Detroit City Is the Place To Be

**renf** · December-23-12, 08:41 AM

The morning newspaper published a rather favorable review of Mark Binelli's new book about the problems of the city of Detroit and its revitalization.
http://nyti.ms/U4Uln5

**Zacha341** · December-23-12, 08:57 AM

Link on Firefox come up as a solicitation page for a site called 'bitly'. But I went to NYTimes and got the direct link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/23/bo...elli.html?_r=0

**Király** · December-24-12, 09:35 AM

I can't wait to read this book. My public library here in Vancouver has it on order, and I'm third in line with a hold on it. There are six more people behind me who have also placed holds on it, and it's not even out yet.

**renf** · December-24-12, 03:53 PM

The Detroit City Is the Place to Be book has been published and is readily available now.

**GOAT** · December-24-12, 03:57 PM

The place to be...homeless? A crackhead? dead? Shot? fucked over? Scammed by it's own gov't? Ignored? kicked by the rest of the country? set on fire? Crazy? Stupid?
The city needs to be rebuilt from the downtown outwards...if countries could treat cities like an expansion team, Detroit would be first on the list. And fuck that whole, "we don't need any help" or "we will fix it ourselves". It hasn't worked in 40+ years, time to try a new solution.

**detroitbob** · December-24-12, 05:09 PM

Just bought e-version and started reading...so for seems to be well written.

serpico · December-24-12, 08:29 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

The place to be...homeless? A crackhead? dead? Shot? fucked over? Scammed by it's own gov't? Ignored? kicked by the rest of the country? set on fire? Crazy? Stupid?
The city needs to be rebuilt from the downtown outwards...if countries could treat cities like an expansion team, Detroit would be first on the list. And fuck that whole, "we don't need any help" or "we will fix it ourselves". It hasn't worked in 40+ years, time to try a new solution.

Amen GOAT....

**old guy** · December-25-12, 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by GOAT

The place to be...homeless? A crackhead? dead? Shot? fucked over? Scammed by it's own gov't? Ignored? kicked by the rest of the country? set on fire? Crazy? Stupid?
The city needs to be rebuilt from the downtown outwards...if countries could treat cities like an expansion team, Detroit would be first on the list. And fuck that whole, "we don't need any help" or "we will fix it ourselves". It hasn't worked in 40+ years, time to try a new solution.

What's this kicked by the rest of the country crap? I'm personally offended by statements like that.

**louis** · December-25-12, 10:40 AM

[What's this kicked by the rest of the country crap? I'm personally offended by statements like that.[/QUOTE]
i think goat is referring to the endless amounts of negative articles, jokes, and general fear/hate towards Detroit on a national and international scale.

**Detroitnerd** · December-26-12, 11:57 AM

The book is OK. It's a little sensationalistic.

**poobert** · December-26-12, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

The place to be...homeless? A crackhead? dead? Shot? fucked over? Scammed by it's own gov't? Ignored? kicked by the rest of the country? set on fire? Crazy? Stupid?

Who pissed in your Wheaties? I've never been a crackhead, homeless, fucked over, or set on fire. I'm the first person to point out Detroit's faults but there is certainly plenty of interest here, that doesn't involve ruins, and certainly more than in its torpid suburbs.

**GOAT** · December-26-12, 02:02 PM

Old guy, be offended all you wish. YOu should be!

If something minor happens in Detroit it is news across the country, if it happens in Chicago no one hears anything. Detroit is still called the most dangersou city, but it isn't....not according to stats. Plus every celebrity dick piles on Detroit whenever possible, as if we don't know about the problems here and we haven't heard it before.

Sure a lot of it is warranted when need be, but the constant piling on and kicking he dog when its down gets irritating after a while.

**GOAT** · December-26-12, 02:03 PM

poobert, if you live in Detroit you have been fucked over. The scamming that goes in city gov't is disgusting.

**Gistok** · December-26-12, 03:39 PM

When I first read the title to this thread I was thinking of the old "Green Acres" comedy show theme song... then when I read the link... it confirmed it...

"Detroit City is the place to be.... Farm living is the life for me".....

**poobert** · December-26-12, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

When I first read the title to this thread I was thinking of the old "Green Acres" comedy show theme song... then when I read the link... it confirmed it...

"Detroit City is the place to be.... Farm living is the life for me".....

The best part is that you really can be in Green Acres [[8 mile -Livernois - Litchfield - Pembroke) in Detroit whislt singing.

**Gannon** · March-17-13, 09:27 AM

We finally bought this book, and I tore through it in a day. The writer has a wonderful easy style, winding and weaving a great narrative...with potent footnotes, and a thorough index at the end. It is setup not unlike a textbook, true scholarship.

I vaguely remember this fellow around town.

It was simply weird reading, in a book, stories we live and share here every day.

I think it was well-written, but tainted by those he chose to align himself with...Detroit is not one big fight to most people I know and hang around. At least one hustling fighter in the book was treated with perhaps a bit too much coverage, and certainly his prejudices affected Binelli's perceptions. I wonder if Mark was around when this guy got his ass handed to him for letting the air out of an old lady's car tires when she parked in "his spot" for selling t-shirts in the Market?! Sure, he's a fighter...dude can be his own damned promoter! To the hammer, the whole world appears a nail.

Then again, the author didn't even land back here until 2009, just after all the really wild stuff stopped. Now, we've got so many new faces in some parts of town, even less than one year later [[after the publication) portions of Detroit have morphed into very different, nearly unrecognizable places. And the decline in the rest of it has predictably continued unabated.

