94. A $500 House in Detroit: Rebuilding an Abandoned Home and an American City by Drew Philp
In 2008 as a 23 year old just out of college Drew Philp spends $500 on a house being sold at auction in Detroit and then works for years to rebuild it. He shares his experiences in this book. Living in Baltimore, which has faced many of the same issues as Detroit, the story felt familiar even though I personally have no experience building anything or living as he did. I think part of my enjoyment of the book derived from that commonality though and I’m not sure I would have connected to it if I were someone else. I give it a 5 out of 10.
Around the Year in 100 Books 