David Simon is a great storyteller. His first non-fiction book, “Homicide - A Year on the Killing Streets,” is a 599-page tour de force for any student of real police dialog and sublime reportage. The book slapped me with a realization that newspapers and their limited news columns and budgetary pressures seen in full flight today could never truly capture the depths of human struggle.
Better known as the creator of HBO’s “The Wire,” Simon now generates ink and wins honors for his compelling television series stories about the Baltimore most visitors never see. The work is fiction but rings true in many ways.
For a taste of Simon’s early characters and scene development, get a copy of “Homicide.” And be prepared to read it in three or fewer sittings.
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