Customer Reviews

Freedom: Credos from the Road

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

On February,2007,I submitted a review on "Hell's Angles" by Sonny Barger; where he writes all about his life as the leader of The Hell's Angles.
In this book, Barger reveals the ideals and character that enabled him to remain at the top of a lifestyle that is as tough as any imaginable.
While few would want to emulate the life Barger chose to live,the principles that he followed are no different than those followed by others that attain and hold onto the heights that others have followed;regardless of the "career" they have chosen.
It is hard to believe, that the very same principles Sonny Barger discusses,are essentially the same found in books,seminars or whatever;of the leading motivational gurus.
Barger is a very coherent communicator and when he explains these principles through the eyes and life of a Biker;there is no doubt left as to what he is saying.Berger shows that ;while the media portrays the world of the Hell's Angles as a world that prevails by muggings,fistfights,extreme loyalities,abuses of every kind,respect,strength,determination,etc.; being and maintaining leadership in a Motorcycle Gang ;differ from being a Corporate ,or any other,leader; in details..not principles.
The book is presented as 50 Principles,each different and distinct .
Here is just an indication of the principles Berger discusses;

"Treat Me Good,I'll Treat You Better.Treat Me Bad,I'll Treat You
Worse."

"An Organization Can't Be All Chiefs."

"Stay Alert In The Pack.What Happens To You Happens To The Rider
Behind You."

"If You Want To Travel Fast,Travel Light."

"Early Is On Time,On Time Is Late."

"Cut Down On Criminals By Cutting Down On Laws."If You Can't Change
The Players,Then Change The Game."

"Learn From The Past,Don't Live There."

"Don't Live For A Good Funeral.

"When You Got Nothing To Prove,Just Put It On Cruise Control."

"Individuality Is The Most Precious Freedom.

"You Gotta Learn To Listen,You Gotta Listen To Learn."

Not the sort of thing one would expect from the Leader of The Hell's Angles Motorcycle Club ;but impossible to dispute.

I just got this book and love it. Sonny Barger has taken his years of hard living and forged a gem from it in wise words and lessons learned.
Although I don't share his opinion of law enforcement, since we do need them around, I do share his love of country, making family of friends when your own family isn't there and never has been, his ability to keep the faith with his club and friends and get it back in return.

As a fellow freedom lover, I like this book and wish a lot of folks would read it and take from it something to use in their own life. Make the best of this life and don't take any, well, you know what. Best to Sonny. If he writes any more books, I'm reading them. He's good at this.

I would recommend this book to any father that wants to teach his son or his daughter fifty standards to live by. This book give us fifty princilals that should be taught to our young. Sonny gives us hints on everything from how to deal with Bullies, to how to handle yourself if someone wants your woman. He talks about our political situation, he talks about helmet laws and he also talks about drugs, alcohol and smoking. It doesn't matter if you live in the motorcycle community or if your just another citizen, this book will help you teach your teens a code of honor we all should live by.
Great job Sonny

Whether one approves of Barger's past history and eternal affiliations, it would be hard to say that the content in this book is not useful towards life's many situations. Barger has culled his morals and ethics into a book that puts the lowdown on personal conduct in a concise and logical manner. Yes, he's an ex-con and a founder of the Hell's Angels, but don't discount the concise nuggets of wisdom that he has to offer.

I had high hopes for this, based on the author's previous works.

I suppose this could be considered a self-help book, and many may find it useful for this. You certainly can't discount the author's unique life and life experiences. While most would not call Sonny Barger's life enviable, I'm personally awestruck by the sheer scope of it.

Many people will probably pick up this author's works because they want to see what makes a "bad boy" tick, or just to see how insane or uneducated the former head of a notorious motorcycle club can be. Kind of a "talking dog" effect. However, Sonny Barger comes off as intelligent, literate, and for the most part is well spoken and fluid. His phrasing has an economy of words, and gets to the heart of what's trying to be conveyed without excess blather. Many authors could take a lesson here.

My disappointment with this is that for the most part it's riddled with cliches that sound great on the surface, but that divide most life situations into black and white, while actual life is not so "cut n' dried", at least in my opinion. Perhaps I just lack the guts to make such drastic decisions, but I don't find life quite as simple as the book would have you believe. However, Mr. Barger is certainly a survivor, and his words are to be respected, though probably not to be followed verbatim.

I bought this book not really knowing what to expect, I just got my first bike and had heard good things from a friend. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down and read it cover to cover in one sitting. You don't hove to be a bike guy to enjoy this book. Would recommend to anyone.

Having read this book, I will have it in my saddlebag and refer to it often as I travel the roads of America on my motorcycle. The longer the trip, the more relevant the book. The essence of the writings in this book are found in Sonny Barger's life learnings/ teachings- through hardship, hard fights with long, hard rides coursing through it all. This is about, to use his phrase, "maintaining one's own self-reliant vision."

As fate or luck would have it and two thousand miles from home, I met Sonny on the road, just weeks after having read this book. What were the odds, a few million to one? If you are searching, if you are questioning, if you are traveling, just maybe one day you will be as lucky as I was to have met the author of Freedom somewhere along your own road. He has a knowing eye. Learn from his razor sharp perceptions. Read this book and by doing so, see more clearly your own amazing self-reliant vision, the depth of your own inner strengths.

David Lusk
North Carolina, USA

Everyone can learn something from this book. It provides easy to understand logic that can be applied to your life.

MY HUSBAND LOVED THIS BOOK AND ALREADY PASSED IT ON FOR HIS SON IN LAW TO ENJOY.

This book wil make you think about yourself. Sonny out did himself with this one. Not a very big book in size but a monster in content!