But I've made the same drive into the city three times since reading his take of his time here, and the simple fact that I'm seeing a few things I didn't previously proves that Mr. Binelli did, indeed, hit a home run with this book. At least with THIS lifelong Detroiter.

Buy "Detroit City Is the Place to Be" by Mark Binelli, if you haven't already. If so, buy another for a friend.

Cheers!
John

**Honky Tonk** · March-17-13, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

When I first read the title to this thread I was thinking of the old "Green Acres" comedy show theme song... then when I read the link... it confirmed it...

"Detroit City is the place to be.... Farm living is the life for me".....

Well, we do have "land spreadin' out so far and wide....."

**Honky Tonk** · March-17-13, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by GOAT

The place to be...homeless? A crackhead? dead? Shot? fucked over? Scammed by it's own gov't? Ignored? kicked by the rest of the country? set on fire? Crazy? Stupid?
The city needs to be rebuilt from the downtown outwards...if countries could treat cities like an expansion team, Detroit would be first on the list. And fuck that whole, "we don't need any help" or "we will fix it ourselves". It hasn't worked in 40+ years, time to try a new solution.

You need to get you one of those $1700 a month crackerboxes in the Broderick, take the elevator down and get yourself a $9 cup of magic bean tube coffee, then you'll see what all the fuss is about.

**Honky Tonk** · March-17-13, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by Gannon

We finally bought this book, and I tore through it in a day. The writer has a wonderful easy style, winding and weaving a great narrative...with potent footnotes, and a thorough index at the end. It is setup not unlike a textbook, true scholarship.

I vaguely remember this fellow around town.

It was simply weird reading, in a book, stories we live and share here every day.

I think it was well-written, but tainted by those he chose to align himself with...Detroit is not one big fight to most people I know and hang around. At least one hustling fighter in the book was treated with perhaps a bit too much coverage, and certainly his prejudices affected Binelli's perceptions. I wonder if Mark was around when this guy got his ass handed to him for letting the air out of an old lady's car tires when she parked in "his spot" for selling t-shirts in the Market?! Sure, he's a fighter...dude can be his own damned promoter! To the hammer, the whole world appears a nail.

Then again, the author didn't even land back here until 2009, just after all the really wild stuff stopped. Now, we've got so many new faces in some parts of town, even less than one year later [[after the publication) portions of Detroit have morphed into very different, nearly unrecognizable places. And the decline in the rest of it has predictably continued unabated.

But I've made the same drive into the city three times since reading his take of his time here, and the simple fact that I'm seeing a few things I didn't previously proves that Mr. Binelli did, indeed, hit a home run with this book. At least with THIS lifelong Detroiter.

Buy "Detroit City Is the Place to Be" by Mark Binelli, if you haven't already. If so, buy another for a friend.

Cheers!
John

Why not pass it along to a friend? [[hint, hint....)

**Gannon** · March-17-13, 10:42 AM

This dude deserves the income, and the more it sells...I'd just love to see the day this tops the Non-Fiction listings in the New York Times.

"Detroit City Is the Place to Be", indeed.

Plus, it'd be fun to make a collaborative follow-up...all done with DetroitYES postings...

**Zacha341** · March-17-13, 11:08 AM

Yow, that's big rent rates in the D!

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

You need to get you one of those $1700 a month crackerboxes in the Broderick, take the elevator down and get yourself a $9 cup of magic bean tube coffee, then you'll see what all the fuss is about.

**detroit12** · March-17-13, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Who pissed in your Wheaties? I've never been a crackhead, homeless, fucked over, or set on fire. I'm the first person to point out Detroit's faults but there is certainly plenty of interest here, that doesn't involve ruins, and certainly more than in its torpid suburbs.

thank you!!!! I was going to reply to that person but then I figured he/she is probably some suburbanite who doesn't cross 8 mile. This is why I live in Detroit now and not the worthless burbs

**detroit12** · March-17-13, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by GOAT

Old guy, be offended all you wish. YOu should be!

If something minor happens in Detroit it is news across the country, if it happens in Chicago no one hears anything. Detroit is still called the most dangersou city, but it isn't....not according to stats. Plus every celebrity dick piles on Detroit whenever possible, as if we don't know about the problems here and we haven't heard it before.

Sure a lot of it is warranted when need be, but the constant piling on and kicking he dog when its down gets irritating after a while.

and your comment wasn't kicking a dog when down?

all of the non Michiganders slandering Detroit learned it from the best....Metro Detroiters

**313WX** · March-17-13, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by detroit12

thank you!!!! I was going to reply to that person but then I figured he/she is probably some suburbanite who doesn't cross 8 mile. This is why I live in Detroit now and not the worthless burbs

Welcome to DetroitYes detroitlove.

**Király** · March-17-13, 11:59 PM

Originally Posted by Gannon

Mr. Binelli did, indeed, hit a home run with this book.

I had it out of the library and was too busy to finish it before I had to return it. Now 19 people have a hold on it. So I went to the bookstore to buy it. They were sold out. I prepaid and they told me they could get it in in a week. They then called me and said that their distributor had it on backorder and it would take three weeks to get it in.

And this is in Vancouver, half a continent and a country away from Detroit.

This book made Publisher's Weekly's Top 10 Best Books of 2012, which is probably why there is so much interest in it here in such an unlikely place.