Published: April 1, 2000

Lives On The Boundary

MIKE ROSE

(Penguin USA, $12.95)

Anyone familiar with Mike Rose knows better than to look for him center stage. Combing a crowded room for the author, you would most likely find him in a quiet corner—watching, listening, and then wowing you with a keen observation, some pearl of wisdom. His gentle spirit both encourages confidence and invites reflection. This same spirit animates Lives on the Boundary , Rose's immensely personal exploration of our education underclass. How is it, Rose wants to know, that in such a prosperous nation so many children are relegated to the precarious edges...