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47 pages 1 hour read

Righteous Dopefiend

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2008

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Book Brief

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Philippe Bourgois, Jeffrey Schonberg

Righteous Dopefiend

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2008
Book Details
Pages

392

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

San Francisco, California • 2000s

Publication Year

2008

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois and Jeffrey Schonberg is a photo-ethnography detailing the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness and drug addiction in San Francisco's Edgewater Boulevard over 12 years, emphasizing the socio-economic impacts of neoliberal policies and globalization, and arguing for humanizing marginalized populations by highlighting structural issues over criminalization. Sensitive topics include drug addiction, homelessness, and systemic socio-economic challenges.

Gritty

Unnerving

Dark

Challenging

Reviews & Readership

4.5

1,877 ratings

89%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois and Jeffrey Schonberg is widely praised for its immersive ethnographic approach, capturing the lives of homeless heroin addicts in San Francisco. Reviewers commend its raw, empathetic portrayal and critical societal insights. Some critique it as emotionally heavy and question its generalizability. Overall, it's impactful and thought-provoking.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Righteous Dopefiend?

Readers of Righteous Dopefiend by Philippe Bourgois and Jeffrey Schonberg are likely to be intrigued by ethnographic studies and social anthropology. Comparable to fans of Evicted by Matthew Desmond and The Corner by David Simon and Edward Burns, these readers are drawn to deep, humanistic explorations of marginalized communities.

4.5

1,877 ratings

89%

Loved it

8%

Mixed feelings

3%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

392

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

San Francisco, California • 2000s

Publication Year

2008

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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