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My Bloody Life: The Making of a Latin King
Looking for an escape from childhood abuse, Reymundo Sanchez turned away from school and baseball to drugs, alcohol, and then sex, and was left to fend for himself before age 14. The Latin Kings, one of the largest and most notorious street gangs in America, became his refuge and his world, but its violence cost him friends, freedom, self-respect, and nearly his life. This is a raw and powerful odyssey through the ranks of the new mafia, where the only people more dangerous than rival gangs are members of your own gang, who in one breath will say they’ll die for you and in the next will order your assassination.
299 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 662 reviews
August 17, 2011
The third time around, I have to say I was much more intrigued and impressed by Sanchez's story. It's a favorite among my students, and I ended up writing a 20-page response on the potential HARM of this text for a grad school class: Do the Benefits Outweigh the Harms? Here's the opening paragraph...
Every school year as I stock the shelves of my classroom library, I buy at least three copies of My Bloody Life by Reymundo Sanchez in anticipation of the never-ending student requests for more. And every school year those original copies are stolen from my shelves and the ordering cycle begins anew. My students, as students in many Chicago public schools, want to read Sanchez’s story. It’s gory. It’s violent. It’s a page-turner, and it speaks to a life many of them know or live. I would argue that My Bloody Life holds my students’ attention better than any other book on my shelves. Upon completion, it generates a buzz of its own. Students talk about it, they recommend it to friends and siblings, they want to know if I have read it myself, or if I have the second book in Sanchez’s trilogy. For a reading teacher, the above scenario could be a dream. However, if the representation of an action can produce imitation, this particular text is a dangerous object. For teachers, the inherent fear in providing this text in a classroom library is that students will mimic what they read—gang life is indeed glorified at certain moments in the text. But sitting opposite of this fear is the truth that students want to read this book.
Every school year as I stock the shelves of my classroom library, I buy at least three copies of My Bloody Life by Reymundo Sanchez in anticipation of the never-ending student requests for more. And every school year those original copies are stolen from my shelves and the ordering cycle begins anew. My students, as students in many Chicago public schools, want to read Sanchez’s story. It’s gory. It’s violent. It’s a page-turner, and it speaks to a life many of them know or live. I would argue that My Bloody Life holds my students’ attention better than any other book on my shelves. Upon completion, it generates a buzz of its own. Students talk about it, they recommend it to friends and siblings, they want to know if I have read it myself, or if I have the second book in Sanchez’s trilogy. For a reading teacher, the above scenario could be a dream. However, if the representation of an action can produce imitation, this particular text is a dangerous object. For teachers, the inherent fear in providing this text in a classroom library is that students will mimic what they read—gang life is indeed glorified at certain moments in the text. But sitting opposite of this fear is the truth that students want to read this book.
April 11, 2024
Rare look into the life of a member of a street gang. So much of what we think we know about gangs is really based on media; we have a tendency to not want to look at root causes when it comes to what makes young people want to join a gang. Reymundo Sánchez takes you into his neighborhood and shows you why so many young people fall into the trap of gang life.
July 15, 2016
I'm conflicted about this book. I learned a lot about gang life in Chicago, and for that alone I'd say it's an important book for people in Chicago to read. It's probably not surprising that the writing style is not great, given that the author is describing how he dropped out of school to devote himself more fully to his gangbanging lifestyle, but if the writing style were my only complaint I'd definitely have given this book another star, maybe even all five.
My biggest complaint/concern about the book is that even while Reymundo is describing a lifestyle he's left and, in many cases, is specifically calling out the fact that he knows that his behavior was wrong, the book still comes across sometimes like bragging, and there are a lot of passages that are incredibly disrespectful to women - not just in the moment but in the way present-day Reymundo chooses to describe women as he writes the book.
There is a lot of violence in this book - rape, child abuse, gunfights, beatings, police violence. The writing level of the book is low enough that it's accessible to a pretty young audience, but I worry that some younger readers might not fully pick up on Reymundo's message that his gang life was bad, because he frequently describes these action-packed scenes without really casting any judgment on what's happening. He definitely expresses regret at different points in the book, but most of the book is simply a description of his life in a gang - the book could have ended with Reymundo becoming a high-level leader in the Latin Kings just as easily as it ended with him leaving the gang.
