by Ruben "Doc" Cavazos
Motorcycle gangs are a lot more complicated than you might think. That's what I learned from this book. Doc, the author, is the international president of the Mongols MC, and this book is his story, from his childhood in the gangs of LA, his first motorcycle, club politics, dealing with the Mexican mafia, the US government, and the Hells Angels (and coming out on top), getting through bad publicity and angry club members and more. It was actually fascinating! He starts out with a story about how the police raided his home last summer without a warrant and took all his legal, registered guns, his motorcycles (100% bought, not stolen), his money and jewelry (it's "drug money", they claimed ) and put him and his son (who's not in the club) in jail. I was amazed!! The rest of the book continues on the same lines, as he tries to get rid of the terrible reputation of the Mongols fairly.
One thing Doc mentions multiple times is a book written by an undercover cop, which is apparently full of lies and exaggerations. The FBI put a guy into the club and basically told him to try to get drugs, stolen motorcycle parts, evidence of murders--anything that could be used to incriminate the Mongols of something. He got nothing. However, the FBI decided they couldn't spend that much time and money making up a fake ID, planting him in the club, getting secret mics to record conversations, and all that, and not come up with anything, so they got this guy to write a book about his "horrific experience". I would love to read that book and compare it to this one.
It really just makes me mad, to hear about all this slander and prejudice aimed at this club. They've done nothing wrong! Their club rules include no drugs, no stealing, no harassing women, on and on and on, but still people are determined to make them look terrible. This is seriously just a group of guys who like to ride motorcycles. If one or two happen to enjoy drugs as well, that doesn't mean the entire club uses/endorses/deals them!
Read this book. It's so cool to see such a different perspective than usual. It goes by so fast, too. It seems like the guy is sitting there talking to you! Grraaah... it's so unfair! I can't get over the injustice these men are faced with!
Indignantly yours,
~Marcella
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Kite Runner
by Khaled Hosseini
Wow. Just... wow. This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read, right up there with A Child Called It and The Lovely Bones. It'd a fictional narrative by an Afghan boy, about his life growing up in Afghanistan before the revolution and Russian invasion, his moving to America, and his return to his country later in his life, in an effort to fulfill himself.
This is such a powerful story. Amir's father is a rich, well-liked Sunni man, and Amir spends his childhood trying to impress him. His best friend, Hassan, is a Shi'a Muslim, and the son of his father's servant. Neither of the boys have mothers: Amir's died in childbirth and Hassan's eloped soon after his birth. The reader can see Hassan's recognition of his place in society, although Amir doesn't always notice. He cleans up after them, does things for him, lies to cover up his mistakes-- it's almost heartbreaking how much Amir takes him for granted. However, things change between them when Amir watches Hassan get raped by a peer and doesn't do anything to stop him. He distances himself from Hassan, avoids him at all costs, in fact, until he finally blames Hassan for stealing a birthday gift (he didn't) and Hassan and his father leave.
Soon after that, the Russians invade Afghanistan, and Amir's father decides they have to leave the country. They emigrate to Pakistan illegally, and soon move to San Fransisco.
...I don't want to ruin the ending if anyone else wants to read it, which you should. It's so sad, but I couldn't put it down. It's just so realistic--this story could have happened to anyone, but it's written so well, with all these connections that keep coming back to haunt you. I seriously can not get over this book! I'm probably going to reread it in the next couple of weeks, to try and pick up on some more of the details that make it so interesting.
It's so good...
~Marcella
Wow. Just... wow. This is one of the most incredible books I've ever read, right up there with A Child Called It and The Lovely Bones. It'd a fictional narrative by an Afghan boy, about his life growing up in Afghanistan before the revolution and Russian invasion, his moving to America, and his return to his country later in his life, in an effort to fulfill himself.
This is such a powerful story. Amir's father is a rich, well-liked Sunni man, and Amir spends his childhood trying to impress him. His best friend, Hassan, is a Shi'a Muslim, and the son of his father's servant. Neither of the boys have mothers: Amir's died in childbirth and Hassan's eloped soon after his birth. The reader can see Hassan's recognition of his place in society, although Amir doesn't always notice. He cleans up after them, does things for him, lies to cover up his mistakes-- it's almost heartbreaking how much Amir takes him for granted. However, things change between them when Amir watches Hassan get raped by a peer and doesn't do anything to stop him. He distances himself from Hassan, avoids him at all costs, in fact, until he finally blames Hassan for stealing a birthday gift (he didn't) and Hassan and his father leave.
Soon after that, the Russians invade Afghanistan, and Amir's father decides they have to leave the country. They emigrate to Pakistan illegally, and soon move to San Fransisco.
...I don't want to ruin the ending if anyone else wants to read it, which you should. It's so sad, but I couldn't put it down. It's just so realistic--this story could have happened to anyone, but it's written so well, with all these connections that keep coming back to haunt you. I seriously can not get over this book! I'm probably going to reread it in the next couple of weeks, to try and pick up on some more of the details that make it so interesting.
It's so good...
~Marcella
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Prom Anonymous
by Blake Nelson (262 pg)
In the spirit of the upcoming school dance, I found a book about a school dance. Perhaps it's slightly more formal and obsessed-about than our dear little Sadies, but, you know, close enough. In fact, I actually felt like I could connect with the main character, Chloe, really well. There isn't really anyone she likes, and she's not totally into the whole prom scene anyways. Her two best friends from middle school are trying to find someone to set her up with, and she's going along with it, even though she doesn't really connect with them as well anymore (in fact, they have absolutely nothing in common) and is kind of freaking out about the whole blind date thing. In my case, the guy I was going to ask already has a date (grr...) and my friends are trying to think of someone for me to go with. Unfortunately, we don't really hang out with the same people anymore, so I don't even know half the people they're suggesting. Y'know, I just think it would be kind of weird to ask someone from my driver's ed class this summer who I haven't talked to all year. Although he was pretty hilarious. On the other hand, Chloe ends up having an awesome night and getting a boyfriend in the process (aww!!), so hopefully my dance will have the same results.
~Marcella
Note: This isn't the novel I'm doing my report on. I'm going to pick one that actually has some depth to it :D
In the spirit of the upcoming school dance, I found a book about a school dance. Perhaps it's slightly more formal and obsessed-about than our dear little Sadies, but, you know, close enough. In fact, I actually felt like I could connect with the main character, Chloe, really well. There isn't really anyone she likes, and she's not totally into the whole prom scene anyways. Her two best friends from middle school are trying to find someone to set her up with, and she's going along with it, even though she doesn't really connect with them as well anymore (in fact, they have absolutely nothing in common) and is kind of freaking out about the whole blind date thing. In my case, the guy I was going to ask already has a date (grr...) and my friends are trying to think of someone for me to go with. Unfortunately, we don't really hang out with the same people anymore, so I don't even know half the people they're suggesting. Y'know, I just think it would be kind of weird to ask someone from my driver's ed class this summer who I haven't talked to all year. Although he was pretty hilarious. On the other hand, Chloe ends up having an awesome night and getting a boyfriend in the process (aww!!), so hopefully my dance will have the same results.
~Marcella
Note: This isn't the novel I'm doing my report on. I'm going to pick one that actually has some depth to it :D
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