(This book arrived from Missouri Central library courtesy of the Surrey libraries in Oxted. Even the library staff were amazed that this was possible, and makes future suggested readings quite intriguing as to where the books may come from.)
There are an estimated 1,500 children living rough on the streets of St Petersburg, some of whom are documented here by Wolfgang Muller. Some 40% make a living from prostitution, and many are drug users and addicts with an average age of 13 years. The police trawl the streets every night and pick up children who are unable to account for their being on the streets, then pass them on to institutions from where they usually escape, with the street life being seen as an easier option than the institutions.
The children’s stories are so horrific that I had to read the book in small scans, and even then I give up limited myself to focusing on the photography, which was grim but didn’t show the atrocities of the lives. If I had only studied the photos, then the impact of their story would have been very much lessened: similar images could be obtained in most cities, and much worse can be seen and even seen as normal in India. However this was one instance where the accompanying text was necessary to reveal the full horror.
Technically the photos are average but that probably adds to the tone, is irrelevant, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to gloss up or stylise these subjects.
People and Place 
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