Some of my issues with the book could have been fixed by spending more time talking about Reymundo's life after leaving the Kings, instead of focusing on gang life almost until the last page. I know he has written a sequel that picks up where this book left off, so maybe if I read that one as well I'll get more of that balance I was looking for, but My Bloody Life as a self-contained book falls short in describing violence without giving enough of the author's present-day perspective.
My biggest complaint/concern about the book is that even while Reymundo is describing a lifestyle he's left and, in many cases, is specifically calling out the fact that he knows that his behavior was wrong, the book still comes across sometimes like bragging, and there are a lot of passages that are incredibly disrespectful to women - not just in the moment but in the way present-day Reymundo chooses to describe women as he writes the book.
There is a lot of violence in this book - rape, child abuse, gunfights, beatings, police violence. The writing level of the book is low enough that it's accessible to a pretty young audience, but I worry that some younger readers might not fully pick up on Reymundo's message that his gang life was bad, because he frequently describes these action-packed scenes without really casting any judgment on what's happening. He definitely expresses regret at different points in the book, but most of the book is simply a description of his life in a gang - the book could have ended with Reymundo becoming a high-level leader in the Latin Kings just as easily as it ended with him leaving the gang.
Some of my issues with the book could have been fixed by spending more time talking about Reymundo's life after leaving the Kings, instead of focusing on gang life almost until the last page. I know he has written a sequel that picks up where this book left off, so maybe if I read that one as well I'll get more of that balance I was looking for, but My Bloody Life as a self-contained book falls short in describing violence without giving enough of the author's present-day perspective.
April 13, 2011
It's a decent book. Impressive actually considering the author's education and background. It's certainly not going to win any literary achievements for the writing but it gets the job done. The lack of brilliant writing actually helps the book's authenticity in my opinion.
That said for me the big issue with this thing is the timeline in which events happened or how long they played out. I'd be reading and sit there wondering "How is this guy still X age?" It just seemed like too much was happening too fast. Much like an episode of 24 where they drive by car across the city of LA during a 4 minute commercial break to arrive at CTU. So many events were either overlapping or grossly exaggerated for the length of time in which they took place. It was just too hard to tell though.
That said for me the big issue with this thing is the timeline in which events happened or how long they played out. I'd be reading and sit there wondering "How is this guy still X age?" It just seemed like too much was happening too fast. Much like an episode of 24 where they drive by car across the city of LA during a 4 minute commercial break to arrive at CTU. So many events were either overlapping or grossly exaggerated for the length of time in which they took place. It was just too hard to tell though.
December 20, 2007
This book hit close to home for me. It is a quick and disturbing view into the life of a member of the Latin Kings, one of Chicago's notorious street gangs. I grew up and attended school with several people who were just like those described in this story.
January 15, 2009
Reymundo, or Lil Loco (as he came to be known), moved from Puerto Rico to Chicago, Illinois, when he was just a child. He grew up with an abusive mother and stepfather – they beat him outright and threatened him with violence (guns). As a result, he looked for relationships and ties outside of his family - among friends and among gangs. Reymundo was already hanging out with gang members when he was nine years old, although he didn’t decide to join a gang (the Latin Kings) until he was 14.
He describes the seductiveness of the gang culture – the friendships, the protection, the girls, the drugs, and the outlets for his own anger and frustration. But, in addition to the so-called “perks” there were many horrors. All of the deaths that he witnessed and the violence he did unto others with his own hands gave him terrible nightmares. He maintains that he was scared throughout his childhood and teens – he didn’t want to be a coward, but being a Latin King put him on edge all the time. The only way he could escape his uncomfortable feelings was to drink, smoke pot, and eventually snort coke as often as possible. These substances kept him constantly hyped up and ready to do violence. He also distracted himself with sex. From an early age he was extremely promiscuous and the girls who hung out at the gang clubhouses were only too happy to get it on with him.
Finally, Reymundo was violated out of the Latin Kings. He’d been on his own for several years after his family moved back to Puerto Rico. He often slept on the streets, and his drug dependency was great. He couldn’t go more than a few hours without snorting coke. He was picked up for possession and was able to take a look at his life. What he saw scared him more than what he imagined staying with the Kings would be like. He managed to get a job on a university campus and there he dreamed of eventually getting a college education. More of his story is told in The Unmaking of a Latin King.
