Book Report

J. Rodriguez, Luis. Always Running. Willimantic, Connecticut. Touchstone:1993.

Reason, Type/Setting: The reason I chose this book was because a teacher (Alejandra) from the school was supporting this book and encouraging students to read the book. And she didn’t personally tell me about the book, but my friends told me that it was a really good book, and very inspiring which I found for myself too. So I was interested in reading the book for my book club. In this book it shares in detail of a the writers life, and all the things he went through just to make it up to the top, when he had nothing going for him as a gang group member in the streets of LA. This biography (story of his life) involves with teen romance, action, a lot of drama, but at the same time leaves you wanting to know what’s going to happen next every time you put the book down. He mentioned the dates of 1960s to the 1080s and up, but all the violence and discrimination that was described and violation of human rights feels like he was talking about today’s current date because it sometimes still goes on.

Plot: In this book there was no particular major conflict, the whole book was based on conflicts and how at the end he managed to get through them. But to start out with he always was picked on since a little a kid especially by his older brother, and kids older than him would always take advantage of him. But as soon as he entered junior high he saw how people had power just by claiming they were from somewhere, and people automatically respected by them if not they would pay a harsh price. He soon got into a gang with a couple of his friends, and started to ditch and try new drugs, and experience things kids at the age of 12 shouldn’t be experiencing. He soon got really attached to it, and became more involved he soon started getting into more fights at school, get into fights related to the gangs, and soon moved to three or four schools in one semester. After he got more involved and deeper in it, his mom kicked him out of the house for not being responsible or even trying to live for something. He lived with his friends and sometimes on the streets (he was around 13 or 14), after he knew he wanted to stay and represent his hood he started to work for them. He stole from houses; car and even people just get money to survive. His let him back in the house, he always gave her money because they poor too, after a while his mom didn’t acknowledge him no more because she didn’t see him like the same son anymore. After a while he started getting revenges from the main opposing gang, and started doing drive-bys, jumping people/family, and maybe even to the extent of murdering.

Character: The main character is Luis Rodriguez “Chin”, throughout the book he described a hard-living life to go through. I would never imagine myself going through that I wouldn’t know how to! But the ways he had to go through it, was tremendous! He had tattoos on his body by the age 13 and and tried every drug in the book by that age too. He was Mexican with both parents’ immigrants from Mexico, which made his appearance look Mexican descent. He had a handsome looking face but at the same time you could see all the fears and sacrifices he went through just stay alive. He had two younger sisters and two older brothers, which didn’t go through the crazy life like he did, except his sister as she started getting older. In a way he made it seem like he could have been the next mayor for that city, because he made possible many youth outreach programs, he helped get friends out of the streets, and even back into school. He helped stop a lot of fights and violence, and even at once try to bring both of enemy barrios together in peace (Lomas and Sangra). That was very hard for him, because he was not so long ago associated for a long time with one of the gangs of “Lomas” and “Sangra” was their most hated enemy. But he did it to help out the rest of them to show them that they are all the same they fight for one same reason, and they are more similar then they think. So why fight against each other.

Evaluation: I really enjoyed reading this book it had me every time I put the book down guessing what was going to happen next. It really opened my eyes, it made me feel how lucky I am to not even live that kid of life right now. And all the details that were expressed were very sharp and descriptive. I liked this book because it wasn’t those kind of books that you get bored of reading because there too descriptive and can’t get to the point but this book is great! And just like my friends recommended this book to me, I will pass on the recommendation to other friends so they could read it also.