After some twenty years working as a journalist in the world's worst trouble spots, where being chased by a machete-wielding madman or having an AK47 shoved in one's chest was close to routine, Judith Matloff decided to settle down with her husband John somewhere civilized, somewhere where the government worked and you could feel comfortable raising a family. Inexplicably, they settled on buying a termite-infested fixer-upper in West Harlem, a 19th-century row house that sat lopsided on a street that was governed by Dominican drug dealers. Buying the house was the usual trial, but claiming it from the neighborhood thugs presented difficulties most new home owners don't have to face: buddying up to the lieutenant of the local drug crew so his minions wouldn't urinate on her steps, purging the back yard of spent needles. Matloff soon met the locals, most notoriously a certain "Salami," so-called because of the length and complexion of his penis, who squatted in the plumbingless house next door. Salami and his one-eyed girlfriend "Bitch," aka "Charm," routinely threw bags of excrement into their back yard, which of course impacted the air quality on Matloff's side of the fence.

The house Matloff and her husband bought needed a tremendous amount of work, but it had good bones. The neighborhood had good bones, too. It had been infiltrated by drug dealers in the 1980s, and police raids were a routine form of entertainment. But while much of the neighborhood was filled with the likes of Salami, there were also a large number of houses still in the hands of older families, people who were unhappily waiting out the dealers' tenure, sometimes cooperating clandestinely with the police.

Matloff does a good job of painting a picture of a close-to-hopeless neighborhood where honest people have to make compromises in order to survive. She even manages to get across what she finds charming about her new home: the vibrant street life, the mix of cultures. She will not, I think, be able to convince many readers that having a baby in such an environment was a smart decision, however successfully it seems to have turned out for her. But I guess if you're used to living amidst the carnage of Rwanda or the Sudan then negotiating with drug dealers for parking spaces isn't so problematic.

Matloff's writing is proficient but not charming. Likewise, her book is interesting in many parts, but it goes on too long and provides too much detail. It's a decent read, that is, but would have been much improved if perhaps a third of it had been edited out.

-- Debra Hamel

I really didn't know what to expect when I picked up Homegirl. The book, as told by Judith Matloff, follows her & her husband as they buy, fix-up & eventually move in to a house on a crack-head & crack-dealer infested block in Harlem in the late 1990's. What I got was an insightful, honest, funny, historical, endearing & hopeful account of what people can accomplish as communities --and the bonds that are created when people work together. I thoroughly enjoyed this right down to the last sentence. And I think anyone who's ever wanted to make change, who has succeeded at accomplishing a feat in the face of adversity ---or who simply remains hopeful in this chaotic time we live in, will enjoy this book.

Some people live for the kind of adventure that is found documenting civil strife, murder and mayhem in dangerous foreign locales. They usually work and play hard and think of themselves as the luckiest people in the world because they are essentially their own bosses. The fact that their lives are constantly at risk in the commission of making a living seems to be a minor consideration. I, like many others, am in awe of people such as this and I found this book to be a fascinating glimpse into what happens when you hit 40 and start to think about settling down. I think I'd be looking for a nice quiet country place with a yard, maybe a pond too. Judith Matloff thought it might be nice to raise a family on a block infested with violent psychopathic crackmonsters. Hey, to each their own! It makes sense. If adventure is in your blood, you don't move out to suburbia, even when you "settle down."

I loved reading this book and didn't want it to end. I found Judith gutsy and compassionate -- two qualities I especially like to find in a person, and so I loved the way she told the story. She is by turns frightened, witty, compassonate, and ultimately victorious.

I found it hard to believe that some of the people she knew from her reporting days, those who lived in war-ravaged countries where mass murder and rape were common occurrences, were afraid to visit her in Harlem. When she arrives on the block, and meets her nemesis, the notorious Salami, the local black population knows they've got a chance to get their neighborhood back. "They'll listen to you, because you're white," one woman says to her. And it's true. But it's not only the fact that the author is white that gets things going, it's the fact that she's willing to do the footwork, go to the meetings, chat up the civil servants, and follow through that creates the conditions she, and the rest of the block, are hoping for.

I have never read a memoir of a person who toils in fields of misery for a living. I finished this book in two days, and wanted more. The author has a gift for bringing the characters on her block to life. She sees good everywhere and is only slightly intimidated by even the scariest crackhead.

