Customer Reviews

Tattoos on My Soul: From the Ghetto to the Top of the World

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

 

 

It's raw reality, hard to swallow-but still true! He shows the glamour and the seduction of a successful gang leader, but as you keep on reading, he makes clear how shallow, empty and lifeless was his life. How easy to get in and how hard to get out! It trilled me to follow the thoughts that would lead him to get out of it all. Finally, he ends up giving it back - a confession to inspire personal growth without being a self-help book.

The first thing that called my attention was the book's title. I got totally hooked on this true story of a man who survived the best and the worst - many times in the same day. Burrel's story stood up to the powerful title. His character, his persona, his friends jump out of the page from beginning to end. I was very impressed that he had courage and determination not only to get out of the thug-business, but also to tell everything to the public. It's a story of survival indeed. Told by a man who has been there, seen that, done that. And that's one of the reasons that Burrel has the authority to talk about crime, drugs and the worst of the world with clarity and knowledge to people around the world - not just ghettos.

I really enjoyed this book. When I picked it up I wasn't sure what to expect but it has not disappointed. It is the most amazing life story (so far) of a young boy born into a life of drug dealing, gangs and organised crime. It follows the tale of Burrel as he grows up, as he makes illegal millions only to lose it all. How on earth he lived to tell the tale is a mystery. What he has done however, is turned his experiences into positives, this is a real story of ethics and transformation. This book offers two things, a real insiders account into the gang culture and crime worlds of Chicago. It is also a great read, compelling and incredible. I couldn't put it down. If you want to deepen your understanding of gang culture this is for you but if you just want a great page-turner of a story this is it too.

What a mesmorizing account of this man's life! I couldn't put the book down.

Burrel Wilks' brutally frank and unapologetic autobiography is gritty, intelligent and in-your-face, with a colorful cast of characters most of us could only imagine through fiction. Wilks' street smarts, resoursefulness and sense of humanity distinguishes him from many of his peers on the inner-city Chicago streets where he, his family, and friends lived. A powerful testament to the man.

This book is a true inspriation for personal transformation. I highly recommend it to all!

I thoroughly enjoyed the book entitled Tattoos On My Soul by Burrel Lee Wilks III. Burrel brings the reader into his life and reveals his experiences, struggles, and pain and truly motivates the reader with his strength, perseverance, and success. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for an inspiring and entertaining read.

Tatoos has to be one of this years most refreshingly honest autobiographies. This book should be used as a source for the struggling inner city youth that need hope and inspiration for a bigger and brighter future. I encourage many parents and teachers to pick up this easy read and pass it on to your kids.

Most of us wouldn't have a clue what it was like to live in such a world. When I was a teenager I delivered papers making a hundred bucks a month. Burrel Wilks III was out there hustling the streets, selling drugs and making a hundred grand a week! By the time Burrel was 16 he had already made millions. From a life of drugs, dirty money and gangs to a successful life coach, Tattoos is an amazing story of one's life lessons. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it to everyone. You have to believe that if this guy can do it, then anyone can.

This book is something else - what a page turner! For me, reading Tattoos had the same effect as going to Vegas - I developed a swagger like an unstoppable VIP, and suddenly, a wallet full of $100 bills didn't seem like an impossible goal. For those who commented that some of the stories are unbelievable, open your eyes: this kind of money exchanges hands in legal and illegal enterprises every day. Burrel has given us a rare glimpse into the world of big thinkers. Okay, sure, it's the literary version of a daredevil's televised stunt: kids, don't try this at home. But I think he does a good job of explaining WHY the gangsta life is ultimately self-defeating. Bravo!

This is a good book that tells a powerful story.
If the American Gangster movie is your forte, this book will be also.

I'll be honest, I was attracted by the books cover image which was pretty strong, and didn't have the highest hopes for another 'ghetto-street' story. How wrong was I? Though this book is incredibly easy to read--it's written thoughtfully, intelligently, and in very digestible 'pieces.' I consumed it in just two sittings--it's an entertaining and compelling read. It opens with the tragic death of Burrel's son, and takes us through his journey to that point. Burrel explores his relationship with his kingpin dad, with drugs and substance abuse, with crime and vice--including the Chicago Mob--with other gang chiefs, friends and most important of all with himself--I've never read a book that takes you there, but doesn't wallow in it and most importantly explains how you get out. Kudos Burrel. This is a story to take to the world. You're going to help a lot of folks.