Devil's Night: And Other True Tales of Detroit

by Ze'ev Chafets

Book Overview

A New York Times Notable Book On Devil's Night, the night before Halloween, some citizens of Detroit try to burn down their neighborhoods for an international audience of fire buffs. This gripping and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0394585259
• ISBN13: 9780394585253
• Release Date: October 1990
• Publisher: Random House (NY)
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 1.26 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Best introduction for outsiders

It's twenty years old, but this is the best and most accessible nonfiction account of Detroit's traumatic postwar decline I have read. The writer, a white Israeli-American, approaches the subject without too much sensationalism, and does a good job of explaining how the race and class wars of the sixties and seventies led to political solidification of Coleman Young's machine, for better or for worse.

An "oral history" style piece, and a fun read

So: I'm constantly reading research studies for work, and can very much appreciate the critique lodged at this book by the first 2 reviewers. It doesn't begin to scratch at the surface to find comprehensive problem/solution relationships between Detroit's demise & possible causes, a rich history of events, and/or possible solutions ahead. As a native of the area who was born in Ann Arbor and ceased all residence in the area at 22, I just darn enjoyed the book- a lot. One area where I do feel it succeeds wildly, is providing a glimpse into the area's bizzare-ish folklore and fractured social fabric. I love the city of Detroit (proper), and if I didn't have a creative thing established in the Bay Area, I'd likely move back. I frequently recommend this book to folks in search of a quick-read piece to offer some clarity into quirks, that history books and more deeply-analytical critical writings, don't. There are dozens of books that critically examine race relations, economic impacts, industry movement, etc., but this one simply tells some stories- and stories that imho, are important to consider, in assessing the cultural/human impact, abreast the critical & academic readings. As with many books: this is a great one to compliment a stack, if you're looking to read a few to get a good perspective... but it's not "the one," though I don't think was ever intended to be.

A right-on, tell-it-like-it-is tale

A very stark, often poignant tale of the social and demographic changes experienced in Detroit during the 1960s and 1970s. Chavets also draws some very interesting comparisons between Detroit and Israel as societies under seige. If you can find this book, read it!!