Bomb the Suburbs
 Cover of the 2008 Catapult edition | |
| Author | William Upski Wimsatt |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Margarita Certeza Garcia |
| Language | English |
Release number | 3,000 |
| Subject | Urban Culture |
| Set in | Chicago |
| Publisher | Subway and Elevated Press (Soft Skull Press), Catapult |
Publication date | 1994 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Book |
| Pages | 112 |
| ISBN | 0-9643855-0-3 |
Bomb The Suburbs is a collection of essays by William Upski Wimsatt, a former graffiti tagger. It is a mix of storytelling, journalism, photojournalism and original research, on a broad range of topics, such as suburban sprawl, hip hop culture, youth activism, graffiti, and Chicago.[1] In the book Wimsatt presents hip hop as a force for social justice and political change.[2]
Reception
The editor of Newcity has identified Bomb the Suburbs as "perhaps the definitive work of hip-hop literature".[3]
Bomb The Suburbs led to subsequent books and political activism.[4] In an essay in his No More Prisons compilation, entitled "In Defense of Rich Kids", Wimsatt responded to class based critique of his social privilege:
"You can hate me if you want to. I am the beneficiary of a very unfair system. The system gives me tons of free money for doing nothing, yet it forces you to work two and three jobs just to get out of debt."[5]
References
- ^ Worldcat entry
- ^ Graeff, Erhardt (29 July 2013). "Bomb the Suburbs book review". erhardtgraeff.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Hieggelke, Brian (20 December 2010). "Nonfiction Review: "Please Don't Bomb the Suburbs" by William Upski Wimsatt". newcity.com. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
- ^ Kristin V. Jones (2004-05-20). "Who Let the Punks Out?". The Nation. Retrieved 2006-09-22.
- ^ Wimsatt, William Upski, ed. (2000). No More Prisons.