A Kind of Genius : Herb Sturz and Society's Toughest Problems

In A Kind of Genius , Sam Roberts offers a window onto Herb Sturz’s extraordinary life’s work. Sturz began his long career in social entrepreneurship by reforming the bail system and founding the Vera Institute of Justice. He served as New York City’s Deputy Mayor for Criminal Justice under Ed Koch and then as Chairman of the City Planning Commision. He moved on to establish affordable inner-city housing and programs for at-risk individuals. But Sturz has, to date, largely eschewed the public’s eye. Roberts pays tribute to Sturz’s inspirational legacy of accomplishment. His initiatives have consistently provided solutions to our most challenging problems. Here, for the first time, his astonishing story is told in full. "Herb Sturz's non-ideological brand of social entrepreneurship offers an antidote to cynicism about Washington's failures and fears about government. Over five decades of service, he has suecessfully leveraged private initiatives to make public policy work more smoothly and to offer solutions to problems that the government has failed to address." "In A Kind of Genius, Sam Roberts pays tribute to the man who has been called "the best social engineer in America" and who has dedicated his life to improving ours. As inspirational as it is eye-opening, Roberts's deft research into Sturz's life lifts the veil from a singular private figure who, had he been more in the public eye, would have been hailed years earlier as a popular hero."--Jacket A renowned New York Times journalist tells the inspirational story of one of America's most imaginative and effective social entrepreneurs.;Only connect -- Boy's life goes to jail -- The feminine form of true -- Vera's bailiwick -- Summons to the Bowery -- Beyond the bowery -- The wildcats strike -- In the summer of Sam -- Politics and poker -- The process broker -- Planning the visionary city -- The longest-running joke in New York -- The New Times Square -- A planner faces reality -- A winter's tale in the bonfire of the vanities -- "As long as I'm doing something that matters." Only connect Boy's life goes to jail The feminine form of true Vera's bailiwick Summons to the Bowery Beyond the bowery The wildcats strike In the summer of Sam "What would Machiavelli do?" The process broker Planning the visionary city The longest-running joke in New York The New Times Square A planner faces reality A winter's tale in the bonfire of the vanities "As long as I'm doing something that matters". The problem-solving initiatives and accomplishments of social entrepreneur Herb Sturz, who has helped at-risk individuals, are reviewed through an examination of his reforms in the bail system, development of affordable inner-city housing, and the establishment of the Vera Institute of Justice