Homeless in Paradise Communicating with the Bohemian Venice Beach CA, Subculture By: William O'Connell »

In a failing economy if you think we had a lot of homeless in this country--guess again...the numbers are climbing fast. Take an eye-opening, thought provoking and captivating journey into the underbelly of this heart wrenching, riveting, lifestyle which takes place on Venice Beach, CA. Everyone is talking about the book!

This incredible true life journey with a college professor takes readers into the most unpopular segment of American society--the homeless. This book paints a vivid portrait of the lives of many different homeless souls as the academic world collides with the homeless. It was heartbreaking, funny, ludicrous, tragic, and heart warming.

The author has a way of entering the inner world of people who have put up a big wall, makes them feel cared about, gets them to open up, and offers them hope. He has a remarkable gift.

Read fascinating stories by Professor Bo O'Connell who captures the mood, spirit, and torturing thoughts of ten random homeless people ranging from people with mental illness to the consciousness of one of the most spiritual homeless, a Native American man who is an Astrophysicist with a PhD called “The Chief” who has been a civil rights activist through all of the movements against oppression, which transformed America in the 1960’s, homeless twenty-seven years. Relive the stories of broken war torn Vietnam Veterans, homeless transsexuals and the chilling cruelty of public ridicule they face to the story of a homeless woman who has appeared on the show COPS, arrested more than 180 times after a horrific tragedy defines her life to which she has never been able to recover. She leads the author into the center of underground homeless.

The author is a sensitive writer who reaches out to people we ordinarily avoid, provides a welcoming, safe, personal space for them to tell their stories, revealing their undeniable humanity. Venice Beach is a bizarre clash of worlds: a warm summer paradise of fun-loving tourists and party people who flock from all over, plus a magnet for lost homeless souls, ignored and rejected, discarded and barely tolerated.

The book was quite moving and a real eye opener. It has inspired me to help the homeless in the little ways I can. From now on I'll make an extra sandwich when I go to the city so I can give it to someone who needs it or bring some extra clothes to give away.

Will Schroeder, Nassau County NY

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