Customer Reviews

Buried Onions

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The times have changed from when those of us went to elementary and middle school (junior high) back in the sixties and seventies and were assigned certain books for reading and discussing. Although there are many "classics" assigned for literature readers of the same age in this new era, the world of teenage books truly screams out for stories that are more timely. I believe it is through literature teenagers can come to see other cultures, other lives, and other situations more than if we keep waving newspapers in front of their faces. Literature sings a new song, and if the song is well written, the mind can dance to it. Buried Onions is such a novel. My son was assigned it as summer reading and he was so absorbed in it, I decided to read it myself. It is timely. Soto brings the character of Eddie to life by revealing both his small rays of hope and his overpowering sense of hopelessness to the reader. The struggle he faces to remove himself from the violent gang environment and into vocational school and eventually a job. His best efforts fail due to outside influences and he must make a decision which will chart the course for the rest of his life. The ending of the book, revealed above in the canned review, I feel is deliberate, much like the ending of "The Giver." The reader was pointedly forced into wondering what really happened after the book was closed. What a great hook to make someone think. Even more than Eddie's story, the ending opens up wonderful opportunities to discuss the story and the different avenues Eddie's life may have taken AFTER the conclusion in the book. It's a different age, a different time in history and while it's wonderful to revisit the classics, it is vital young people have the opportunity to delve into some of the very real issues all kids are facing. If your kid has this as an option on a reading list, encourage them to choose it. They (and you) will be engrossed and it's an excellent jumping off point to discuss life choices.

I think the book Buried Onions is a good one. I recommend this book to all teeagers. Gary Soto tells you what a Mexicano or Chicano have to live just because our skin is brown. I was raised in the town of Cicero and I know how living in the street is, I know that any day my life could be taken away. But, that is the risk I have to take when I am out there with my home boys. I also have to look out for the police because brown is one of their favorite targets to arrest or beat up. Life in my town is like Fresno. Some of the gangs are small, but there are some crazy home boys that just don't care if they take a life or two. Life is nothing easy, but you have to learn how to live it. Some times you have to throw down to get your respect, and sometimes you have to steal to survive, but that is life. Most of my home boys are drop outs and some didn't even start high school, but everybody chooses their own way of living. Some have jobs, but not careers. Some are professional thieves. I liked the way this book mixed Spanish and English together, that is the way I was raised and my homeboys, too. I liked that the book is written in realistic language. I liked the way the book ended. Sometimes that is the best thing to do, fly away with the wind.

Gary Soto's Buried Onions tells the story of Eddie, a young man who is struggling to survive in the neighborhood he lives in. In his neighborhood "Once a dude pointed you out in a 7-Eleven parking lot or some filthy gas station, there was no mercy, no time to explain that you were a father or a good son or an altar boy with combed hair." That is exactly what Eddie wants to escape. His goal to work and stay out of trouble although simple is many times challenged by the relationships that time has established in his neighborhood, his aunts pressure to have him avenge his cousins death and his bad luck. Although he is constantly seeking out employment opportunities he has a hard time finding a job and when he does luck is not on his side. Events that are out of his control occur and the opportunities that he so desperately seeks and need are taken away. He is then left to try again to fulfill his goal and not take the easy way out like it is expected. Eddie's struggle is one that many young adults can relate to. Buried Onions is a different story that addresses the concern for survival in a world in which you are expected to fail. I would definitely recommend this book to young adults of all genders and race. The struggle for survial is one that they all can relate to. They will enjoy reading this fiction story that is filled with realistic events that many of them face today. It is an easy and enjoyable book to read. The Spanish language used in this story gives life to the characters and is non-confusing since there is a glossary in the book. Some foul language is used in the story but it is non-offensive. It is used at a minimum. This is a great story that can be discussed in class or with friends.

I think that this book was a really good book. It deserves all those stars because of the real life things that go on in the book.I really like this book because it shows how a man can go through such struggle and triumph over it.I also like this book because this book touches on real life subjects such as the way poverty destroys innocent peoples lives.Overall this is a good book and it deserves all 5 stars.

