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Liked It “I liked this book a lot because it is written with 100% honesty. The author brings us back to his childhood, and puts us in his own shoes so we can experience the intense life he lived. This book is very informational and touching and by reading it i looked past the life i live and began to...” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“I liked this book a lot because it is written with 100% honesty. The author brings us back to his childhood, and puts us in his own shoes so we can experience the intense life he lived. This book is very informational and touching and by reading it i looked past the life i live and began to understand the hardships and obstacles others go through in the same city i live in. i recommend this for anyone who lives in New York city so they can see the live that the city provides through different eyes. This book is also a lesson for us on how we can learn from our mistakes and change our futures for the better, just like the character Piri did.”
Gabriel K wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“I feel like this book is giving me a view of living in another time period with a different economical status.”
Wesley L wrote this review Sunday, November 8 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“gritty and informative, gave me a feel for spanish harlem in its prime”
thaddeus c wrote this review Saturday, July 11 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This book was also an amazing read because it spoke about the truth and it also took place in a great and my personal favorite time. This book speaks of the racism that was taking place by the italians towards the spanish people more specifically to the puertoricans. He speaks of his true life story and experiences and his criminal days which to me was so great because i could totally connect to it because i also lived in that neighborhood and also am a latina. I felt that this was a great book and gave the reader a look back into history.”
JENNIFER F wrote this review Tuesday, March 31 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Its a very good book however; if you have already read "Manchild in the promised land" by Claude Brown do not read this book. You might feel (as I did) like your reading the same book only this man is Latino. If Im not mistaken according to their respective books I think at one point in their childhood they might have lived a few blocks from the other. One was 135 and something and one was 150 or 160 something.
chris b wrote this review Sunday, January 18 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
Still an outstanding book none the less.”
“I thought that this was a wonderful book. It was easy to relate too. It takes place during the great depression in New York City. Its about a boy named Piri Thomas growing up in Spanish Harlem. He finds himself experiencing a racial identity crisis. He was unable to identify himself with being Puerto Rican or being African American which was what he appeared to be. He decides to experience being African American for himself. He goes down South until he gets himself into problems for fighting a crew member on the ship he worked on. He then goes back to New York and find out his mother had died. He battles problems with girls, friends, and family. The story is very engaging and will always want to keep you reading. ”
JHAVIRY P wrote this review Saturday, December 13 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“"This book is about a boy named Piri who was having a hard time dealing with outside color of his skin. He was faced with being a dark-skinned Puerto Rican. But most people looked at him as if he was black and treating him as if he was. Piri started to have issues with boys in his neighborhood to the point where he has to defend himself and build up a rep. Piri’s identity crisis made him travel to the South to find out who he really was to the point where he had been committing crimes and fighting with his family. He also studied the Muslim religion. All he wanted was to be free and when he got out he started slowly getting his life together. But he was tempted to go back to his old ways but he did not want to go back to jail. So he kept on his straight path. The end of this book was so boring to me. I really didn’t like it but all around it was a good book." - Pernell Toole”
AnneMCHSLibrary wrote this review Wednesday, May 7 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is one of the few books that had a life changing effect on me. Each time I read this book I am reminded of a past, present and future that is often ignored. This was the first book that I bought for my bother and it represents more to me than just a story. Piri Thomas is also one of my favorite poets - I would recommend his book of poetry. ”
Melisa MCHS Library wrote this review Saturday, April 5 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Worth a read simply for the slang dictionary that Thomas attaches as a novel viewpoint into the heart of the Barrio. Good read.”
Dan H wrote this review Friday, January 25 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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