“Harding asks why living in a poor neighborhood increases the risk that teenage boys will end up unschooled, premature fathers, or in jail. His answer—which is sure to be read, studied, and debated—is that on the one hand, the constant threat of violence narrows the boys’ horizons, while on the other, the coexistence in their neighborhoods of both mainstream and alternative cultural models confuses the boys’ efforts to make critical life decisions. Living the Drama tackles a substantive topic, engages in key theoretical debates, employs a distinctive comparative approach, gives ample voice to its subjects, and enriches our knowledge of poor youth.”

“Based on his sensitive, probing interviews with black and Latino teenage boys in poor neighborhoods, David Harding has given us a sorely needed contribution to the literature on neighborhood effects. Living the Drama argues convincingly that boys in disadvantaged neighborhoods must, above all, negotiate violence and the exposure to multiple and contradictory cultural alternatives. Harding’s interviews are rich, genuine, and illuminating; his analysis, dispassionate, thorough, and astute; and his writing, clear and remarkably compelling. Living the Drama is a terrific book.”