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Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. (Paperback)

by Luis J. Rodriguez (Author)
Key Phrases: garage room, Yuk Yuk, Los Angeles, San Gabriel (more...)
4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (187 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
As the preface of this admirable but ultimately disappointing memoir states, Rodriguez, an award-winning poet and publisher of the small press Tia Chucha, decided to document his youth as an East Los Angeles gang member in an effort to steer his teenaged son, Ramiro, away from the gang that he recently joined. A member of various Latino gangs based in and around the South San Gabriel Valley during the late 1960s, Rogriguez participated in random acts of violence, and was imprisoned on several occasions for the crimes he committed. Unfortunately, he offers frustratingly little detail behind the facts of his life and activity in the gangs. Rodriquez presents colorful characters and highly charged events, such as shootings, Mexican funerals, rapes and arrests, but his writing style renders much of that rich material forgettable.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
Piri Thomas author of Down These Mean Streets Bravo, Luis Rodriguez, for the beauty of a strong singular voice....Must reading. Punto!! -- Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
garage room
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Yuk Yuk, Los Angeles, San Gabriel, Las Lomas, Black Dog, Chicano Student Center, Garvey Park, Mark Keppel High School, Cha Cha, Thee Impersonations, Taft High School, Night Owl, Little Man, Tío Kiko, The Animal Tribe, The Maravilla Kid, Project Student, Cal State, Bienvenidos Community Center, Monterey Park, Left Brain, John Fabela Youth Center, United States, Southside Boys, Chicano Studies
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Customer Reviews

187 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (187 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Still Running, April 6, 2002
By Daniel Olivas (West Hills, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. (Paperback)
So much has been written about this powerful, truthful and inspiring memoir by Luis J. Rodriguez that I doubt that I could offer anything to add to the book's understanding and appreciation. But of all the professional reviews, the most telling critiques come from the high school students and teachers some of which are printed in the first two pages of the most recent edition of "Always Running." One student, Johnny Mendez, offers the chilling but hope-filled words: "History repeats itself and we must make some changes." These words are chilling because Rodriguez writes of events from the 60s and 70s yet a high school student of today sees the same despair, neglect and fear that existed a generation earlier. The hope we see is in the high school student's resolve: "[W]e must make some changes." Rodriguez has just opened a bookstore in Sylmar, California, named after his wonderful and misunderstood aunt, Tia Chucha, where he hopes to reach out to Latino youth to help them find a path towards full and productive lives. The fight continues. And this book still speaks the truth, eloquently and to all.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars LA Vida Loca: "The Wrong Life"ÿ, December 3, 1999
By Nathan (California, U.S.A.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. (Paperback)
Always Running is a book into one man's life and his constant movement away from Mexico, drugs, gangs and relationships. Although a tough young thug schooled on the streets of Los Angeles, Louis T. Rodriguez is a promising young man, all he needs to do is look into his soul to find out who he really is. Rodriguez' unique writing style take's leaps and bounds throughout his life highlighting all of his mishaps and accomplishments. Each page draws you in with a new story each one more interesting than the last. He doesn't bore you with small detail and foreshadows a life taking turns for the worst with each new episode. From a young age he is on the move hardly able to get settled in one place with his family. He's forced to live a life of poverty on the streets where he seeks companionship. He finds it in many different gangs and men who decide to run his life for him. In gangs he learns how to use a gun, run from the cops and indulge in many elicite drugs. He's caught up in a battle between his family and the one's he's met on the street. Dropping in and out of school he's confronted by many teachers who give him direction, if he choses to accept. It's a lot like the movie Blood in Blood Out, with all the gang affiliations and subtle cries for help from young men with no where to run. Leading a crazy lifestyle Louis tries to convey a message of morality to a son who is slowly slipping into a life he has often seen.

I was so intrigued by this bookl that I hardly ever put it down. I finnished it in a matter of hours it seemed and went back over it to find new insights. I thought it grasped a much deeper side of me that wanted to know why people chose gangs. The novel painted a picture of greatness through all the trials and tribulations brought forth by an inteligent street smart man, wanting to bring hope to those like himself. I couldn't beleive how captivating it was as I could hardly wait to read about each next encounter. It had my eyes glued to the text and mind racing with enjoyment. I would recommnend the book to anyone who enjoys reading something which will change your outlook on everything. It will make you see the real person behind an iron mask of a gang lifestyle.

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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling and Moving Memoir of A Former Gang Member's Life, March 13, 2001
This review is from: Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. (Paperback)
Luis Rodriguez's autobiographical account of a gang member's life in Watts, East Los Angeles was the most expressive, powerful, and vivid depiction ever to be told. Through his novel, Always Running he has opened my eyes to the realism of gang life. I mean you see it in movies, the news, sometimes even on the streets, but to read about it and visualize it in your mind is like being there and living it. Through Rodriguez's novel he has shared his life with us, and in hopes of deterring younger generations of turning over to "la vida loca", the crazy life.

Rodriguez joined his first gang at age eleven, and by age eighteen, he was a veteran of gang warfare, killings, police, drug overdoses, rapes, Mexican funerals, and suicides. He has watched his friends die one by one at such early ages as he waits his turn of his finalty. The turning point of Rodriguez's life turns out to be when he killed an innocent man as his initiation to a new gang. Because of this he was sentenced to jail where he was able to think hard about what he wanted to do with his. And now look at him he is an award winning journalist and author. but despite his successful transition he later experienced the karma of his childhood when his son Ramiro falls into the wrong crowd in their home Chicago, and joins a gang. Always Running is a novel dedicated to Ramiro Rodriguez and all the other lost children in the world who has lost hope and turned to the hellish streets of gangster life. Through his novel Luis not only shares his life experiences, but he also shares with us how he saved his son. So waste no more and read this very compelling, moving story of a father and son reunion.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars It's amazing what people endure...
Luis grew up in LA being raised by a Mexican family. He grows up way too quickly and starts stealing and committing crimes before becoming a teen. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Elaine

4.0 out of 5 stars La Vida Loca - Still Happening
This book is on the ALA's list of 100 most frequently banned books of 1990 through 2000.

This is a memoir of gang life & of growing up poor and Chicano in East LA in... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Caitlin Martin

3.0 out of 5 stars Poorly Written
This book lacks depth and much-needed perspective. The actual subject matter is interesting, and could have resulted in an incredibly powerful, insightful book. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Undisclosed

5.0 out of 5 stars received in a timely manner
Received the book in a very timely manner. Book was brand new. Very good expereince. The book itself is an easy read.
Published 4 months ago by Ryan Czajkowski

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brief Analysis of an Amazing Book
I bought this book several years ago after reading in the newspaper that it had been banned from local school's reading lists. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Lisa Hofeling

5.0 out of 5 stars One of My Most Stolen Books
As a teacher I used this book in a Continuation High School to get students to read and write and draw out their experiences. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Mary McCawley

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting story!!!
It is a very interesting book. It makes me feel I don't want to stop reading it.
Published 10 months ago by Lindsey

4.0 out of 5 stars Great book but is the author for real?!
This book is a great book, very eye opening and wonderfully written.

I have to wondering though, throughout the book, what is going through the author's mind... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Cantthinkofaname

4.0 out of 5 stars A different world
i was intrigued by this book when i saw it in the store so i bought it. it was very educational for me as i never knew how bad things would really get in gang life. Read more
Published 10 months ago by B. Pierce

5.0 out of 5 stars Empowering and Emotional
I had no choice when it came to reading this book. It was after all, required in my college english class in order to survive the masses of quizzes and essays. Read more
Published 16 months ago by Happy_Student

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