I'll need to verify this...

Batista starts his magnum opus by talking about his childhood in Washington D.C. He notes that in the sixties, seventies, and eighties Washington was one of the poorest places in the country (possible). Murder was common (what does that mean?) and crack cocaine was getting its start (again, possibly true). He also provides the reader with a ground-breaking bit of investigative journalism: life expectancy for kids was worse than in many third world countries. He doesn't say "some kids" he simply notes that children (thus we must presume all children) had a worse life expectancy than in many third word countries. I'll check the facts on that one, but I'd have to guess that is a bit of hyperbole. J'accuse Monsieur Batista!

I can't believe that I am only on page 5 and have this much to write about. I even skipped over stuff to talk about because if I write about one page at a time it will take me the better part of a year.