal of a family living in the public housing projects of Boston, in the Irish neighborhood called Southie in the 1960s-1980s. Full of insight into the impact that poverty and violence has on the people in his life, Michael MacDonald paints a loving portrait of both his immediate family and his extended family, the community. Repeatedly describing his neighborhood as the best place on earth, he shines light into the corners of adversity and suffering. Drugs, gangs, and me...more

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Aug 05, 2009 Elizabeth K. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2008-new-reads

This book made me realize that one of the reasons I like memoirs so much is that I enjoy reading about other people's lives and then being judgmental about all the things they are doing wrong. On the plus side, I liked the personal view on what was going on in urban Boston in the 1970s, especially the personal accounts of the busing riots. (I vaguely remember when that was in the news, and I was too young to quite get what it was all about.) The author is passionate about the neighborhood where...more

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Nov 06, 2010 Karyl rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, non-fiction

An amazing, heart-wrenching memoir about growing up in the projects of South Boston. I picked this book up mainly because the cover made reference to Angela's Ashes, a book I had enjoyed reading. I can't really say I enjoyed reading All Souls because the subject matter is just so depressing. Michael Patrick MacDonald was born and raised in the projects of "Southie," an area rife with drugs, violence, and suicide, but ignored by advocacy groups for many years because of the code of silence that p...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Marisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, politics, race

This book completely blew me away. I rarely give anything 5 stars but there was no question in this case. This is the true story of a poor white Irish-American family living in the projects in Southie. The writer was the 9th of 11 children and came of age during the seventies, right in the middle of busing and forced integration of housing projects. His story is unquestionably the most frightening story of urban poverty I've ever read, only in part because it's a true story. The fear this family...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great memoir of a family from South Boston stricken by tragedy after tragedy in the infamous neighborhood. MacDonald takes you on the journey of not only his family, but the characters in his neighborhood from the winos who hang out by "the wall" on Broadway all the way up to Whitey Bulger.

The one thing this books struggles with - or perfectly portrays, I don't quite know which - is the dichotomy between pride and victimization. MacDonald talks about the pride of being from Southie, re...more This is a great memoir of a family from South Boston stricken by tragedy after tragedy in the infamous neighborhood. MacDonald takes you on the journey of not only his family, but the characters in his neighborhood from the winos who hang out by "the wall" on Broadway all the way up to Whitey Bulger.

The one thing this books struggles with - or perfectly portrays, I don't quite know which - is the dichotomy between pride and victimization. MacDonald talks about the pride of being from Southie, repeating that it's one of the best places in the world. In the same paragraph he is quick to point out how dangerous and depressing the place is, blaming this on corrupt cops and politicians, as well as upper-middle-class liberals from the suburbs. Through all of this it seems that the people of Southie - Whitey's foot soldiers, the kids pushing drugs on the corners - are mere victims of a world conspiring against them. Far be it from me to defend the system, especially in the 70s and 80s in any large American city, but it can't be 100% the system's fault 100% of the time.

I think a lot of people have pride about their hometowns while at the same time lamenting over how hard/bad things were at one point or another, and MacDonald is no different. I just found myself wondering whether certain things in the book, like the fact that the busing riots were viewed as "fun" or the seemingly seething hate for middle-class liberals, were part of the narrative voice or just MacDonald's own prejudices seeping through the story (in the case of the former I think it's obvious that it is to set the scene, especially given that it's being told by an eight year old at the time. In the case of the latter I'm not as convinced).

The storytelling is great and MacDonald is a gifted writer. The narrative transports you to this Boston neighborhood and to the MacDonald family struggling to get by against all odds. I just can't tell if the ever-present dichotomous relationship between pride and victimization is a brilliant part of the book or a flaw. All in all, however, it is an incredibly honest look at the neighborhood and MacDonald's life growing up in it.(less)

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Jul 22, 2009 Abraham Lateiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: boston-books

A beautiful, nuanced story about the complexity of the busing crisis in Boston in the 70s. I don't trust any book about a social crisis that tries to paint different sides as "right" and "wrong," and MacDonald does a great job in this respect. As an Irish American who grew up in Southie during the crisis, he shows the reader the complexity of the situation that you might not get other places. I finished this book without blame, but with a sense of respect for the struggle on all sides...which is...more

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Jan 13, 2013 Katie Jane rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This book will go down as one of my all time favorite memoirs. It also changed the way I will look at Boston forever.

The story takes us through the 70's busing riots, the racial tension, and the corrupt government betraying it's own people. It also brings to light the hidden world of drugs, crime, and suicide that plague the poorest neighborhoods of Boston.

