A People's Guide to Greater Boston

A People's Guide Series

by Joseph Nevins, Suren Moodliar (Contributor), Eleni Macrakis (Contributor)

A People's Guide to Greater Boston reveals the region’s richness and vibrancy in ways that are neglected by traditional area guidebooks and obscured by many tourist destinations. Affirming the hopes, interests, and struggles of individuals and groups on the receiving end of unjust forms of power, the book showcases the ground-level forces shaping the city. Uncovering stories and places central to people’s lives over centuries, this guide takes readers to sites of oppression, resistance, organizing, and transformation in Boston and outlying neighborhoods and municipalities—from Lawrence, Lowell, and Lynn to Concord and Plymouth. It highlights tales of the places and people involved in movements to abolish slavery; to end war and militarism; to achieve Native sovereignty, racial equity, gender justice, and sexual liberation; and to secure workers’ rights. In so doing, this one-of-a-kind guide points the way to a radically democratic Greater Boston, one that sparks social and environmental justice and inclusivity for all.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, History

328 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2020

About the author

Joseph Nevins was born and raised in the Dorchester section of Boston and is Professor of Geography at Vassar College. His books include A Not-so-distant Horror: Mass Violence in East Timor; Dying to Live: A Story of U.S. Immigration in an Age of Global Apartheid; and Operation Gatekeeper and Beyond: The War on "Illegals" and the Remaking of the US-Mexico Boundary.

Reviews

[آية · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting overview of Boston, its different districts, and surrounding cities. It highlights certain places where interesting and little-known (or at least, not much talked-about) events happened. I assume most guides to Boston would talk about Revolutionary War locations and focus on the wealthy/powerful.

I appreciate the insight it gives on gentrification, Native American history, and some of the oppressions that occurred in Boston for the past 400 years (and indeed helped Boston/Greater Boston become as rich and successful as it is today--by stealing native land, profiting from the slave trade, etc.).

I would say that it does have a liberal agenda so it's not just the "people" it focuses on, but particularly those involved with labor/feminist/lgbt movements.

But this is not a guide for people who have never been introduced to Boston before. It does give attention to places that are not very popular, but this is in exchange for not giving a holistic view of what the city is like today. Many entries talk about places that don't even exist anymore, like parks or buildings that have been destroyed. The entries also tend to jump between dates (between centuries) so it's definitely more space-oriented than time-oriented.

[Jenn Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting way to look at the history and geography of Boston and the surrounding area. It is structured like a guidebool/travel book, but focuses on marginalized communities and forgotten history instead of the usual Paul Revere/Boston Tea Party type of events. While I don't know that it would be truly useful all on its own for someone visiting the city (so many of these locations were by definition erased and are the site of parking lots and condos now) it would be great as a supplement or even just to learn from. Very solid, would definitely recommend

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating combination of guidebook, historic places compilation, social justice events, and culture of Boston and surrounding area. Not something you read cover to cover, but fun to browse through. It definitely makes me want to go to the places described and also makes me feel more connected to the past that has gotten us to the present.

[Catherine Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is like a reference book so i'm going to mark it as read but not add a date finished
i suggest for residents & tourists! i've learned a lot from what i've read so far
rating 5 stars hoping it provides some benefit / boost to the authors

[Cara Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a native Bostonian it was truly awesome to read such a comprehensive catalog of neighborhoods. This book is filled with rarely told stories and hidden gems and scars of the city.

[Elizabeth]

I had imagined this would read like a narrative history, but I got a copy from the library, and it reads much more like a guidebook, so I'm reshelving it from TBR to "reference."