This was a very frank and disturbing biography. People who want to glorify gang life and culture will be hard-pressed to downplay/window dress Reymundo Sanchez’ descriptions of what life is like on the inside. Gangs, which may have started to protect their own, became something much worse – indiscriminate nodes of violence lashing out at the world with little regard for innocent bystanders. They weren’t helping “our” people, or any people, really.
Although Sanchez lays bare the reality of gang life, there’s a point where one no longer needs any more reinforcement. You get it. He was confused and stupid and scared and abused and gangs took him in and gave him – initially - a false sense of security. Later, gang life was all he knew – there was no easy way out, and there wasn’t anywhere else for him to go. Ok. But then what? My Bloody Life ends on an uncertain, but leaning toward positive, note - but one is left wondering what happens next. And especially, why did Sanchez decide to write about his experiences with the Latin Kings? What happened to him afterward? What is the state of gangs and gang violence in Chicago right now? I wasn’t completely satisfied with Reymundo’s diet of depravity. In a way this is good – it’s piqued my (and hopefully other people’s) curiosity – and I’ve come away hoping that something is Being Done and wanting to know more about what’s happening now. I think if Reymundo’s words can reach other youth before they turn to gangs (for whatever reason), he’ll have accomplished something positive. Here’s someone who knows (this is a ‘brother who’s down’), and tells it like it is. But his words aren’t going to be enough. If there is no other support system in place for abused kids that no one cares about, what choices do they have? They live with this kind of violence every day. Relying on the inner fortitude of preteen kids to handle adult problems is not an acceptable solution.
He describes the seductiveness of the gang culture – the friendships, the protection, the girls, the drugs, and the outlets for his own anger and frustration. But, in addition to the so-called “perks” there were many horrors. All of the deaths that he witnessed and the violence he did unto others with his own hands gave him terrible nightmares. He maintains that he was scared throughout his childhood and teens – he didn’t want to be a coward, but being a Latin King put him on edge all the time. The only way he could escape his uncomfortable feelings was to drink, smoke pot, and eventually snort coke as often as possible. These substances kept him constantly hyped up and ready to do violence. He also distracted himself with sex. From an early age he was extremely promiscuous and the girls who hung out at the gang clubhouses were only too happy to get it on with him.
Finally, Reymundo was violated out of the Latin Kings. He’d been on his own for several years after his family moved back to Puerto Rico. He often slept on the streets, and his drug dependency was great. He couldn’t go more than a few hours without snorting coke. He was picked up for possession and was able to take a look at his life. What he saw scared him more than what he imagined staying with the Kings would be like. He managed to get a job on a university campus and there he dreamed of eventually getting a college education. More of his story is told in The Unmaking of a Latin King.
This was a very frank and disturbing biography. People who want to glorify gang life and culture will be hard-pressed to downplay/window dress Reymundo Sanchez’ descriptions of what life is like on the inside. Gangs, which may have started to protect their own, became something much worse – indiscriminate nodes of violence lashing out at the world with little regard for innocent bystanders. They weren’t helping “our” people, or any people, really.
