Detroit:_An_American_Autopsy
Detroit: An American Autopsy
Book by Charlie LeDuff
Detroit: An American Autopsy is a 2013 book by Charlie LeDuff, published by Penguin Books. In the book LeDuff discusses the present state of Detroit and its economic, social, crime, and political issues.[1]
LeDuff had grown up in the Detroit suburbs (Westland/Livonia), left and become a journalist, working for The New York Times for a decade and winning a Pulitzer Prize while there. In March 2008 he was living in Los Angeles with his family when he decided to move back to Detroit.[2]
The book material originates from news stories LeDuff, a journalist, had covered for The Detroit News.[3] His discussion of the crime issue includes interviews with police officers,[4] and there is also a segment about firefighters combating arsonists.[5] His discussion of Detroit politics includes interactions with Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and political figures including Adolph Mongo and Monica Conyers. Duff includes stories about his own family life.[4] James Sullivan of the Boston Globe stated "Like listening to him hold court in a corner bar, the book scuttles from one grueling episode to the next, both personal and professional."[3]
The audiobook version uses reader Eric Martin.[5] In the audio version Martin uses various speech styles, including both educated and inner city styles.[5]