help me find [his/her] life on the edge

October 15, 2009 11:34 AM

I'm looking for a fascinating piece that I read a few years back that painted an extensive portrait of the lives and culture of runaways and other people living on the margins, written from personal experience. I think it was very long, divided into two pages, and possibly specifically directed at writers whom the author was criticizing for getting their culture wrong. I remember that s/he alked about getting started mugging or shoplifting, how to handle yourself in fights to minimize the amount of actual fighting you would be forced to do, and I forget what all else. One part that I particularly remember asserted that people in this sort of situation could be very conservative sexually but promiscuous emotionally, or something like that.

Although I particularly want to find this piece again, I'd also appreciate recommendations for anything similar. Thanks!

posted by mayhap to society & culture (4 answers total)

Not what you're looking for specifically, but a year on the streets memoir, Down To This, but Shaunessey Bishop-Stall.
posted by Sully at 12:49 PM on October 15, 2009

What do you remember, if anything, about the source? It sounds like you read it online ("divided into two pages"), is this the case? Did the narrative revolve around a particular city or cities? Anything you can recall with a reasonable degree of certainty would help.
posted by onshi at 1:16 PM on October 15, 2009

dear [not just urban fantasy] author -- part II was the one I thought of - it was originally on LJ, although I came across it from Lilith Saintcrow's blog. This is part 2 - the first part deals with violence. There is definitely a line about sexual conservatism contrasted with lots of physical affection.
posted by restless_nomad at 1:33 PM on October 15, 2009 [1 favorite]

That's it exactly, restless_nomad! Thank you!
posted by mayhap at 1:40 PM on October 15, 2009