Although Sanchez lays bare the reality of gang life, there’s a point where one no longer needs any more reinforcement. You get it. He was confused and stupid and scared and abused and gangs took him in and gave him – initially - a false sense of security. Later, gang life was all he knew – there was no easy way out, and there wasn’t anywhere else for him to go. Ok. But then what? My Bloody Life ends on an uncertain, but leaning toward positive, note - but one is left wondering what happens next. And especially, why did Sanchez decide to write about his experiences with the Latin Kings? What happened to him afterward? What is the state of gangs and gang violence in Chicago right now? I wasn’t completely satisfied with Reymundo’s diet of depravity. In a way this is good – it’s piqued my (and hopefully other people’s) curiosity – and I’ve come away hoping that something is Being Done and wanting to know more about what’s happening now. I think if Reymundo’s words can reach other youth before they turn to gangs (for whatever reason), he’ll have accomplished something positive. Here’s someone who knows (this is a ‘brother who’s down’), and tells it like it is. But his words aren’t going to be enough. If there is no other support system in place for abused kids that no one cares about, what choices do they have? They live with this kind of violence every day. Relying on the inner fortitude of preteen kids to handle adult problems is not an acceptable solution.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 10, 2010
The book My Blood Life was about Reymundo Sanchez telling his life about being abused and living the life as a Latin King. His life was pretty much drug alchol and sex. He also killed a lot of people throughout his life. He was abused by his mom and his stepdad. And was always the one getting beat up, other then his brothers. Then he was sent to go and live with his step brother. Who didn't really care about him. His brother was a 'junkie' and his house was pretty much a home for other 'junkies'. He gave Reymundo money, so he was able to buy the things he need. One day when he came back his stepbrother wasn't home. So then he jus ended up living on the streets and with other people. He had a cocanie adiction which made him get into problems with the other LAtin Kings. He did a lot of murdering so he can get revenge for other King members that were killed by other Gangs. He had a reputation for a crazy violence. He was always there when the Kings need him for something. He didn't really want to be part of the Kings but at the sametime he was really scared to back away and go throught the violation. He went to jail for having a gun and drugs. Loca ended up getting him out of it. Loca was his girlfriend in awaya and she was 29 and Reymundo was 18. He also lived in her house with her kids and Loca supposted him. Then AAfter he got out of jail he was wanted by the other gang memebers bcuz he was doing cocanie (which he wasn't suppsose to be doing it) then he jus wanted to finsh with the Latin Kings. He got his violation and he was out.
I really liked this book bcuz it told the life of a gang memeber and everything he did and went through. I really liked how Reymundo got out of the gang stuff. THat was my favorite part. But other then then it was a pretty good book. I'm gonna read Lady Q next bcuz I would like to kno from a girl's point of view.
I really liked this book bcuz it told the life of a gang memeber and everything he did and went through. I really liked how Reymundo got out of the gang stuff. THat was my favorite part. But other then then it was a pretty good book. I'm gonna read Lady Q next bcuz I would like to kno from a girl's point of view.
December 13, 2019
This book discusses the life of a self proclaimed "pee-wee", and "junior" Latin king member. It was not about the life of an adult, but a teen who was addicted to sex, alcohol and drugs, which the aforementioned covered 90% of the book, literally.
I didn't find any lessons, morals, or meaning to the story. Which left me disappointed at the potential of the book.
At the halfway point, it began to drag immensely due to its repetitiveness which made the book unenjoyable.
I didn't find any lessons, morals, or meaning to the story. Which left me disappointed at the potential of the book.
At the halfway point, it began to drag immensely due to its repetitiveness which made the book unenjoyable.
May 13, 2011
I think this book is all right. its about a kid called King lil loco, he didn't have a good childhood. when his mom married a guy named Pedro evrything change for him and his sister. His new stepfather treated them good at first but when he had his own child with his mom he started to treat him bad. He would whip him with anything as he grew older. he joined a gang called the Latin Kings. He had to be beat up for 3 minutes. When he got in the gang, he started to drink and smoke. He fhought he had family and a place he belongs in. He starts going to missions to gain respects and fighting with other gangs. He gats known through out other gangs and they try to kill him. He starts learning their isnt good friends with that all of them have your back.And that been in a gangs is not a good idea he trys to get out but he is to afraid to say it. At the end i fhought he was going to get killed but he dosen't he gets out of the gang and trys to get a good education.
June 24, 2019
I read this book to recommend it to my students and wow. I am so saddened for all the kids who don’t have someone to believe in them and who don’t have a stable home life and find family in the wrong place. I hope this book reaches more hands and opens more minds.
February 3, 2025
Could only bare to read half of the book. Became too repetitive and some scenes were unnecessarily violent and descriptive but lacking of reflection.
