Down These Mean Streets
by Piri Thomas
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
anyone interested in (relatively) contemporary true stories of survival in harsh US conditions
Piri Thomas's compelling and oh-so-human autobiography. Thomas is a 1st generation Puerto Rican American in El Barrio (Spanish Harlem), in the 1940s (-ish). The part that I found most interesting is when he discusses his identity issues: he feels he is torn from his light-skinned family, as he is the only child of 4 who is recognizably African-descent. Piri's family members identify as white/Puerto Rican, but Piri experiences &qu...more
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Read in January, 2008
recommends it for:
people who like rather depressing books
I didn't particularly like this book... I read it for a book report for a biography.. It's about a boy, Piri Thomas, in his early teens who lives in the segregated neighborhood of Spanish Harlem, also known as, El Barrio. Piri finds, even at a rather young age, that he has to fight to show his strength and bravery. He has to fight people who will later become his close friends; they have to know that he'll be able to back them up and defend himself and keep his "cool". Piri is of...more
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
This book is really powerful. It is about a boy named Piri Thomas (author) and his expierence in spanish Harlem. This book goes into depth on how life was like on hispanics in the past. The book talks a lot about fights, drugs,sex, and racism. Is is mainly focused on a journey that Piri takes because he was considered "black" when he was latin and he didnt understand. Piri visited the south for answers leaving his family, friends, and girlfriend behind until he returned. I can relate a...more
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I'm a little obsessed with books about New York, especially Latin-American youth in New York. This book is a coming of age autobiographical fiction about a young Puerto-Rican man growing up in Harlem in the 1940s & 50s. He finds himself addicted to dope, struggling to get high, but also trying to make sense of his dark skin in a racist society. He is constantly reminded that it's okay to be "Spanish," but it isn't okay to be black.
The best part of this book is the insularity...more
The best part of this book is the insularity...more
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Read in December, 2007
Books about old New York interest me, i love to know about where I'm from. This book is a coming of age autobiographical fiction about a young Puerto-Rican man growing up in Harlem in the 1940s & 50s. He finds himself addicted to dope, struggling to get high, but also trying to make sense of his dark skin in a racist society. He has a spanish first name with a white last name and deals with the scrutiny that comes with that. Growing up in El Barrio, this book is just straight up raw and i ...more
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Read in September, 2007
The Story Down these Mean Streets Is A Classic Book Readers Will Never Forget.Once I Open The Book I Couldnt Stop Reading It. I Finished The Book In A Couple Of Days. The Book Was So Good I Had to read it again. This Was One of the only books i ever read every word on the page. It was because he talked about his life experiences living in harlem. i can Connect To this Book In a lot of ways. For Example I Grew Up And Im Still Living in an area like where piri is from. i live not that far from wh...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in July, 2007
recommends it for:
people with heart.
classic depression era coming of age/redemption story. plot follows the typical arc, but HE LIVED IT. one gets that feeling that if you disputed his take on events, he'd show you just how much heart he has. takes place during the depression. wrought with class and racial issues. one of the best discussions of US race relations i've read in a long time. sad how some things don't change...some very powerful stuff. my friend lives in the neighborhood that this takes place (el barrio) and it's inter...more
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Read in January, 2008
Life is tougher than I thought. What I learned from this book helped me when my son got a rock in his eye (1cm). Don't rub it! When Piri gets gang-banged and gets asphalt in his eyes...they don't let him rub his eyes. OK, a must read for the immigrant-feel and making choices on the hard street of life. Piri also has a brush with Islam in prison. I was not expecting that and it was interesting to see a story where that does not equal a major transformation (though it does affect him a littl...more
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A personal encounter with the "streets". I have often heard that the streets are a world apart. This book actually testifies to this and validates that thought. This story reminds me of a Greek tragic hero because of the struggles and self-inflicted pain when dealing with drugs. He is a hero because after getting into the habit of drugs, he underwent very obviously painful withdrawals. Tragedy because to me, having this kind of necessity is a tragedy in itself, too bad many people do n...more
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It goes like this: Loss. Drugs. Gangs. Prison. The Navy. Poetry. Rhythm and soul. Redemption. Return. And the streets, Thomas reminds us in his introduction, have only gotten meaner since he walked them in the 1940s and 50s.
