Famous All Over Town [Paperback]

Danny Santiago (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1984

A Mexican-American boy has a rough time on the Los Angeles streets, but is determined to make a better life for himself.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Plume; 2nd edition (April 1, 1984)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0452259746
• ISBN-13: 978-0452259744
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #538,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A realistic window into the Chicano way of life, September 9, 2002

By 

Dania Sanchez (Chico, Ca. United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Famous All Over Town (Paperback)

This book is a page turner! I could not put it down or stop laughing and crying as the wonderful, realistic chicanos fought to stay sane one day at a time. I loved the characters; they're people that I encounter everyday,they make terrible mistakes, (over and over and over...), but somehow never give up the struggle to survive.
Although this book does not paint a pretty picture of the Mexican-American family it does give us a realistic one, one in which racism is a powerful threat to the evergrowing Mexican pride.
I also love the language that the author uses. I'm not disappointed to learn the Danny Santiago is really Danny James. I'm actually pleasantly surprised that a Caucasian can capture the Chicano way of life so realistically.
I laughed, I cried, I loved it!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I definitely recommend this book., August 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Famous All Over Town (Paperback)

I enjoyed reading this novel because it reflects the mexican lifestyle. I use the term mexican because "Chato" feels more mexican than chicano. During the novel "Chato" goes through many struggles, In which he learns that society keeps him from succeeding. He is a very intelligent boy but his surroundings do not allow him to expand his horizons. It is a great novel and I recommend it to all.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deep novel that doesn't glorify the East LA communities, May 17, 2002

By 

Tal - See all my reviews

This review is from: Famous All Over Town (School & Library Binding)

In a world where every other rap song tries to glorify the gangster lifestyle, here comes a book that shows how normal people who have no business in hurting others get caught in the web. But this book is even more important then that. It's about what it is to be an immigrant. It doesn't matter where you're from, if you are a second generation immigrant you will relate to this book.

The Chicano community has had very controversial outlooks regarding this book, due to it's author. Surprisingly enough, his name isn't Danny Santiago at all but rather Danny James. He is actually caucasian. As such, many who innitially praised it as THE book on the Chicano experience in the USA have now shunned it. But in my opinion it's strength still stands. It's deep, non-dramatic, and pure. It's easily as good as "The Catcher in the Rye" in terms of language, but due to it's negative press has been forgotten. If you are looking for a book that you will finish before you know it (and not soon forget), I highly recommend it.