Devil's Night and other true tales of Detroit by Zev Chafets (Coleman: apartment, houses) - Michigan (MI) - City-Data Forum

TRoweP · 09-09-2013, 06:38 PM

I am not from Detroit, so be kind to me. I am fascinated with the story of Detroit, its super accelerated growth and sudden decline. Last night i was checking for prices for this book and it seems quite inflated. One is listed for $2468 and a few for $300 and others for $40 which is still expensive. I am no expert but 500-800 houses put on fire (per wikipedia in the 80s) even if the houses are abandoned is likely to trigger a massive migration of residents. This is a mind boggling event unthinkable where i grew up. Maybe a cyclical evolution of a super-developed city or maybe be the final blow ? Little did the people who did it realize they sealed their own fate.

Some of you grew up in the area, maybe i am getting this wrong. Or am i oversimplifying it.

Apologize if this has already been posted.

Devil's Night: And Other True Tales of Detroit: Zev Chafets: 9780679735915: Amazon.com: Books

zthatzmanz28 · 09-09-2013, 07:45 PM

Bought a new set of marine batteries for da trolling motor did ya?>

Many felt the torched homes (85%) were dangerous and people were tired of waiting for the city to bulldoze them.

Retroit · 09-09-2013, 09:16 PM

I don't think we should assume that anyone asking about Detroit is trolling. For people that are not from here and have not read much about the city or any major inner city for that matter, it must seem a strange aberration.

I commend TRoweP for at least trying to read a book that may provide some explanation. I would guess the high prices are an error or a joke.

I don't think you have it wrong or are oversimplifying it. Detroiters are deliberately destroying their city and that is why people don't want to live there, even many Detroiters. I don't think it is a cyclical evolution; it's more like a terminal disease. It's not a final blow because Detroit continues on, weaker and weaker. Hopefully it will find a cure before it diminishes to complete wilderness (although that wouldn't be a bad alternative at this point). I'm speaking of the 90% of Detroit that is outside of downtown, midtown, Corktown, and a handful of other nice areas that are stable/improving.

redford dude · 09-10-2013, 11:01 AM

OP, a few weeks ago you probably could have bought that book for one dollar plus shipping, lol. Apparently Rush Limbaugh talked about it on his program and a new interest in the book took off. I never read the book when it came out but I do remember it got a lot of publicity around here and was excerpted in the newspaper. Based solely on the Limbaugh effect I guess it is being reissued in paperback so if you wait a month or so you will have no problem getting it for a reasonable amount.

And for anyone interested, based on a C-D recommendation I just read Charlie Leduffs "Detroit - An American Autopsy" which gets very favorable reviews on Amazon also. I'm guessing it's kind of like the Chafetz book but for a new generation. I found it much different than I expected in a good way.

TRoweP · 09-10-2013, 05:28 PM

Thank you Retroit and redford. I am going to order "Detroit - An American Autopsy" as soon as i am done with this posting. I really want to read about when these beautiful homes on Brush park and the neighborhood were under construction and in general the boom period leading up to the 1950s and subsequently when the area went under decline. Coleman has "Hard Stuff" in amazon. Not really interested in his account. I am guessing its a political version of events. Charlie Leduffs has some really good reviews.

Retroit · 09-10-2013, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TRoweP

I really want to read about when these beautiful homes on Brush park and the neighborhood were under construction and in general the boom period leading up to the 1950s and subsequently when the area went under decline.

Oh, I love those old Victorian homes in Brush Park! They were built 1865-1885. Around the 1920s-30s they were turned into apartment buildings as the original residents had moved out to Boston-Edison, Palmer Woods, and Indian Village. By the 70s it was skid row. Beginning in the mid-90s, attempts have been made to either restore, preserve or demolish the few remaining homes.

If you have any more questions that you can't find the answers to, let me know. If I don't know the answer, I'll be glad to research it for you. I never tire of learning about the history of Detroit.