May 16, 2025
My favorite part of the book was when Reymundo finally decided to leave the Latin Kings after being backstabbed, became a murderer, got addicted to drugs and alcohol, and losing close friends in his arms. This book really showed the ugly and the good thats why i really enjoyed reading My bloody life because not like most books this one says everything how it is and how really traumatic being in a gang can be. The authors message is to really rethink your choices in life, is getting into something just to look cool worth it? Think about the aftermath not about how you enjoy a one time feeling. My bloody life is a raw story about gang life in Chicago, filled with violence, loyalty, and survival struggles. compared to many other books i've read its so different and shocking because it really tells us details about every traumatic moment Reymundo experience rather than just skipping through that part and heading to a next part of the book. It's Really straightforward and honest thats why i really enjoyed reading this book. I would recommend this book to young boys and parents because what took a big major part of the book is how Reymundo grew up in a very abusing household without love and that's what caused him to be in the path he chose. I will remember that Chicago has so much history and every time i visit i will really think about everything i read in this book and how there's more to it then just a city. #Mybloodylife #traumatic #real
November 9, 2023
Profoundly disturbing, but undeniably great. I think I connected with this memoir more than most because of my background teaching in Chicago Public Schools; many of my students shared similar bits of stories like this one. This book took all of those pieces and put them together in an incredibly sad, but true, account of life in the streets.
March 13, 2012
Status 3
As i finished My Bloodly life i felt that Reymundo had finally grew up and stop being a Latin King. This is said in in Pg 296 " I refused to go being known as a Latin King. I no longer was to be a COWARD." when reymundo said this i thought that finally he has some sense in him. i fe3lt as if reymundo has got out of that phase of not being wanted. He can find people who want to be his friends he never need to be a King to be accepted in life just be yourself.
My book Review
The author of my independent reading book is Reymundo Sanchez, he also is the publisher of the book also. The book has 299 pages long. The title of the book is ”My Bloody Life, the making of a Latin King.” The title of the book does spark an interest to me because I know there is going to be violence in this book. The title of the book does fit well with the book because there is a lot of bloodshed. The book cover says how there is a crown and how a young man wearing it and all he wants is the name to be know. This cover is very accurate because it is true how a boy just wants to just have respect from other people. I was very excited to read this book because of the cover and because I wanted to know what it was like to be in a gang and why people join them. There are no pictures in the book ,but they can sure paint a picture in your mind though. This is a nonfiction book. The book is described as a young man trying to figure out what to do with his life. The type of people who would interest in this book are the ones who want to know is it worth joining a gang. I don’t not typically read these kinds of book because I don’t like to read ,but I would now knowing that they are very interesting book. I loved this book because it opened my eyes and showed me that no matter what life you live its all the same but what you do with it is different.
Well the main character of this book is Reymundo Sanchez, Maria, and Perdo.
Reymundo is important because this book tells us why Reymundo choice those decisions in life. Also because of how Reymundo becomes a gang member out of fear and being a coward. Now Maria is important because she was the women who took Reymundo virginity and all she was now for is having intercross with. But that all changed because of Reymundo because he started to live with her and she started to become a mother figure to him. She enrolled him to high school and tried to change his live to a better one. Finally, Perdo he was Reymundo stepfather. Perdo was important because he was the main reason why Reymundo choice his lifestyle. Perdo beaten Reymundo for no reason and he was a horrible stepfather. The whole purpose of this book is to inform the youth why it is not the right choice to join a gang and also to show them that if they need help to go get it. One quote from the book is" I refused to go being known as a Latin King. I no longer want to be a coward." This quote shows how people join gangs to get a feeling of belonging but in the end that is all a big lie. They don’t care for you once you get hurt or anything. Another quote is " Cindy said " How many vistors did you have when you were in the bed with swollen balls? How many of your so called brothers were worried when you almost lost your arm"( Reymundo 241) This is very important because this is when Reymundo can't believe that Cindy is the only person telling him the hard facts about what his life is like. I thought this was a turning point in Reymundos life because he knows what Cindy is saying is truth and sooner or later he's going to figure it out.
For me personal I enjoyed reading My Bloody Life. The reason is because this book is meant to change people's views of gangs and why we should stop joining them. I thought that the vocabulary used in the book was pretty easy. I would recommend this book to others because I think they will enjoy it and see different aspects of others life's. I could related to this book because I went to José de Diego and its right next to Clemete high school and I saw all the gang members and stuff. I saw fights and graffiti all around that neighborhood.
As i finished My Bloodly life i felt that Reymundo had finally grew up and stop being a Latin King. This is said in in Pg 296 " I refused to go being known as a Latin King. I no longer was to be a COWARD." when reymundo said this i thought that finally he has some sense in him. i fe3lt as if reymundo has got out of that phase of not being wanted. He can find people who want to be his friends he never need to be a King to be accepted in life just be yourself.
