Always Running
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Always Running
by Authors:
Luis Rodriguez
Released: 09 February, 1994
ISBN: 0671882317
Paperback
Sales Rank: 3659
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List price:
$13.00
Our price:
$9.75
(You save: $3.25)
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| Book > Always Running > Customer Reviews: |
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Average Customer Rating: 
Always Running >
Customer Review #1:
 Running out of words for this book...
Rodriguez book is one of the most impressive contemporary American novels Ive read. He doesnt gloss over the acts of violence he participated in, but he does provide a framework for those terrible experiences that make his involvement in the LA gang scene almost inevitable. However, I was amazed that throughout the book, he never excuses himself or tries to romanticize his life. Instead, through a realist but still very readable style, Rodriguez shows that young men can change, that people without resources can make BIG differences in their communities, and that we only really see one side of the ongoing battle between the authority system and the street folk through most media. Rodriguez story is esp. powerful b/c its true. He lived through all this, and yet he was able not only to survive, but he inspired so many other young people from his neighborhood, and made countless positive changes in his local high school. Rodriguez sets an incredible example for young readers, giving lost kids hope, showing the public how much more can be done to fix all the injustice, and all the while giving voice to a remarkable and memorable story. Ive taught this book in college writing courses, and the students (many of whom had not read a novel b/4 this) responded as enthusiastically as any students Ive seen with any material. its worth reading, and its worth teaching. It was definitely worth writing, and I thank Luis Rodriguez for taking the time to do so!
Always Running >
Customer Review #2:
Always Running
Inna Segeeva
04/08/02
Always Running
Luis Rodriguez is the author of this famous and best-selling book. It is based on his biography that took place in Watts and East Los Angeles in the 1950s to the 1990s. Watts was an old community, primarily made up of black and Mexican people. It was a ghetto where country and city mixed together. East Los Angeles was also a run down community with a high rate of crime.
Ramiro, Luis first child, has gone off again. He reminds the author of his gang days. The author fears Ramiro will cause harm to himself if nothing is done. In the preface the author talks about his family and about his life as an early journalist. The author also says that in writing the book Ramiro will change.
Always Running is the authors autobiography about moving from Mexico to Los Angelos. His family was poor and hoped to succeed one day. He did poorly in school because he and his family did not speak English. As the author grew up he experienced prejudice because he was Mexican. At ten he and his friends created clicas (gangs) which they called Thee Impersonations. Luis Rodriguez was a young East L.A. gangster that had witnessed countless shootings, beatings, arrests, murders, suicides, and senseless acts of street crime by the age of twelve. Facing many tough times in his life, Luis turned to violence and gangs to get away from his problems. He felt closer to his fellow gang members than to his own mother, father, sisters, and brother. As a child, Luis never seemed to fit in: not even at school. He came from a dysfunctional family. At thirteen the author was already into drugs and gang violence. Throughout the book Luis Rodriguez talks about friends, school, gang fights, problems at home and his love life. At fifteen he was arrested and made to work. Towards the end of the book the author meets Licha who inspired him to change. By the time he turned eighteen years old, he had seen twenty-five of his friends either killed by rival gangs, police, drugs, car accidents, or suicides He decided to leave for San Pedro but ended up living in Chicago. He discovers that he has no future living in the streets and decides to turn his life around.
To me this book is inspiring and I think that everyone especially teenagers should at least look at the book. It is a sad and true story about a former gang member who leaves his memoir for the next generation. Reading Always Running is like being in it and will surely encourage others to turn their lives around.
This book really made me think about how much I take for granted. From reading all about Luiss problems and realizing how tough it was for him to grow up, I feel very lucky. I saw that Luis had built up his self- esteem and courage, even after experiencing life and reality the "hard way." Luis knew that by thinking positive and being strong, he could turn his life around. I know it must have been hard for him to leave his gang because it was his only known. This book does have a lot of controversial material in it. There is a lot of profanity, drugs, and violence involved throughout the entire book. This book also contains many descriptive images of sexual activity and many vivid images of gang rivalry fights (shootings, beatings, murders, and arrests).
Always Running >
Customer Review #3:
WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BOOK!!!!!!! MUST BE READ!!!!!!!!
As he was growing up, Rodriguez had a vivid lifestyle in which he had witnessed countless shootings, racism, beatings, and several other negatively hard crimes. At 12 years of age, he experienced some illusions of gangs and rascim. People would relate to this book in many different ways, as they were growing up too. I believe this book could get to your fealings, but when I started to read it, I was resenting against the people who were rioting.
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Always Running >
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