I got a kick out of the author's husband, who is like many of my Dutch relatives -- a bit arrogant and condescending, in general, and towards the USA most specifically, and I especially enjoyed Mrs. La Dukes. In fact, this book is packed with indelible characters that I hated to say goodbye to. I was glad the author provided an epilogue so that we could find out what happened to them.

Five stars, great read!

In an age when gentrification runs the risk of homogenizing even the most richly textured of neighborhoods, Home Girl offers a lesson in assimilation. This is no small feat given the colorful cast of characters Judith Matloff, the author, must placate and the many potentially incendiary situations she must diffuse - with the help of her sturdy even-keeled husband, John; all the while trying to refurbish a West Harlem townhouse and start a family. Whether dealing with the wily crack addict next door whose tendencies are more aggressive than passive, or tip-toeing through the blood filled syringes in her backyard and past the drug dealers on the corner, Ms. Matloff tempers her journalistic instincts (she spent 20 years overseas as a war correspondent) with pathos and humor. The author and her husband work closely with other law abiding locals who seek a better way of life in order to rid themselves of the scourge that surrounds them and to create the mosaic lifestyle they envisioned. Home Girl is as addictive as the crack about which Ms. Matloff writes!

Matloff writes in style that will keep you gripped from beginning to end. She carries you through the emotions and the events in her life during this period in her life effortlessly. Be prepared for moments when you laugh out loud and a night of no sleep for you will not want to put it down. Brilliant.

Judith does a wonderful job taking you through the trials and tribulations of creating her dream home. She uses her keen perception cultivated as a seasoned jounalist to navigate through the drug lords yet manages to maintain a very good sense of humor throughout making her book a delight to read.

Last year a young ex-policeman who grew up in West Harlem opened a shiny new cafe on the corner of 138th and Broadway. I met Judith Matloff there, and she said she was writing a book about moving into this neighborhood ahead of the gourmet restaurants and muffin shops. I wondered whether her book would do justice to the social complexities of "gentrification." Fortunately, it does this and more. Matloff's personal transformation echoes the changing urban landscape that surrounds her. Both strands of the narrative are related in gorgeous, keenly observed prose. The book is a joy to read, with its humorous riffs on relocation and renovation drawing out themes of family, motherhood, community, and the meaning of 'home'. I highly recommend HOME GIRL.

I ripped through this delightful memoir in 3 days (and I have two young children, so that's quite a commentary in itself). The author is a journalist and the story of her experience is fantastically engaging but written with a journalist's detachment that keeps the pace fast and reduces the boggy personal reflections that can muck up a memoir. If you're a Glass Castles fan, and I am, then buy this and try to take your time savoring it. I'm a bit bummed that I finished it so quickly.

As a New Yorker observing the gentrification of Harlem (the good and the bad), I thoroghly enjoyed Judith Matloff's tale of being on the frontier of this movement. Her characters are so real to me, I can see them walking down the block alternately amusing and scaring the new brownstone owners. Matloff shares her story with the perfect blend of humor and realism. A great read!

RATING: 4.5 out of 5



I have read a lot of memoirs written by foreign correspondents. I have to say that [Home Girl] puts a whole new perspective on reporting from the far reaches of the world even if it is only from West Harlem, USA. Ms. Matloff's brief summary of her work in other countries in the beginning is important, and one is able to see the danger and drama that she was exposed to over many years. One would think that would have prepared her for anything, and yet we learn very quickly that fear of the rebels can occur anywhere, even right here at home.

The book offers a glimpse at life on the edge of our "civilized" cities that so many choose to ignore on a daily basis. Ms. Mattloff's humor helps ease the absolute despair she describes about how many people live each and every day. She gives name and face and history to each of the characters that she encounters, both the "rebels" and the survivors of the war that is rages on in not only in West Harlem, but in other cities around the country. Her experience from overseas serves her well as she learns to negotiate with the homeless, the drug lieutenants, the cops, the realtors, the construction workers, as all of these people play some part in her survival and existence on a daily basis.