Through the tragic losses of friends, brothers, and finally the wrongful conviction of his 13 year old brother for murder, Michael MacDonal...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Kate rated it 4 of 5 stars

I've read other memoirs about growing up in slums, destitute, fatherless (e.g. Angela's Ashes) and didn't expect All Souls to measure up. Although the literary quality of the writing is somewhat lacking, the story Michael Patrick MacDonald relays is riveting and powerful. I especially enjoyed how honest he was about the racism people naturally inherited when growing up in Boston - Southie, Roxbury, Dorchester, Charlestown - it didn't matter where you were from, racism was just the way of life an...more

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May 23, 2010 Cathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoir

This was one of those books that you ought to read if you are from South Boston ("Southie") and that you should read if you are not from Southie. A touching memoir, at times sad, horrific, and even traumatizing but ultimately leaving the reader with hope for the future.
I had to read this book for school so it was the first non-Chick Lit book I've read in a long while. As you mihgt imagine, what a change! It actually took me a little bit to get into this book; I think mostly because this book wa...more

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May 09, 2013 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

Books about white urban poverty are underrepresented in the literature, so All Souls: Family Story from Southie helps fill an important niche. Well-written, personal, and compelling, MacDonald does an excellent job of bringing his family and their close-knit neighborhood to life. His "view from the inside" of Southie provides an excellent counterbalance to the media characterizations of the neighborhood: Southie was not working class: it was poor. It was not drug-free: it was a swamp of addicts...more

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Jul 02, 2011 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: boston, southie, memoir, class

All Souls was a real eye-opener for me. I decided to read it because of Whitey Bulger's recent arrest, but I took much more from it than I expected to. I'm a somewhat new resident of Boston; I've been here for about six years. This book reminds me that you can live in a city for a long time- forever, maybe- and not genuinely know it. I'm not super familiar with Southie; I've been there a handful of times. I'm not even sure if the Southie described in this book still exists. Even the parts of All...more All Souls was a real eye-opener for me. I decided to read it because of Whitey Bulger's recent arrest, but I took much more from it than I expected to. I'm a somewhat new resident of Boston; I've been here for about six years. This book reminds me that you can live in a city for a long time- forever, maybe- and not genuinely know it. I'm not super familiar with Southie; I've been there a handful of times. I'm not even sure if the Southie described in this book still exists. Even the parts of All Souls that were set a block away from my home in Jamaica Plain seem completely foreign to me, which is evidence of how quickly a city's culture can shift.

My mind is so blown by this book that I don't know exactly what to say about it. I think that for anyone who's from a largely impoverished community, particularly an urban one where crime and neighborhood solidarity become almost inextricably woven together, it's easy to identify with and understand this book. All Souls absolutely shows us how crime is an epidemic, rather than a part of people's inherent nature, and how battling crime means attacking it from about a hundred different angles, rather than blaming race or immigrant status or Satan or whatever scapegoat is popular at the time. It also shows how racial minorities and poor whites are constantly pitted against each other and exploited: how poor whites with zero power are made out to be racist villains, even though they often turn to racism as a result of being unwillingly thrown into social experiments that upper and middle-class whites refuse to be a part of (here: school busing in the 1970's). As a Southerner, I've observed and been a part of that dynamic time and time again. It's interesting to read this book and feel as though there's some universality in it.

The corruption in and directed towards Southie, along with the terrible treatment the neighborhood received from the police, Boston politicians and the FBI, is absolutely shocking to me, even though I am a pretty jaded and cynical person. There's one section in the book where the author runs down a long list of people who visited his sister in the hospital when she was in a coma that few expected her to recover from. Each of the people he remembers dies in some awful way- suicide or a drug shooting or a gang murder. It is absolutely staggering thing to read- just when you think you can't take anymore, he describes more death, more corruption, and more desperation. It is truly unbelievable at times. How the fuck did this happen? How did the city idly stand by while so many children were dying in the streets on Boston's collective watch? Most importantly, how do we honor the dead and survivors, as well as stopping the current bloodshed?

The best part of All Souls for me is the author's writing style. He doesn't have a journalistic style, and he's not all florid and poetic. He writes exactly how I presume he talks. He has an affable, down-to-earth way of telling a story. It got me through the literal horrors described here- his perpetual optimism in the face of utter dispair, his ability to extricate the best pieces from the worst circumstances, and the deep love he feels for the home that took so much from him. I understand that feeling very well.

