Teardown : Memoir of a Vanishing City

After living in San Francisco for 15 years, journalist Gordon Young found himself yearning for his Rust Belt hometown: Flint, Michigan, the birthplace of General Motors and "star" of the Michael Moore documentary __Roger & Me.__ Hoping to rediscover and help a place that once boasted one of the world’s highest per capita income levels, but is now one of the country's most impoverished and dangerous cities, he returned to Flint with the intention of buying a house. What he found was a place of stark contrasts and dramatic stories, where an exotic dancer can afford a lavish mansion, speculators scoop up cheap houses by the dozen on eBay, and arson is often the quickest route to neighborhood beautification. Skillfully blending personal memoir, historical inquiry, and interviews with Flint residents, Young constructs a vibrant tale of a once-thriving city still fighting—despite overwhelming odds—to rise from the ashes. He befriends a rag-tag collection of urban homesteaders and die-hard locals who refuse to give up as they try to transform Flint into a smaller, greener town that offers lessons for cities all over the world. Hard-hitting, insightful, and often painfully funny, __Teardown__ reminds us that cities are ultimately defined by people, not politics or economics. Book Description: After Living In San Francisco For 15 Years, Journalist Gordon Young Found Himself Yearning For His Rust Belt Hometown: Flint, Michigan, The Birthplace Of General Motors And Star Of The Michael Moore Documentary Roger & Me. Hoping To Rediscover And Help A Place That Once Boasted One Of The World's Highest Per Capita Income Levels, But Is Now One Of The Country's Most Impoverished And Dangerous Cities, He Returned To Flint With The Intention Of Buying A House. What He Found Was A Place Of Stark Contrasts And Dramatic Stories, Where An Exotic Dancer Can Afford A Lavish Mansion, Speculators Scoop Up Cheap Houses By The Dozen On Ebay, And Arson Is Often The Quickest Route To Neighborhood Beautification. Skillfully Blending Personal Memoir, Historical Inquiry, And Interviews With Flint Residents, Young Constructs A Vibrant Tale Of A Once-thriving City Still Fighting-despite Overwhelming Odds-to Rise From The Ashes. He Befriends A Rag-tag Collection Of Urban Homesteaders And Die-hard Locals Who Refuse To Give Up As They Try To Transform Flint Into A Smaller, Greener Town That Offers Lessons For Cities All Over The World. Hard-hitting, Insightful, And Often Painfully Funny, Teardown Reminds Us That Cities Are Ultimately Defined By People, Not Politics Or Economics. Pt. 1. Pink Houses And Panhandlers -- Bottom-feeders -- Bourgeois Homeowners -- Virtual Vehicle City -- Bad Reputation -- The Road To Prosperity -- Bar Logic -- Downward Mobility -- Black And White -- The Forest Primeval -- The Naked Truth -- The Toughest Job In Politics -- Urban Homesteaders -- Pt. 2. Quitters Never Win -- Burning Down The House -- Emotional Rescue -- Get Real -- Living Large -- Fading Murals -- Gun Club -- Bargaining With God -- Psycho Killer -- Pt. 3. Winter Wonderland -- Home On The Range -- California Dreamin' -- Thankless Task -- Joy To The World -- Summer 2012. Gordon Young. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. After living in San Francisco for 15 years, journalist Gordon Young found himself yearning for his Rust Belt hometown: Flint, Michigan, the birthplace of General Motors and star of the Michael Moore documentary Roger & Me. Hoping to rediscover and help a place that once boasted one of the worlds highest per capita income levels, but is now one of the country's most impoverished and dangerous cities, he returned to Flint with the intention of buying a house. What he found was a place of stark contrasts and dramatic stories, where an exotic dancer can afford a lavish mansion, speculators scoop up cheap houses by the dozen on eBay, and arson is often the quickest route to neighborhood beautification. Skillfully blending personal memoir, historical inquiry, and interviews with Flint residents, Young constructs a vibrant tale of a once-thriving city still fightingdespite overwhelming oddsto rise from the ashes. He befriends a rag-tag collection of urban homesteaders and die-hard locals who refuse to give up as they try to transform Flint into a smaller, greener town that offers lessons for cities all over the world. Hard-hitting, insightful, and often painfully funny, Teardown reminds us that cities are ultimately defined by people, not politics or economics. Read an excerpt here: (http://www.scribd.com/doc/179655512/Teardown-Memoir-of-a-Vanishing-City-by-Gorfon-Young) Teardown: Memoir of a Vanishing City by Gorfon Young by (http://www.scribd.com/ucpress) University of California Press Learn more: (http://www.teardownbook.com/) http://www.teardownbook.com/ After living in San Francisco for fifteen years, journalist Gordon Young found himself yearning for his Rust Belt hometown: Flint, Michigan, the birthplace of General Motors and the “star” of the Michael Moore documentary Roger & Me. Hoping to rediscover and help a place that had once boasted one of the world’s highest per capita income levels but had become one of the country's most impoverished and dangerous cities, he returned to Flint with the intention of buying a house. What he found was a place of stark contrasts and dramatic stories, where an exotic dancer could afford a lavish mansion, speculators scooped up cheap houses by the dozen on eBay, and arson was often the quickest route to neighborhood beautification.

Skillfully blending personal memoir, historical inquiry, and interviews with Flint residents, Young constructs a vibrant tale of a once-thriving city still fighting—despite overwhelming odds—to rise from the ashes. He befriends a ragtag collection of urban homesteaders and die-hard locals who refuse to give up as they try to transform Flint into a smaller, greener town that offers lessons for cities all over the world. Hard-hitting, insightful, and often painfully funny, Teardown reminds us that cities are ultimately defined by people, not politics or economics. After living in San Francisco for 15 years, the author found himself yearning for his Rust Belt hometown: Flint, Michigan, the birthplace of General Motors and "star" of the Michael Moore documentary "Roger & Me". This book reminds us that cities are defined by people, not politics or economics.