Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
26th out of 32 books
—
11 voters
Inside the Crips: Life Inside L.A.'s Most Notorious Gang
by
Ann Pearlman (Goodreads Author),
Ann Pearlman (Goodreads Author)
A memoir of the author's life as a Crip-beginning at the tender age of ten in the mid-seventies-and his prison turnaround nearly twenty-five years later
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
August 1st 2005
by St. Martin's Press
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
338)
This was the most interesting book I had ever read. There's like non-stop action in this book. This book retain alot of action from when he was young until he was older. Check this book out it is really good. Jonas Williams 14 years old
We all seem to write these redemption books. And I mean "we" as those of us who really fucked up and now want to remove ourselves from our past – you know, want people to love us, and shit. Want people to look past that person they see, or the one on paper, defined by criminal records, police reports, and court documents. We write about all the horrendous shit we did, and then put that clause in: but I have seen the evil of my ways. And that somehow makes it all okay. Washes away the sins of the...more
This book should be titled "Outside the Crips" or perhaps "The Cripper in The Rye". Why? Because though he takes us through a realistic and harrowing journey through gangsterism, bloodshed, crime and a life in prison, Colton Simpson, a.k.a. C-Loc, a.k.a. Lil' Cee, never seems to "get it".
He's a middle class kid in a gangster's world. He presents his childhood as an odd mixture of near stardom (pro baseball player dad, model mom) and downward mobility (abandoned to ghetto grandma). He grows up '...more
He's a middle class kid in a gangster's world. He presents his childhood as an odd mixture of near stardom (pro baseball player dad, model mom) and downward mobility (abandoned to ghetto grandma). He grows up '...more
Sep 11, 2008
Angela
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who work with prisoners and youth
Shelves:
300s-current-events
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is hands down one of the best biographies and the BEST book on gangs I have ever read.
This is an incredible story that has fundamentally changed how I understand gang culture.
Thankyou for writing this Colton, and I wish you so much success with the legal fallout that has followed your courageous tale.
Sarah
This is an incredible story that has fundamentally changed how I understand gang culture.
Thankyou for writing this Colton, and I wish you so much success with the legal fallout that has followed your courageous tale.
Sarah
Hard to understand living this type of life, but the writer attempts to let us know how one lives it. One reason why I read is to attempt to understand how other people live that are vastly different than my own. The book provides a hard look which is fascinating and horrifying.
The setting of this story is very real because it talks about what happens in their lives and life.The setting of this story is very exciting and makes the reader want to read more about other peoples life and how they do it.peace out.
May 26, 2011
Dominique Khut
added it
I think this book sets a side for the gang bangers and drug dealers because each one of the people who are gang powered have their rules and regulations.
May 06, 2013
Sivasubramaniam Prakash
added it
I like Gang Biographies, this book had a lot of graphic detail about the Crips gang. I think it is the best Gang Biography book I have read so far.
Feb 03, 2012
Jarrad Bock
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
autobiography,
crime
A very interesting insight into the mind of a banger. His stories show the world he grew up in and the attitude of the people in this world.
First of all, this is a picture of a handsome Simpson on the cover. As far as banger autobiographies go, this one is pretty conscious. He knows his political prisoner history and I respect that but the heart wrenching part of the story is that he gets his life together enough to publish this book and ends up back in the box on a third strike. Maybe he knew too much political prisoner history for the powers that be. Oh, and for the record, his co-author has totally convinced me that i too can hav...more
The book, Inside The Crips, is a good book. I rated it a 5 out of 5 stars because i like books that involve shootings and gang related stuff. i enjoyed this memoir because it talks about Colton's life and what he did to join a gang. It relates to me because my brother is in a gang and its hard. I would recommend this book to any gang affiliated people and or people that are struggling with their life.
Not bad, but if you want to read the memoirs of a modern-day street solider, check out "Monster: The Autobiography of an LA Gang Member," instead.
Feb 07, 2009
Jarred
is currently reading it
Inside the crips is a book about the life of a former crip: Colton (C-Loc) Simpson. He basiclly talks about how he became a crip, and how many times he has been to in and out of jail. He talks about his friends that were with the L.A. crips, and how they started. The main thing that he talks about is the rivalry between the bloods and the crips, and how they became rivals.
This is a true story account of a real OG crip that joined the crips. Killed his first bloods at 10 years old. Is a personal friend of "ICE T" He wrote this book to show what being in a gang is really like and to discourage gangs. To show you only end up dead or in prison. It's not glamorous. And to "warn the children". I really enjoyed it.
Sep 11, 2008
Angela
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone working with teens or jail inmates
Shelves:
300s-current-events
I appreciated learning about the background of someone who was drawn to gangs, and the reasons for interest in that lifestyle. It was also helpful to know the emotions and opinions that help a person identify there is a different way to live, and the steps involved (as well as the danger to themselves)in helping a person out of a gang.
Jul 13, 2008
Crytle Creki
rated it
2 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
gang bangers past and present
Recommended to Crytle by:
my lovely co-worker :)
I didn't get all the way through this book, and for that I cannot give it the review it may deserve. However, from what I have read...parts of it appeared to hypersensationalize gang life primarily the Bloods and the Crips. I could imagine several other "gang" books following suit to this one....meh.
This is a true story of a young man who is a member of the Crips down in Los Angeles. There is a lot of violence and prison time.
The problem with this book is that it's one violent event after event, with no real distinction between them. After a while, it gets a little tedious.
The problem with this book is that it's one violent event after event, with no real distinction between them. After a while, it gets a little tedious.
a great read. i was hooked from page one, and that's my favorite kind of experience with a book. as a kid i was a quasi-skilled yet reluctant reader. Inside the Crips reminded me that it is possible to love a book from the first page.
2/11/08
This book starts out how hard he grew up how they treated him and why and when he begang to be a crip.Colton Simpson grew up in east Los Angeles he became a crip at the age of ten.
This book starts out how hard he grew up how they treated him and why and when he begang to be a crip.Colton Simpson grew up in east Los Angeles he became a crip at the age of ten.
This book was really good. I enjoy books about sociology and people and why they do what they do, and this book was really insightful into the life of someone in the Crips in South Central LA.
I picked up this book and re-read it halfway before realizing I had already read it. It was not very memorable when compared to other books on the subject.
This book was amazing! It talks of finding a family in Gang life-growing up in prison, and illustrates the problems with our justice system.
So interesting! Really provides an insider view to maybe a world that many know nothing about.
this is probably the best book on gangs I have read - the forward by Ice T is incredible.
Memoir that really explains the life of Colton Simpson. In depth and very detailed about his life.
I was never able to get into this book, gave up around page 80.
It get's slow near the end...he become a reformed person :)
C'Z UP
May 06, 2013
Susan Pierce
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Ann Pearlman was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award for INFIDELITY which was also made into a Lifetime movie. Her first novel, THE CHRISTMAS COOKIE CLUB has been translated into 6 languages and was a national and international bestseller. A GIFT FOR MY SISTER is launching in May, 2012. She also writes non-fiction, INSIDE THE CRIPS is the story of a gang member from L.A. and K...more
More about Ann Pearlman...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
Apr 27, 2012 08:54am