Everyone should read this book. Black or white, Bostonian or not, gentrifier or displaced by gentrification, city kid or country bumpkin, Southie kid or Newton yuppie, cop or criminal- everybody can find something to learn and think about in All Souls. (less)

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Apr 14, 2010 Deshawn rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book is a must read once you pick it up there is no way you can put it down. This book is action packed and i definitely recommend it to all of bostons population. I look at this book as a piece of bostons history. I learned so much of what was happening in boston before my days. I also learned alot about whitey bulgar the infamous southie king. This book was very good but at the same time very sad. I dont know what i wouldve done if my brothers and sister was dropping like flies due to dru...more

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Jul 15, 2008 Suzanne rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Dennis Lehane fans

Shelves: biography, nonfiction, new-england

McDonald captures life in the South Boston projects with a heartbreakingly honest voice. His depiction of the people, the system, the Church, forced busing, racism, alcohol, drugs, organized crime, violence and fear are woven together creating a suprisingly strong quilt...one that, in the end, warms the reader with redemption and the possibility of hope. A tough,tragic and gritty read.

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Jul 27, 2011 Nancy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having gone to school in Boston, this story provides insight into those aspects of this particular city no one really ever talks about too much: drugs, violence, suicide, and crime amongst a predominantly poor, white society. The book presents Southie in a light that I, as a self-proclaimed "outsider", never fully encountered, because by the time I had moved up there, massive changes were already taking place across the waterfront, and condos in some of the more central areas had already more th...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Wai Sing rated it 5 of 5 stars

Even thought I read this novel as a class and not on my own, I still love and enjoy this book very much. mainly, because its about gangs and violence just like the boy Homeboyz. Just like I said for that book I beleive that peopel should read this to understand how bad and serious gang violence truly is. I like hearing the story about how Michael Patrick grewth up in Southie and how loyal he was to Southie. I know loyality is something important, but nothing is important as family. Defending and...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Tommy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

Finally finished this book that I should have finished earlier this week for the office book club. I thought it was excellent.

Not only was it well written and interesting but, from my perspective, it's the type of story you don't hear too often. Sure, you see movies like "The Departed" and "The Boondocks Saints" but those are dramatizations and aren't really telling real stories. A story about an urban white poor community is just very rare. In all fairness I think it's because they're not incre...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Megan Pellegrino rated it 3 of 5 stars

I felt like this dragged a bit in the beginning. I am always amazed at the way the system works, or doesn't work, for that matter. I thought I knew most of the deceitful, underhanded things that go on in politics and unionized/brotherhood type of groups like the police and even the drug cartels. I wasn't as much surprised about what I read as I felt a sense of helplessness and total overwhelming sense of being unable to fix it or solve the huge issues that are bringing our society down. This boo...more

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Dec 30, 2009 Maggie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: memoirs, favorites

I also come from a big Irish American family and immediately identified with the big eyes and wide smiles on the jacket cover. It reminded me of pics of my parents when they were kids....but the coincidence stopped there. I knew Southie was a tough predominetly Irish neighborhood but I had no idea of the degree of poverty and crime that went on there...I was disgusted to have considered myself as one of them.... My heart ached for these children and I cursed their complacent and lazy party lovin...more

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Mar 05, 2011 Karim rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: owned

An awesome read. If you have read "Manchild in the Promised Land" by Claude Brown, then you should have a good idea of what "All Souls" is like. It is basically the same thing but instead of a black kid from Harlem, "All Souls" is about an Irish kid from South Boston. MacDonald, like Brown, seems to know that he has a story worth telling and doesn't need to include anything but the truth in order to maintain our interest. He writes this book with a blatant and upfront tone that allows the reader...more

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Jul 29, 2009 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, memoirs

Just started it today (7/6). Kinda like the McCourt books, Irish immigrants in Boston, no father, welfare, etc. It is written in a very funny narrative considering the subject matter. Supposed to get to the whole busing of city kids in Boston in the 70's, but so far I'm still on the family history. Best line so far, when he finds out he has a different father from the other kids in the family and brags to the neighborhood, the kids call him illegitimate and a bastard. "the bastard part I didn't...more

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About Michael Patrick MacDonald

Michael Patrick MacDonald was born in Boston in 1966 and grew up in South Boston’s Old Colony housing project. He helped launch many of Boston’s anti violence initiatives, including gun-buyback programs and the South Boston Vigil Group which served to give voice to the survivors of violence and the drug trade in that neighborhood. He continues to work nationally with survivor families and young pe...more

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