Group Non-fiction read - November 2014 - No Fixed Abode. SPOILERS ALLOWED

[Jo]

Please post here when you've read No Fixed Abode: A Journey Through Homelessness from Cornwall to London. Spoilers are allowed. Please untick the "add to my update feed" box below so others don't see your comments. You might like to consider the followin questions when providing your views:

1. Did you like the book?
2. Do you think that the author covers the subject adequately?
3. Do you like the tone and language of the book?
4. Was there any part of the book that was important or significant to you?
5. Have you learnt anything from the book?
6. Has reading this encouraged you to look for other books on the subject?

[Jason]

I am a big fan of Orwell's book Down and Out in Paris and London and it was that book which inspired Charlie to go on this journey to see if things have changed much since Orwell's time.

Things start off as a walk in the countryside and you get introduced to the authors prejudices and fears. This was the weakest part of the book for me as you would think he might have enjoyed himself a bit seeing as at this point it was just a walk he was on.

He becomes homeless in two places and stays there for a while and his report feels very honest, he finds it very tough nobody would talk to him and there was nowhere to find help, until a tramp accepts him and shows him the ropes.

Eventually he makes it to London and here he finds there is a lot more done for the homeless, maybe not so much to help them but to hide them. The people he meets are not who you would expect to find; a Polish man looking for work and too proud to go home, a mum living on the street so her kids can get a place to live.

He shows that some charities are doing a great job with limited funds but are only to help a few.

The most interesting part are the interviews with those who aren't homeless. One bloke had amazingily stupid views on life.

I have never been homeless so I have no idea just how accurate everything in this is, but I do feel the author has put his heart into making this book to raise awareness of just how bad the level of homelessness is and maybe people will notice those sleeping rough instead of being invisible to them.

This book has made me want to read Orwell's book again.

[Pamela]

I enjoyed this book, and found Charlie's approach very genuine and honest. He didn't appear to twist his material to fit a particular premise, he showed the bad sides of people he met, even if he felt sympathetic towards their situation. He also acknowledged that he could never completely empathise, because he had a home, family and job to go back to.

He was balanced in his presentation of the various views from police, charity, politicians etc - I liked his encounter with Paxman, who came over as surprisingly approachable and helpful! Not a topic I would read more on but it was definitely thought-provoking.

[Jason]

Nice review.

[Pamela]

Jason wrote: "Nice review."

Thanks Jason. I haven't read Down and Out in Paris and London but I generally find Orwell pretty bleak. Charlie was a lot more upbeat I think

[Jason]

Down and out is one of my favourite books of all time, worth giving a go, it is very different to 1984.

[Paul]

Finished tonight. As you say Pamela, he has an honest approach to this subject. I don't think he had the full experience, but i think that Carroll had enough of a flavour of it to comprehend the difficulties that homeless suffer.

My review is here