Four Feet Under: Untold stories of homelessness in London

‘Touching, insightful and human – this book demands a social and, above all, a political response’ Jon Snow

Tamsen Courtenay spent two months speaking to people who liveon London’s streets, the homeless and the destitute – people who feel they areinvisible. With a camera and a cheap audio recorder, she listened as theychronicled their extraordinary lives, now being lived four feet below mostLondoners, and she set about documenting their stories, which are transcribedin this book along with intimate photographic portraits.

A builder, a soldier, a transgender woman, achild and an elderly couple are among those who describe the eventsthat brought them to the lives they lead now. They speak of childhoods, careersand relationships; their strengths and weaknesses, dreams and regrets; all withhumour and a startling honesty.

Tamsen’s observations and remarkable experiences are threaded throughout. The astonishing people she metchanged her for ever, as they became her heroes, people she grew to respect.You don’t have to go far to find these homegrown exiles: they’re at the bottomof your road. Have you ever wondered how they got there?