Cop in the Hood: English Narco-Colonialism

Cop in the Hood

Never mind "The Wire." Here is the real thing. --The Wall Street Journal

Buy Cop in the Hood from Amazon.com

Cop in the Hood is an explosive insider’s story of what it is really like to be a police officer on the front lines of the war on drugs. Harvard-trained sociologist Peter Moskos became a cop in Baltimore’s roughest neighborhood —the Eastern District, also the location for the critically acclaimed HBO drama The Wire. He provides an unforgettable window into this world that outsiders never see. Those who read it will never view the badge the same way.

There's an interesting short BBC interview about the history of the opium trade in India under British rule. News to me.

Critical Acclaim for Cop in the Hood

Read the full reviews here.

"Riveting.... An unsparing boys-in-blue procedural that succeeds on its own plentiful—and wonderfully sympathetic—merits."
—The Atlantic

"Never mind 'The Wire.' Here is the real thing."
—The Wall Street Journal

"Engaging as well as persuasive."
—Baltimore Sun

"Truly excellent.... Mandatory reading for all fans of The Wire and recommended for everyone else."
—Tyler Cowen,

“Thoughtful, highly entertaining record of ... one of the country’s toughest urban districts."
—George Pelecanos

"Hard-edged sociological analysis.... A devastating critique of America’s failed war on drugs."
—Orlando Patterson

"[A] riveting tale of policing.... A must read."
—Sudhir Venkatesh

"It gives the reader the real dope.... Highly recommended."
—Alex Tabarrok

"An extremely valuable study.... His insights are eye-opening."
—Jim Leitzel

"[An] adrenaline-accelerating night ride that reveals the stark realities of law enforcement."
—Publishers Weekly

"Genuinely eye-opening.... A compelling account."
—Times Higher Education

"[An] objective, incisive and intelligent account of police work. Moskos's graphic descriptions of the drug culture... are the most detailed and analytical to be found anywhere.
—Arnold Ages, Jewish Post & Opinion

"Scrupulously researched."
—(Baltimore) City Paper

"Moskos is a good man; he's up to the job."
—Dan Baum

"Just garbage! ... Who does he think he is telling me what to do?"
—Ed Norris

Read the full reviews here.

Buy Cop in the Hood

Past Events:

Listen to radio interviews here.

CUNY radio. Book Beat Podcast. August 22, 2008.

Cultural Baggage. KPFT. August 20, 2008.

Kicking the Anthill. KLUP. August 16, 2008.

WYPR (Baltimore Public Radio) Mid-Day with Dan Rodricks. August 11th, 2008.

The Ron Smith show. WBAL (Baltimore). August 11, 2008.

The Mike Malloy Show. July 30, 2008.

The Ed Norris Show. FM Talk 105.7 (Baltimore). July 29, 2008

The Leonard Lopate Show. WNYC (New York). July 22, 2008.

The Ron Smith show. Tuesday, June 17. Baltimore's WBAL, AM 1090. Listen to interview.

New York Press Club panel discussion. Tuesday, June 3rd - Covering High-Profile Police Shootings

The Ron Smith show. Tuesday, May 13, on Baltimore's WBAL. Listen to interview.

Wednesday May 7. A panel discussion of Cop in the Hood. With Joseph Poss (Brooklyn Bounce). Moderated by Dr. Delores Jones-Brown (Dept of Law and Police Science). At John Jay College. Details.

Wednesday April 30: National Public Radio's "On Point" with Tom Ashbrook.

Tuesday April 29: National Public Radio's "Talk of the Nation."

Thursday April 14: bloggingheads.tv online interview.

Reading for Randy Cohen's New York Times Magazine column, "The Ethicist for 04/04/2008 ."