Buried Onions Review

The book Buried Onions was a very interesting book. The book is about a Mexican American young boy named Eddie, living in a very bad gang invested city called Fresno. This book is a very good example for people who look down on others because of where they are from, and from those who may discriminate against this book because it seems gang related. Actually this book is not necessarily about just gangsters, it is about a young boy struggling to make good decisions. Life is extremely hard for Eddie in this book, every time he works for something, and it begins to go well, sooner than later it is destined to go wrong. Most people in the real world adapt to a certain life, and take it as if they cant do any better, they get involved with gangs because they feel they have nothing better to do. Well Eddie on the other hand is getting other, and now he is seeing that the decisions he make now will and are affecting his future. So now, he is trying to do the right thing. He realizes that there are more good people coming in the town, but never any good leaving. The only thing and the only way people leave Fresno is in body bags. Eddie doesnt want to die or get hurt behind gang related activities, like his cousin Jesús who was stabbed to death in a local night club, and his very good friend Jose who was hospitalized because he was stabbed in broad day light by some gangsters. The environment is very unsafe, everyday people walk the streets looking over there shoulders and wandering if someone will try to harm them for a good laugh, or just to prove to their friends that they are tough enough to be apart of some gang, that will eventually get them killed in the long run.
This story interests me so well, because I have been around people like Eddie and his environment before. I can very well understand, and I can see how easy it is for one person to judge another person because of their back ground or where they come from. Its unfair, and its discrimination.

This is a good book in my eyes for a few diffrent reasons, one major reason is because it displayed alot of violence throghout the whole book and for me to sit and read a book to myself and stay focused is a very big accommplishment so Mr. Soto did a good job about that, even the first page talked about deaths in family and friends. Another reason this book was intresting to me is because I could relate to the broken down projects that these characters lived in as well as not having healthy food to eat and the robberiers,gangs, and beatings that went on, at times I even had flash backs of past problems in my life. One other reason that I injoyed this book was because throughout all the bad things that happened to certain people in the book they kept a high head and was successful in making it out of the pain and drama and that gives me something to look forward to in my life. Yes I would very much so recommend this book to others specifically to those who have trobles in there life and are looking for brighter days you will find it in this book and can maybe use it in your everyday life.

The experience of reading such a great novel Buried Onions has been such a gratitude to me and how reality is based on and what some of the people go through everyday and knowing that nothing is free. I really think that Eddie was one of a million people today to succeed in life from who he hung out with, and from where he came from. Being in something that you can't get out of is pretty hard but he made a choice he decided that he wanted to finish school and to stop hanging out with people that he knows he can get in trouble with or is bad influenced. I think that being in a gang is a big road block and an issue that's stopping you from succeeding. Being in a gang isn't important as being in college and making something of yourself in life. I can relate to this story because I know how Eddie feels and what he is going through I know that he is trying real hard to finish school and find that special someone at the same time. but I know anything is possible.

BURIED ONIONS

The book Buried Onions is a good book because, of what he writes and how he can describe things, In the book Gary Soto tells about a Mexican/chicano guy that lives in Fresno in a gangster life and hood Gary also tells the struggles that Eddie (the main character) has to go through to succeed in life and to learn for example Eddie struggles with fighting angel ,and going to jail for Mr.stiles stolen truck . I would really recommend its book to any one , its a really good book ,its very interesting . and,it makes teenagers want to read .I like it because many people can relate to it they have lived the same neighborhood.

Eddie a Mexican American growing up in Fresno, California, finds it hard to get on the right track. As an ex cholo he enters college, but drops out and tries to make it painting curbs, but every one thinks he is still the same bad guy as before. His aunt wants him to get revenge for his cousins death. Later in the book he finds out his own homie killed his cousin. They try to kill each other but never do. He wants to get out of Fresno, because no matter how how hard he tries things just keep getting worse. He joins the army but soon realizes its not for him and escapes. I think this is A very good book for people in hard times, because it makes you realize things could be worse. I would advise every one to read this book, because it really gives you A taste of the real world.

I read the book Buried Onions in my English class,I related to this book in many ways. For example I felt wanting to leave where I'm at but was never able to.Eddie was a teenager trying to get out of the gang life.He tried
to do a lot of things to stay out of trouble but it always seemed to follow him. I really like this book because it shows alot of what us teenagers have to go through almost every day. "We were all poor and going somewhere- but where?" I think anybody that reads this book will like it because it's real life stuff that anyone could go through.