Blessed Returns: A Student's Summer in one of America's Poorest Cities

By Stuart Albright

Book Overview

Camden, New Jersey, is quite possibly the most troubled and dangerous city in America. But a far different story lies beneath this cold surface. It is a story of hope, of voices struggling desperately against deaf ears. In the summer of 1999, a college student named Stuart Albright arrived in Camden full of youthful idealism and a na ve sense of justice. Blessed Returns is the moving, deeply personal account of a young man's coming-of-age amidst a tumultuous and life-changing summer. Albright worked at a youth facility in the heart of Camden's blighted, industrial core, and he discovered a community governed by faith and resilience in the face of unimaginable despair. It is a place filled with passionate and unforgettable characters. Moving seamlessly between a heartbreaking tale of loss and a forceful call for social change, this book is a message that cries out to be heard. It is a story laid bare with all the honesty and confession of a meaningful prayer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1411631099
• ISBN13: 9781411631090
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.66 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Caring in a difficult world

Stuart Albright should be commended for this honest and heart-searching account about growing up and trying to make a difference in today's complex and corrupt world. The diary style allows development of complex intercity and educational issues, but recurring images to give hope through the sadness. Expect him to develop as a writer and educator---one to be watched.

A moving coming-of-age story

Blessed Returns is the story of young Stuart Albright's volunteer summer in one of America's most desperate, forgotten cities: Camden, NJ. I was really moved by Albright's experiences, and his stories of compassion, frustration and hope. This is a great book for college students interested in community work.