Author(s): Sudhir Venkatesh

Culture

After his insider's study of Chicago crack gangs electrified the academy, Columbia University sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh spent a decade immersed in New York's underbelly, observing the call girls, drug dealers, prostitutes and other strivers that make up this booming underground economy. Amidst the trust-funder cocktail parties, midtown strip clubs, and immigrant-run sex shops, he discovers a surprisingly fluid and dynamic social world - one that can be found in global cities everywhere. Floating Cityis Venkatesh's journey through the 'vast invisible continent' of New York's underground economy - a thriving yet largely unseen world that exists in parallel to our own.'Vivid, readable, a pungent close-up view of the city's underbelly. In the shadow of the towering citadels of global capitalism, Venkatesh goes in search of those toiling in the grimy subterranean economy.'Damian Whitworth, The Times'Compelling ...An unexpectedly vivid image of a New York not many get to see ...There's Shine, a Harlem drug dealer trying to break into the downtown scene. We meet a Harvard-educated socialite with a stable of escorts. We meet Manjun, whose porn shop is a focal point for local prostitutes, and whose life is slowly slipping out of control. Throughout, Venkatesh works to demonstrate the invisible connections between the high and low.' Craig Taylor, Guardian'Journalism of a very high order.'Daniel Brook, The New York Times'A textured and perspicacious portrait of New Yorkers trying to 'float' in a city where it's far easier to drown.'George De Stefano, New York Journal of Books'You should read this...If it's criminal or iniquitous and happens here, it's probably to be found in this book.' New York magazine