My book Review
The author of my independent reading book is Reymundo Sanchez, he also is the publisher of the book also. The book has 299 pages long. The title of the book is ”My Bloody Life, the making of a Latin King.” The title of the book does spark an interest to me because I know there is going to be violence in this book. The title of the book does fit well with the book because there is a lot of bloodshed. The book cover says how there is a crown and how a young man wearing it and all he wants is the name to be know. This cover is very accurate because it is true how a boy just wants to just have respect from other people. I was very excited to read this book because of the cover and because I wanted to know what it was like to be in a gang and why people join them. There are no pictures in the book ,but they can sure paint a picture in your mind though. This is a nonfiction book. The book is described as a young man trying to figure out what to do with his life. The type of people who would interest in this book are the ones who want to know is it worth joining a gang. I don’t not typically read these kinds of book because I don’t like to read ,but I would now knowing that they are very interesting book. I loved this book because it opened my eyes and showed me that no matter what life you live its all the same but what you do with it is different.
Well the main character of this book is Reymundo Sanchez, Maria, and Perdo.
Reymundo is important because this book tells us why Reymundo choice those decisions in life. Also because of how Reymundo becomes a gang member out of fear and being a coward. Now Maria is important because she was the women who took Reymundo virginity and all she was now for is having intercross with. But that all changed because of Reymundo because he started to live with her and she started to become a mother figure to him. She enrolled him to high school and tried to change his live to a better one. Finally, Perdo he was Reymundo stepfather. Perdo was important because he was the main reason why Reymundo choice his lifestyle. Perdo beaten Reymundo for no reason and he was a horrible stepfather. The whole purpose of this book is to inform the youth why it is not the right choice to join a gang and also to show them that if they need help to go get it. One quote from the book is" I refused to go being known as a Latin King. I no longer want to be a coward." This quote shows how people join gangs to get a feeling of belonging but in the end that is all a big lie. They don’t care for you once you get hurt or anything. Another quote is " Cindy said " How many vistors did you have when you were in the bed with swollen balls? How many of your so called brothers were worried when you almost lost your arm"( Reymundo 241) This is very important because this is when Reymundo can't believe that Cindy is the only person telling him the hard facts about what his life is like. I thought this was a turning point in Reymundos life because he knows what Cindy is saying is truth and sooner or later he's going to figure it out.
For me personal I enjoyed reading My Bloody Life. The reason is because this book is meant to change people's views of gangs and why we should stop joining them. I thought that the vocabulary used in the book was pretty easy. I would recommend this book to others because I think they will enjoy it and see different aspects of others life's. I could related to this book because I went to José de Diego and its right next to Clemete high school and I saw all the gang members and stuff. I saw fights and graffiti all around that neighborhood.
March 17, 2018
Great Read I give this book a loud thumbs up. 👍 so much happened in lil Loco’s life that shouldn’t have happened... drama at home 🏠 lead to him looking for love ❤️ in the streets . No child should be hurt, disrespected , abused , traumatized unwanted , or unloved. The streets , his peers , and the drugs turned him into a Monster it was so many deaths I lost count . This another book that had my emotions fired up. I recommend anyone who thinks about joining a gang to read this . It was a perfect 👌🏾 refreshing read , although i did hate the n*gger part lil loco must have 9 lives he overcame soooo much and still went back to the gang he thought loved ♥️ him. I wish he would have changed his life sooner wish this was turned into a 🎥 movie🍿 . Cops are so crupt this book really explored all aspects of gang life the good & not so good. The evil and eviler a damaged boy turns into a deadly man and this book proves that. The book really educated me when my sons grow up I’ll make sure to keep a good 👁 out on the warming signs of them even attempting to join a gang. A bunch of lost , broken , abused , teens looking for love ❤️ inside a gang. Life is really a jungle and this book 📖 explores that any teen that thinks about being lead wrong should read this book. Not enough people care about the youth 👶🏽👦🏽👧🏽🧒🏽 and when they do it’s too damn late to do anything.