I heard someone say recently that "if only we knew their stories, we would understand their pain". She was referring to those who act out with violence and anger on the streets today. Ms. Mattloff's reveals some of the stories and pain that cause the violence and anger. And gladly, she tells us how change can happen for all the players over time when one just perseveres.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants a "bird's eye" view from the street of the inner city.

Having been through my own pioneering rennovation, I didn't think I had any residual sense of humor left about house matters.
But Matloff's book made me laugh many times. How delicious that is!

It isn't just her zany intelligence and her snappy writing style that make the story compelling--although that's a lot. It's also her authentic enthusiasm for humans in all their quirks, which shows up in the subtlety of her journalistic eye. And her very personal, clear voice.

Her engaging narrative goes down very smoothly. And woven into it is a revealing portrait of class and social issues in Harlem and, by reference, America.

To read Matloff, is to be drawn into her unusual and intrepid life, to feel that you really do know her, to love her storytelling voice.

Delightful and highly recommended.

I go to Columbia in NYC, live near Harlem, hope to have a sled dog when I am fully indepedent, and have coincidentally considered journalism as a career... so this book was perfect for me. Even if you don't share these similarities, you will totally be entranced by its unique, quirky story. It was educational, witty, and slightly dangerous. I was completely charmed by the author's life, her story, and her words. In the end, I genuinely wanted to venture into West Harlem to explore the area for myself and was nearly convinced to buy my own crackhouse. A wonderful, quick read!

Home Girl: Building a Dream House on a Lawless Block by Judith Matloff is the delightful story of an international journalist and her Dutch husband who decide to move back to New York City, Ms. Matloff's home town. While her husband is still living in Moscow, Ms. Matloff undertakes finding a home for them. She settles on a brownstone in West Harlem and describes the problems, sometimes hilarious, of renovating a home in a low income neighborhood. Her problems are compounded by the fact that her neighborhood is peopled by more drug traffickers than actual homeowners.

But this book is not just about drug trafficking. We also learn about the wonders of rehabbing an old brownstone, the delights of finding reliable workers and what to do when a kitchen wall falls down. Ms. Matloff also becomes pregnant during all this.

I really enjoyed this book. It was extremely well written and easy to read. Ms. Matloff is very good at describing her neighborhood and the people she encounters to the point you feel like you know those people. I could feel the atmosphere of the neighborhood. I just wish I knew what happened to all the delightful people I met in Home Girl! I can only hope she will write a sequel.

I was a little leary of this book at first as I am not one to read much non-fiction. And the memoirs I've read run the gamut from boring to extremely engaging and fun. I am pleased to say that Judith Matloff's story of her family's experience was very interesting and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Judith worked for years as a foreign correspondent living in a variety of other countries. After getting married in her late 30's and having two miscarriages, she starts longing to put down roots closer to her family. While her Dutch husband waits back in Russia for his visa, she moves into her mother's basement in New York and starts looking for a house. She ends up finding a 'home with potential' in West Harlem among the dealers and the crack addicts. This story tells of their journey with contractors, the neighbors, the dealers and many others.

Her history of being a foreign correspondent blended well into relating the experience of moving into a 'lawless block' in New York. I worried for her, shook my head at her foolishness and how naive she was. But I also smiled with her choices on friends, the workers, and as she became a mom. And also as the 'lawless block' turned into something great. I recommend this book to all.

Home Girl: Building a Dream House on Lawless Street is a non-fiction book by Judith Matloff, a US foreign correspondent of many years who comes home (the most foreign place of all for her lately) and tries to settle down in the US. While her husband is still on assignment somewhere else in the world, Judith falls in love with a decrepit old house in a colorful neighborhood, suitable for one familiar with the flavors of the "hot spots" of the world news. The only trouble...well the subtitle should give you a clue.

This was an interesting read. Having been interested in international lives of US citizens, I was intrigued with how re-entry into American life might be. As the story progressed, I realized that Judith's re-entry will likely be nothing like mine if ever I should leave and come back to the US. Her story still remained fascinating to me, for the events of this chapter of her life are quite outside my normal suburban life, although they could happen to anyone living in a big US city. I loved the idea living courageously within a new situation, and not demonizing people who are dangerously living (or even living in a way which makes it dangerous for me). On the other hand, courageously living in a dangerous situation should be for a greater purpose than an arbitrary love of a new house....a purpose really worthwhile.