Years ago I read a fantastic non-fiction book: “Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets”. Per Wikipedia:

Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets is a 1991 book written by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon describing a year spent with detectives from the Baltimore Police Department homicide squad. The book received the 1992 Edgar Award in the Best Fact Crime category.

The book became the basis of the NBC series “Homicide: Life on the Streets.” It was my favorite TV drama… until “The Wire” came along, the greatest television series – ever.

A common creative denominator to both is David Simon who eventually left the Baltimore Sun to write and produce “Homicide,” then created and produced “The Wire.” Other Simon series: “The Corner,” “Generation Kill,” and the current HBO series “Treme.”

This interview with Simon is from an excellent series called “On Story” from Austin, Texas PBS affiliate KLRU. Enjoy.