The World We Live In Part 1 (Book 1 of 5)

This is a book not for the faint of heart. It is a book of prose poems that are hard hitting and deal with many problems we face in society today. It starts off with a punch to the gut, Christina who tells her story of the night she was raped. She was strong enough to stand up and report it. However, she faced backlash for reporting it as if she was the one who had done something wrong.

That’s a common theme in each of the poems: the problem and the strength to fight through it no matter what others say or do to bring you down. The rest of the poems deal with a variety of things: homelessness, adoption, PTSD, loss of parents, self worth through depression or body image issues, domestic violence, sexuality, being sexually molested, dealing with addiction to drugs, gambling or alcohol. There are some more themes in the book just as strong as the ones mentioned.

What I liked about each story was the strength each person showed and how they moved forward with their life no matter the circumstances. What was also interesting was that the point of view was different: though each was the person dealing with issues, in one story the person narrating was a child and in another it might be an adult, female or male, parent or child, straight or gay. It showed the perspective from all walks of life, reminding us that each person is dealing with their own struggles that we know nothing about, and that maybe a smile might help someone through a dark time without even knowing it.

It was a great read. I would recommend it.

Subtitled “A Poetry Book on Societal Issues”, this book is a series of poems, each with a different character facing a different struggle. Identified by first name only (you aren’t told the race of the person) each character narrates their story in an intimate and conversational tone. Issues such as addiction, stalking, sexual assault and gender identity are tackled in this honest and emotionally sensitive collection. The author did a great job of conveying the very personal struggles people face today. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone walked away less judgmental? Recommended for those who like thought-provoking reads.

Reading the first installment of Jamell Crouthers' The World We Live in leads readers to conclude that the author must either (a) be a very interesting person who has met equally interesting people, (b) have an extremely vivid imagination, or (c) both.
Every character is thoroughly developed through a series of unique and touching vignettes, each chronicling the characters' struggles with a variety of societal issues including homelessness, abuse, and addiction, among others. The resulting connection with each character leaves readers looking forward to Part 2 of the series to confirm if everything works out for everyone.

If you're looking for a change from your usual generic reading regime then you must get this book. This book is intriguing and thought provoking in the most creative way. The stories are not just stories, each story allows you to travel beside the character fighting their battles and watching their struggles. It urges you to open your eyes to the world around you and recognize the changes that must be made. I really enjoyed this book.

A beautiful book of sincere thoughts and insights. Jamell writes about life, love, society, family, city life, relationships, and issues facing humanity. Transparent and heartfelt, Jamell took me to places I have never been; struggles within the city, within a soul. "I sing songs in my head for a lot of days to get by..." Thought provoking, I wanted to wrap Jamell's words in a warm blanket and take them to a place of safety. Well written, Jamell. Bravo. Recommended reading for everyone.

Such a great poetry collection - really enjoyable and interesting. It makes you think and feel. This book is definitely for the poetry lovers. Give it a try!