(Caveat: A common criticism is that parts of the story ring homophobic and misogynistic. I think Thomas realizes that his and his friends' desperate masculinity went to ridiculous and destructive ends, even if the way he expresses this can be a little too subtle.)
(Caveat: A common criticism is that parts of the story ring homophobic and misogynistic. I think Thomas realizes that his and his friends' desperate masculinity went to ridiculous and destructive ends, even if the way he expresses this can be a little too subtle.)
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Read in January, 1998
recommends it for:
Anyone
I love Piri Thomas. Heard him speak when I was in college and he is just so wise and has so much life experience.
I read this book the 1st time in high school because it was mentioned in another book I read and I was intrigued. I use to scan the library shelves for Hispanic authors :)
Its a tale of his upbringing and coming up in NYC as a young Puerto Rican man. Truly eye opening to see what previous generations faced and still face trying to move forward in life.
I read this book the 1st time in high school because it was mentioned in another book I read and I was intrigued. I use to scan the library shelves for Hispanic authors :)
Its a tale of his upbringing and coming up in NYC as a young Puerto Rican man. Truly eye opening to see what previous generations faced and still face trying to move forward in life.
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Read in January, 2003
recommends it for:
anyone
Straight up, one of my favorite books ever. You follow the life of Piri Thomas, a Puerto Rican Spanish Harlem raised man who faces teh struggles of being divided racially. With a "white" last name and a colored complexion, Piri deals with the streets, jail as well as his education through conflict and resolution. Based on a true story, this book will have you mezmerized and will keep you hooked from cover to cover. I recomend this book to anyone and everyone.
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Read in January, 2006
recommends it for:
Latino Literature fans
When I picked up this book at the bookstore, I could not put it down. I walked out the store with the book open and finished reading this book a few days later. All the stories of Piri's youth pulled me into his world. I felt as though I was the one growing up during his time. There were many themes that I could personally relate to, themes of prejudice, racism and struggle. This book is surely a book that will make you feel his joy and pain.
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recommends it for:
anyone interested in knowing about the streets
Real! Piri Thomas did a exceptionsl job with writing this memoir. He shows the hardships of growing up on the "Mean Streets" of Harlem during a difficult time period. Piri Thomas gives evidence of it and he takes you into the mean streets. The books allow readers to live through the words and visualize different situations of everydy life. I like the book because of the details and would recommend it because I feel it is a good true piece.
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Read in July, 2008
While I did not enjoy reading all parts of the book, I do think it is an important piece because it sheds light on the experience of a man from an underrepresented population in his own voice. While the bulk of the narrative takes place during the 1940s and 50s, the issues at hand such as social and psychological effects of poverty, racial identity construction, and coming of age challenges--among others--are still relevant today.
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Read in January, 1996
recommended to Adornable by:
My motherrecommends it for: the next generation of Newyoricans
Actually, my mother gave me this book when I was a teenager (My mother and author Piri Thomas had the same circle of friends. His daughters and I went to the same grammar school.) After reading it, I considered him the uncle I never saw. He is a talented writer, in the tradition of Newyorican poets. I have read this book a few times and am always impressed with the strength in his writing.
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this book is so excellent and I am upset that i just finished reading it! I should have read it earlier! It is about a young Puerto Rican during living in Harlem during the Great Depression. He goes through so many obstacles in his travels in becoming a man! The chapters on his confusion of classifying himself as a Puerto Rican or a Black male is truly intersting and I felt his struggle
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in March, 2007
have i mentioned i heart memoirs? this one's classic in all the right ways. but i notice all the blurbs mention how "unique," "individual," and "personal" it is...those must be the words we use to talk about narratives we can't fit into that stupid american dream story we like to tell ourselves.
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Read in October, 2007
recommends it for:
High School English Teachers
A great novel to piec- out and do memoir writing projects with. Stories connected to historical frames [WW2:] and deal with race and ethnic culture tensions in NYC and LI in the 1940's as well as coming of age issues. Students who profess to hate reading enjoy this novel.
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I've taught this book. Many of the students say it's the first book they've read all the way through - that's a vote of confidence if I'd ever heard one. Amazing that it's over 50 years old.
I couldn't read it through as I'd gotten so sick of his choices and judgement.
I couldn't read it through as I'd gotten so sick of his choices and judgement.
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