My Book "Always Running:

Author: Luis J. Rodriguez

Page's: 262

This book is about a kid and his struggles in the barrio (Ghetto/Hood) of East L.A. When he is small he always got pushed around and beat-up so as he gets older he sees he needs protection so him and a couple of his other friends start  their own gang. As he gets older he stars to solve his problems with crime, drugs, sex, and violence living the the fast life or La Vida Loca (The Crazy Life). As he starts to get older he starts to see that the gang life is getting crazier and more dangerous. So he starts to kind of realize that he wants out, but the problem is that he doesn't want to look 'weak' to his homies so he doesn't know what to do... try to better himself or live life as a criminal.

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Quotes from the book:

 [ I didn't know what to do. I wanted to rush out of there. But I felt I had to wait for Roberta to come home. I wondered if Shoshi also sold her sex and if Chicharron knew.

     "Oh, yeah, her too," Frankie said. "Not only does Chicharron know, but he's out there pimping for her." ]

     [ Yuk Yuk had us walk around the malls scanning for bikes, good bikes, ten-speeds mostly. Many of the gabacho kids usde to lay them down without locks when they entered a store. We walked up cool, got on the bike, and then took off. Wilo or Yuk Yuk followed near us in a car as we rode the bicycles to Shed's business. Shed gave us between $15 and $25 each. ] 

[ ... Ofelia's eyes concerned eyes, at Chente - good  ol' Chente , calm as ever - and Skin, with a flowery Indian blouse from Mexico which made her look like what I imagined a Mayan princess to be.

     Warriors would die for you, Skin. They would climb steep mountains, swim vast seas and destroy armies for you, deiry of sauntering, Goddess of aura and bloom. ]

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Vocab for Spanish Words

Barrio: Neighborhood. Also the territory of Chicano gang groupings.

Bienvenidos: "Welcome," the community center which once served South San Gabriel.

Blancas: White amphetamine pills.

Bolero: Aslow ballad/dance.

Borlote: A party; a rowdy scene.

Exetra...

What I think about the book:

I think this book is a great book on how the life of someone who lives in the ghetto. Its an amazing story about love, stuggles, corruption and how a boy changes his life around with art, an education, and his family. I really think people should read this book.