December 12, 2017
Seeking freedom from his childhood abuse, Reymundo Sanchez a Puerto Rican born American who lives in the south side of Chicago, separates himself from school and baseball to participate in activities including drugs, alcohol, and later on, sex. Before the age of 14 he is sent away from his parents and soon, he joins the Latin Kings, one of the biggest and most well-known street gangs in all of America. The Latin Kings becomes his haven, his new world, his family. But its onslaught costs him his friends, freedom, dignity, and virtually his life. This is a strong and personal biography that takes you around the life of a person who is growing up during the era of America's street gangs in the 1970s where the only people who are more precarious than rival gangs are the members of your own gang. Who in a second will say they’ll die for you and in the next they'll be in responsible for your murder. You would like this book if you like reading biographies and books about crime within a city. You may have challenges with this because it contains a lot of foul language and detailed sexual moments.
December 21, 2012
3. Many things happened in this book . Reymundo went from being an abused kid to being the most violent gang member. Reymundo got jumped into the gang right when he returned from Puerto Rico, he turned cold-hearted and vicious. He began using cocaine and became dependent on it.
8. I was surprised when Reymundo's mom turned her back on him, and not only was the step father beating him for no reason but so was she. Reymundo really depended on her and when she started turning her back on him , thing's changed for him drastically.
14. Reymundo learned many lessons, and regreted moving from Puerto Rico. He knew that he wasn't as cold-blooded as people thought he was . Reymundo actually cared and wanted to stop with all the gang violence but was always to coward to get out. He learned that in the end he was just hurting himself and that his so called "brothers" didn't exactly have his back like they said.
15. Yes, being in a gang may make you feel loved and protected but in reality , thats all just a fantasy . No one has your back and they could care less if you died.
8. I was surprised when Reymundo's mom turned her back on him, and not only was the step father beating him for no reason but so was she. Reymundo really depended on her and when she started turning her back on him , thing's changed for him drastically.
14. Reymundo learned many lessons, and regreted moving from Puerto Rico. He knew that he wasn't as cold-blooded as people thought he was . Reymundo actually cared and wanted to stop with all the gang violence but was always to coward to get out. He learned that in the end he was just hurting himself and that his so called "brothers" didn't exactly have his back like they said.
15. Yes, being in a gang may make you feel loved and protected but in reality , thats all just a fantasy . No one has your back and they could care less if you died.
January 10, 2014
My Bloody Life is a book that I like and would highly recommend it to mature readers. The reason is that some details are very graphic and can be considered disturbing. This isn't like the typical drug gang book. This is an actual detailed description about a young boy coming up in the world of drugs and gangs. What also makes this book unlike others is the fact that this is a true story. These events are disturbing; the fact that these are true details makes this even more disturbing.
The story follows the life of teenager Reymundo Sanchez. His family travels from the island of Puerto Rico to the inner city of Chicago. Along the way, his life is made a living hell. He gets raped by a cousin, abused by all his step-fathers, and then lives a life of crime from the age 13. His life takes many turns in the book. He becomes a drug dealer, a drug user, a murderer, a homosexual, homeless, and he does jail time.
The story follows the life of teenager Reymundo Sanchez. His family travels from the island of Puerto Rico to the inner city of Chicago. Along the way, his life is made a living hell. He gets raped by a cousin, abused by all his step-fathers, and then lives a life of crime from the age 13. His life takes many turns in the book. He becomes a drug dealer, a drug user, a murderer, a homosexual, homeless, and he does jail time.
May 2, 2019
This true story really put things in perspective for me , how fortunate I am and how some children get involved in gangs just for loyalty because they don't have a solid family. The narrator shows the reader that even the closest people to you , blood , will switch up in a heartbeat. It isn't always the "gang bangers" fault. In the story the narrator , at only 5 years old his innocence was stolen from him by his uncle who raped and swore to kill him if he told anyone. Since his father passed when he was too young to remember him so all he had was his mother, or so he thought... she allowed her new boyfriend to beat him for no reason and beat him herself and said she'll kill him as well but his sisters were never touched. So how do you grow up in such a toxic environment without letting it affect him ? All he craved was love, loyalty, and real genuine family.
I highly recommend this book to the teenage audience because its shows the hardships of urban life.
I highly recommend this book to the teenage audience because its shows the hardships of urban life.
