My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King

This book showed me a world I have never ever been a part of. It almost seemed like a horrid fantasy land, like Edgar Allen Poe's vision of Oz, but it is not. It is a real place in the United States. It is a city known as Chicago.

Gangs are dangerous in multiple ways and that is the main message of the book. It takes you on a journey from Reymundo's childhood all the way through his teenage years. The book is captivating, in depth, vivid, and shocking. It is difficult to put down due to the fast pace spiral Reymundo goes down - his own personal rabbit hole. He just keeps falling deeper and deeper going through the levels of gang involvement, decrease time in school, and his increased use of drugs and violence for different purposes and show more reasons.

Overall, this is an amazing book. The only other book that has exposed me to a world I have never known before and found this captivating was The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank.

I am looking forward to reading the squeal to this book, Once A King, Always A King. show less

Reymundo Sanchez (pseudonym), tells what he experienced growing up as a Latin King during the 1980s. This story is full of murder, blood, violence, sexual assault, and drugs. I would not recommend anyone younger than the age of 16 to read this book. However, the story is well written and perfectly illustrates how the author turned to street gangs and what he experienced as a "King." He doesn't hold anything back when telling his story, which makes for a great but difficult read.

Although this book is very graphic, many teens and young adults watch movies or play video games that depict the same material. Many students at my old high school had trouble putting this book down and I know it's very popular with young adults. This is the show more kind of book that you give to a teenager that's thinking about joining a gang or is heavily involved in the delinquent life. show less

The book "My Bloody Life", was based about Reymundo's childhood and desperate home life that results in him being one the most violent gang members in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago. The really sad thing is that he did not start out this way. His mother made some poor choices and the chaos started to build. The beatings that he received from his parents led him to drug use. By the age of 14, Reymundo started living independently. He had no family. He only had his gang brothers to influence him. He became a criminal, not willing to open his eyes to reality and that his so-called brothers, weren't looking-out for him. At one point, he became so desperately homeless and hungry, he had to give into pressures and do terrible things he did show more not want to do. It was for his survival he went against his beliefs. Students and young adults today are exposed to the “glory” of gang life through rappers and celebrity. This book shows the nitty gritty reality of gang life. Even a kid who is fundamentally good can be sucked in when life gets to be too much. The reality is, being a part of gang might provide some superficial sense of belonging and family but in truth it is a violent way to live. If kids are looking for an escape from a difficult home life it is my hope they will seek out a teacher, police officer or counselor to help them find a safe place to be and healthy activities to foster their talents.

This is an extremely edgy and real look at gang life. It does not glorify the life of a gang member. While there is profanity and sexual situations they are in context. The book would lose its authenticity and reliability without those things. show less

I am normally skeptical of the "memoirs" of gang members. However, Sanchez admits in several places to a lack of knowledge and to being scared of what might happen to him. While I am sure there is some embellishing of the truth, I think there is less than in most similar items.

This book will quickly grab the interest of any high school student. Reymundo Sanchez (pen name) tells about his unfortunate home life that led him to be one the most crazy and violent Latin King gang members in the Humboldt Park area of Chicago. Although the author was aged 12-18 in the book, some of his gang life experiences should be censored to students under 18. The book is definetly captivating, and I know most junior high and high school students who know about the book would love to get their hands on it. The discouraging thing is the author states early in the book that it was NOT written to glorify gang life, but for many young people, that's exactly what it does.

I found the book raw, distrubing and honest. It's sad how adults can just F-up the life of a child.

The book "My Bloody Life", was based about Reymundo's childhood. And how he grew up getting beat up by his parents. The beatings that he got from his parents, influenced him to do drugs. just to get away from stressing out, or feeling lonely. His words are very powerful, and he even talks about his first sexual activity with a woman that was in her 30's. By the age of 14, reymundo had already started to live independent. He had no family, and only had the king brothers with him. He became a criminal, not willing to open his eyes to reality and that his so called brothers, aren't really there for him. At one point, he became so homeless, and hungry, that he had to experince homosexuality. He didn't do it for pleasure, or because he's show more crazy, he only experienced it because he was in need for food and money.

I think every kid influenced into gangs should read this book. They need to open their eyes, and see that being in a gang isnt just to be cool, it can be dangerous,and can be putting peoples lives in danger.

I enjoyed reading this book. it tought me the truth, and hopefully it can do the same with other people. show less