The Other Side Of The River

My great-great grandparents and their children having built a cottage in the woods in unincorporated Lake Charter Township near Lake Michigan and generations of us as children having spent our summers there, I have always been familiar with the towns of St. Joseph and Benton Harbor. St. Joe was the......more

(White) Oak Park, IL journalist Kotlowitz is best known for his story of south side Chicago black youth in the eighties, There Are No Children Here. Oprah bought the rights, made a good film based on the book. This book follows that book, and is not set in Chicago, or the deep south, or St Louis, or......more

This was a really interesting but also a tragic story. I had no idea of the history between these two towns. I think the author was well researched and did a good job of relating past history and circumstances to allow the reader to understand the racial tensions that existed there.......more

After Kotlowitz’ acclaimed There are No Children Here I knew that this book about St. Joseph and Benton Harbor Michigan would astound me too. Not to mention it is set in a small town in SW Michigan that I am familiar with and at times reflects the town I grew up in. Kotlowitz uses the death of young......more

Very interesting true story about an area of Michigan I visit regularly. The events recounted happened when I was attended Battle Creek Central high school and we would travel to St Joe and Benton Harbor for athletic events often. This wasn’t a fun read or a great story but I was a good read.......more