A Homeless at Harvard - by John Christopher Frame (Paperback)

About the Book

While taking his final course at Harvard, John Frame stepped outside the walls of academia and onto the streets, pursuing a different kind of education with his homeless friends. Combining the author's story with the stories of those who've been on the streets, Homeless at Harvard tells an unforgettable story of life together on the streets of Harvard Square.

Book Synopsis

Harvard Square is at the center of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is the business district around Harvard University. It's a place of history, culture, and some of the most momentous events of the nation. But it's also a gathering place for some of the city's homeless.

What is life like for the homeless in Harvard Square? Do they have anything to tell people about life? And God?

That's what Harvard student John Frame discovered and shares in Homeless at Harvard. While taking his final course at Harvard, John Frame stepped outside the walls of academia and onto the streets, pursuing a different kind of education with his homeless friends.

What he found--in the way of community and how people understand themselves---may surprise you.

In this unique book, each of these urban pioneers shares his own story, providing insider perspectives of life as homeless people see it. This heartwarming page-turner shows how John learned with, from, and about his homeless friends--who together tell an unforgettable story--helping readers' better understand problems outside themselves and that they're more similar to those on the streets than they may have believed.

Review Quotes

Spending a summer living on the streets of Harvard Square in Cambridge, Mass., Frame recounts his experiences and education in the ways of being homeless, in this, his debut effort. 'Divinity John, ' as he comes to be called, offers an account more personal than academic, its anthropology and theology distinguished by a warmth missing in other books on the same topic. This is not a systematic treatment of strategies for alleviating homelessness. Instead, it is a narrative with firsthand accounts from the author and some of the homeless people he befriends, meant to humanize the marginalized 'other' and introduce the reader to how homeless people live. Mirroring the author's own perspective shift, the book leads the reader to recognize the struggles of homeless people, as well as their humanity, community, and their distinct desire for forming relationships. The book is touching, and well worth the read, if only to provide a more informed view of a group that is frequently misunderstood.--Publishers Weekly

About the Author

John Frame holds master's degrees from Harvard Divinity School, Anderson University, and Eastern Michigan University. He has worked in local government and has taught courses at several colleges. He enjoys spending time with his wife, whom he met at a souvenir shop in Istanbul, Turkey.