May 18, 2018
In the book My Bloody Life by Raymundo Sanchez . The main characters are all in Humboldt park. I like it because involves and gives you the bad side of a city. It's very interesting and very different to other books. The violence and drama make you sick to the book.
My favorite character was lil loco because he was the main character. He was very reckless and I could see why he was. He reminds me of my older brothers to be honest.
Raymundo try's to explains how you could come from somewhere really bad and come up from it to live the good life. All of his experiences were rough and if he could do it anyone can. No matter the amount of hate you got you could always come out of it.
May 25, 2009
Intense sex/drugs/violence memoir with a moral message: the culture of gangs kills the body and the spirit. It also chronicles the rise of the Latin Kings, as they were first conceived to protect urban Puerto Rican communities from violence inflicted by racist police forces and rival ethnic gangs. Reymundo Sanchez (a pseudonym) tells the harrowing tale of his childhood/adolesence (He joined the Latin Kings at age 13). His cautionary tale implores teens to avoid gang life at all cost. He concludes his memoir with this powerful, haunting admonition: "Do not follow in my footsteps."
February 4, 2010
THIS BOOOK TALKS ABOUT A EX LATIN KING MEMBER BUT HE DIDNT WANT TO BE IN THE GANG CAUSE IT DESTROYED HIS FAMILY AND HIS LIFE AND AT THE END HE GETS OUT THE LATIN KINGS AND GOES BACK TO SCHOOL BUT WHAT HE NOTICES IS ONCE HES A KING HE ALWAYS A KING.what i think about this book is that its a great book for everyone because it teaches you that gang life is a bad trip because when your in it theres no getting out and its a game of dead or alive or even jail so i think this book would change everyone's mind about getting into a gang..
February 19, 2018
A student once told me that reading this book turned his life around; he went from flunking out of school to being a hard-working A student. He said after reading "My Bloody Life", he knew he didn't want his life to be that way. I made a mental note to read it someday.
So, now, many years later, I have. I can't say I enjoyed this heart-breaking and disturbing account of a boy who, abandoned or abused by the adults in his life, becomes a gang member., but it is certainly an eye-opening look at the twisted and dangerous world of drugs and violence that gang membership entails.
So, now, many years later, I have. I can't say I enjoyed this heart-breaking and disturbing account of a boy who, abandoned or abused by the adults in his life, becomes a gang member., but it is certainly an eye-opening look at the twisted and dangerous world of drugs and violence that gang membership entails.
November 5, 2010
this book was really good but nasty and weird the reson why i think its weird is because thats just shows how peole from the beginning get involve with gangs. when a person has a really bad life they can resort to that type of thing. now cops and other people cn relize how they get involved in the first place. its because people dnt have the perfect life that everyone else has htey really struggle and thats y i think this book is a great one
June 11, 2009
I am really glad that I read this book. I can see why so many students really like it. It's interesting because it definitely is very explicit, but also warns of all of the dangers of gang and drug life. I also was fascinated by the Chicago history and description of the neighborhoods as they were during Reymundo's time. I recommend reading this book.
November 16, 2016
I'm not completely finished with the story but, so far this is a really great story. The young boy has been abused almost everyday by his step father. He has found a group of males that call themselves the, "spanish lords" they are a chill group of guys who do drugs and drink beers. They start to hang out more and he becomes very comfortable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2016
I really like this book! The book really relates to a lot of events, not only my life, but others as well. This book is full of imagery, and is full of details so you can pictures in your mind what is happening.This book in my opinion is very inspiring to troubled youth . This book delivers a message, and should be read by others
January 13, 2017
My bloody life has two great elements such as Moral and Man Vs. Man. The author also gives spectacular and clear visuals on where and how things were in Reymundo's life.Alos such as how he does his first his when he was 14.Another great part in this book is when Reymundo's mom would let her boyfriend's physically and emotionally abuse him.
May 15, 2009
This book is deep!!!!! I can relate to lil loco in so many ways. He just had so many problems growing up and that helps you to understand why he did some of the things he did. This is one of the best books I ever read.
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August 2, 2019Gut-wrenching! I often had to stop the book and recount just how old this boy was when was in the Latin King's gang. Sometimes very difficult to read. More often knowing the heartbreak is real and happening everyday in our society......
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